A very busy day after only one night in Hue. First allowed myself to be led astray once more by Jane's purchases, and even before 9.45am had bought a dress & had it altered in 10 minutes flat!

Trip on dragon boat up Perfume River to lovely pagoda buildings for Buddhist monks including novices aged 7-15.

Peaceful garden displaying feng shui principles

A gross figure

Then to a larger citadel - the Vietnamese Imperial Forbidden City - very spacious and beautifully laid out. After seeing 4 distinctly different types of monuments, would never have thought I would find it so interesting, with general peaceful atmospheres.

Into Forbidden City

The Royal Library

Outside Royal Treasury Building - lanterns Hue style

As soon as finished there in late afternoon, it was straight to Hue airport for flight to Hanoi, the current capital. In its 4,000 years' history, Vietnam has had several capitals, under different rulers, e.g. French, South Vietnamese & North Vietnamese. After the war, Hanoi has been the capital since 1976, & is different from the South:  plainer and poorer, more Communist, and from 30+° heat down by at least 10°. Hanoi has 9m people and 6m scooters.

Wholesale night market was starting as we passed at 20.35, with lots of white flowers (sign of autumn) arriving on individual scooters. Finally, a very late supper & straight to bed!

After reunification, Hanoi became the capital. Our next day was given to exporing it on foot.

Our brilliant guide Thiep

Am: in spacious parkland, sits the Mausoleum for Ho Chi Minh, the revolutionary leader hugely respected by many Vietnamese & viewed as the nearest most have to a god. Elderly people who fought in the war make a pilgrimage here before they get too infirm. We went around and into it, where I imagine the setup is similar to e.g. Lenin’s in Moscow, with long queues forming to enter to see his embalmed body on a central pedestal inside glass. We were watched and very strictly corralled by guards in white uniforms, who enforced its rules: e.g. no phones, no hats, no hands in pockets & certainly no smiling ... In contrast, when a frail old Vietnamese couple went in, two guards very gently helped them up, around and down the steps at the other side – a striking example of their respect for their elders.

The grandiose mausoleum built for Ho Chi Minh

Ho Chi Minh‘s house where he lived till death – simple but elegant

Water lillies in a pond outside

Saw several children finely dressed with makeup, who readily took up poses for photos, apart from the girl in white who looked only about 10 & seemed uncomfortable at being asked to pose for person with her.

The Temple of Literature used to be the leading university, but is now used just for special occasions like graduation. Beautiful curved roofs with carved finials of dragons, clouds etc.

the Temple of Literature

During afternoon, some of us tasted egg coffee, a Hanoi speciality made with raw egg yolk in coffee over tealight burner.

Delicious - more like a dessert

The next day, we were taken out of the city to a more rural area, but not without long, slow urban drive first.

Huge accommodation blocks for workers coming into Hanoi

Waist-high jars of soy beans being fermented into sauce.

Another request from village kids for photo – who could resist this lovely bunch!

Back in town the next day, there was a surprising range of shops

Only for a wealthy few?

Taking a breather after 300+ steps up to (another?!) temple

City to Rural

Starting loop from Hanoi for 4 nights with small bags, & main luggage stored in Hanoi. Been able to get 1kg laundry done by lady in tiny shop next to hotel – for £2.50.
As our coach tried to access extremely busy expressway out of city, we were confronted by a vehicle reversing alongside us, to allow other vehicles to leave expressway! We & others also then had to reverse, but showed another typical example of Vietnamese coping strategies: what looked hair-raising to us Westerners was something Vietnamese drivers just do like a weaving ballet, without any fuss.

Car on the left driving wrong way down sliproad! Yet car on right had to reverse ...

First time in mountains, can see where oriental art style originated with layers of hills fading into distance.

Up + over passes, + dropped down into Mai Chau, a small village on plateau of rice fields, surrounded by unusual pillar-like mountains covered by vegetation.

Although their rice crop was harvested, saw farmers burning off rice straw.

Our lodge is in beautifully peaceful setting, and everyone is finding relief here, after Hanoi’s size and noise. Population and food different, with Thai and Laos influences. We look out onto a large lake where a multitude of pink water lilies open in the morning and from late afternoon.

Peace

Our bedroom

Exotic wildlife

Sunset from our restaurant