Hanoi, day 1

A really bad night's sleep: rock hard (huge) bed, most minicar, grumpy AC, but there was a good outcome. The staff here are lovely and breakfast was a made to order omelette, set me up for the day.

And it was a hot sticky day. In the afternoon 32 deg and 97% humidity. I walked to the lake that is the centre of Hanoi and visited the temple, amid hassles of kindergarten children. A leisurely stroll past the flower pigs for 2019, fishing the people taking photos. It is good to see so many women wearing the traditional ao Dao, very pretty. Stopped at the Opera House for a Highlands coffee.

I was last in Vietnam nearly 4 years ago and things I'd forgotten came back, like Highlands coffee under the burgundy parasols. However, there are more cars and fewer motorbikes (only 5m) in Hanoi than Saigon and consequently it is easier to cross the road, in fact in some places the are green men, not that they are obeyed by traffic.

The Opera House was built by the French but overall Hanoi feels less French than Saigon. After coffee I headed to the Vietnamese Women's Museum. Interesting exhibits about women's lives in Vietnam and the different cultural traditions, and AC!

Back to the lake for an insignificant lunch (many French fries) and a Ha Noi beer, not a patch on BeerLao. By this time it was just so hot and sticky so I headed to the Water Puppets and managed to get into the 3 o'clock show. It is very good and well staged but slightly soiled by the girl in front who didn't want to sit up straight and couldn't decide if it she sir with her head on her partner's shoulder (my head to the left) or lean to the left (my head to the right). We were bouncing around like the puppets.

Back via the old town where the hotel is. No pool here so rest, on the bed newly softened with a topper. Such a responsive hotel.

Took the evening open hour topped bus tour which was spoiled by a couple of things: it didn't stop at the attractions for photos and the Spanish guy in front of me and a couple of Australians kept standing up to take photos blocking the view. The Spanish guy in particular filmed most of the trip on his phone. Will he ever look at any of this again? People can be so inconsiderate.

The banners are flying for the Trump - Kim Jong Un summit next week, 'Hanoi, City of Peace'. Luckily I'll have left before the caravans roll in.

Took another walk at the lake for some event photos before heading to the restaurant I'd seen in the afternoon. Lovely food and such friendly staff.

And finally back to the hotel where I found out how to see 'hello' and 'thank you'. More difficult than 'sabaidee'.