Hanoi street scene

Senior assistants from one Australian college checking in at the Hanoi Youth Hostel.

A night before their arrival,hosteliers who were currently occupying were being informed to check out as the Aussie group has booked the whole dorm in advance.

The management owner Mr Trinh Van Nam was very kind enough to offer an alternative place at the same price which is their main branch at Cau Go Street.

Having stayed nearly a week in this nice hostel,I'll be catching my flight the following day so did not continue my stay.

Young Aussie students participating in The World Challenge.

This is something very interesting where youth of today can gain exposure in real world adventures beyond frontier touring undiscovered destinations.

 Their living skills and environmental interactions putting into practise will enhance their knowledge which will be of great assets to them.

Chinese bikers leaving hostel with their new bikes.

They have been cycling cross-country from Kunming,Yunnan Province to Hanoi.

One of their lady friend has taken a bus home and you'll noticed that one of them has no more baggage.

Their carelessness in safe guarding their properties was very costly.

Luckily their own embassy people came to provide some assistance.

The main fault is that three of them came up to the dorm and check if there's any vacancy without having one guarding the bikes and bagages.
That was at 8:45pm when one of them approached me to enquire.

  A visit to Hanoi wil not be complete without visiting the Thang Long Puppet Theater (Nhà hát múa rối Thăng Long) located at Dinh Tien Hoang Street, just across the north of Hoan Kiem Lake.

 The show is amazing coupled with the good acoustics sound system.
The daily showtimes are 5.30 pm, 7.00 pm ,8 pm and 9:15pm.Sunday is at 9;30am only.
The counter closes at 6.45 pm to 7.30 pm.
Ticket prices are from 60,000-100,000VND.

  Ngoc Son Pagoda Temple (Jade Temple) just across Thang Long Puppet Theater on Hoan Kiem Lake.

 Built in the early 19th century,the temple was dedicated to Confucian and Taoist philosophers and the national hero Tran Hung Dao.
Tickets(12,000 VND) are purchased at a booth located on the left-hand side before you cross the bridge.

The temple opens at 08:00 and closes at 17:00 every day and its best to get to the lake as early as possible to watch the locals do their morning yoga and Tai Chi.

From the shore the 'Welcoming Morning Sunlight Bridge' (Cầu Thê Húc) leads to the island.

Buildings of the temple include the Pen Tower (Thap But), the ink-slab (Dai Nghien), the Moon Contemplation Pavilion (Dac Nguyet) and the Pavilion against Waves (Đình Trấn Ba), all of which have symbolic meaning.





For the convenience of tourist the tricycle ferries passengers all around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarters area.

Mini Electric bus with price ranging from 150,000 to 250,000VND also provide tour services around the Old Quarters.

  Pretty Vietnamese ladies with their traditional costumes 'Ao Dai'

In the evening,the street side cafes came bustling with tourists enjoying their food and Bia Hoi .

During the night on Friday,Saturday and Sunday,the streets of Old Quarters from Dong Xuan Market extending till Hang Dao Street became a night market walking street.

There were many stalls showcasing a variety of products.







Entrance to residential house around Phan dinh Phung Street.




Olden days houses in Hanoi have side entrance.
They were mostly one-storey houses, only some having second storey, generally low and without windows or having very small windows (according to ancient rules under the past dynasties, inhabitants were forbidden to look at the King when he happened to pass before their houses, and especially to look at him from a higher place).





This huge castle beside Ho Tay lake near the same row with Brazilian Embassy was up for sale.

Section of the central old citadel of Hanoi which was once the former residence of Vietnamese monarchs dating back to Đại Việt, when the city was known as Thăng Long.

In 2010 the citadel was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as "The Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Hanoi".





Tunnel House. This possibly also act as an air raid shelter.

Bamboo pipe smoking is commonly seen in some of the sidewalks.
In Vietnam, it is most commonly smoked after a meal on a full stomach to aid in digestion, or along with green tea or local beer (most commonly the cheap "bia hoi").

A "hit" of thuoc lao is followed by a flood of nicotine to the bloodstream inducing strong dizziness that lasts several seconds.

 It should be said however that even heavy smokers have had trouble with the intense volume of smoke and that side effects include nausea and vomiting.

My regular meal was at this shop which offers economy rice with 3 dishes costing 20,000 VND.
This is something homecooked and there were a variety of dishes to choose.

 A family run shop with limited seating place so many of the locals prefer to have takeaway.
 The place is behind Dong Xuan market just opposite Le Loi Middle School.




 Truong Trung Hoi Co So Le Loi or Le Loi Middle School.

 Le Loi, also called Binh Dinh Vuong or Thuan Thien, reign title Le Thai To (flourished 1428–43, Lam Son, Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam), Vietnamese general and emperor who won back independence for Vietnam from China in 1428, founded the Le dynasty, and became the most honoured Vietnamese hero of the medieval period.




The word 'Middle School' is commonly used in China so this implies that this must be a Mandarin speaking school.
Most Southeast Asian chinese schools also use the same wording.




The majestic Saint Joseph Catholic Church. In the late evening after school dismissal,you can see lots of young school children hanging around the compound waiting to go home.
There were three schools nearby.
Gecko Backpackers Hostel is a short distance from here.


 


The State Bank Building or the Central Bank has a dome shaped top that resembled the Vietcong cap.

Shop selling ethnic products.

  SWAROVSKI,a major outlet in the sale of crystal jewellery accessories.
 Location:Avalon Cafe Lounge Building near Dong Kinh Ngia Thuc Square,north of Hoan Kiem Lake.