Vietnam, Part 2

Pictures from the second part of our trip to Vietnam:  Hanoi, Sapa and Halong Bay.  Enjoy!

The night we arrived in Hanoi, we stumbled upon this parade, only to find out that Vietnam was celebrating its 60th anniversary of independence.  Surprise!

Ngoc Son Temple, Hanoi

Ngoc Son Temple, Hanoi

Ngoc Son Temple, Hanoi

Opera House, Hanoi

Turtle Tower, Hanoi

Hoa Lo Prison, aka "Hanoi Hilton"  This prison was built by the French and held Vietnamese revolutionaries who fought for their independence, and was also a holding ground for US POWs during the Vietnam War.

This picture is of John McCain being captured by the Hanoi army.  He was held in Hoa Lo Prison for five and a half years.

I'd say Nguyen is a common surname in this country...

Parking.  Who needs sidewalks anyways?

Once again, we were stopped by a group of students who wanted to practice their English.

Mystery fruit/vegetable.

Flag Tower of Hanoi

See?  The 60th anniversary of Vietnam's independence from the French.  We had no idea!

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hanoi

See the sign?  It seems that they didn't.

Ho Chi Minh's stilt house, where he lived out the last years of his life.  Hanoi.

The Presidential Palace, Hanoi

At the Ho Chi Minh Museum, Hanoi

One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi

Temple of Literature, Hanoi

We stumbled upon a graduation photo session at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi

Temple of Literature, Hanoi

Temple of Literature, Hanoi

We took a night bus to Sapa, a city in the northern mountains of Vietnam, for a two-day trekking trip in the mountains.

Sapa

Cute little mountain piggies, Sapa

Our tour guide with her 5-month old baby.

This little girl hiked with us all the way to the first town, as well as a bunch of other ladies.  Along the way, they made us trinkets out of plants.

Here is one of the said trinkets.  Cute, right?

Me wearing a traditional Hmong coat!

Our guide showing us how they weave the hemp together to make clothes, blankets, etc.

Indigo plant used to dye their clothes dark blue or black.

Our guide bought two bundles of bamboo shoots for dinner.

A primary school in one of the villages.  Kids from several villages come to this school.

We had to work for our dinner!  Unwrapping the bamboo shoots to reveal the soft fleshy part underneath.

We stayed at a homestay, so with a hilltribe family.  They had a loft where the guests slept, and we were able to share dinner, drinks, and minimal conversation (with our tour guide serving as translation).  The kitchen cooktop was a fire where the firewood was fed in like a yule log.

Dinner!

Vietnam had some interesting Aquafina-like water companies...

The little boy at our homestay.

Trekking along the edge of a rice paddy terrace.

The group making their way across the skinny terrace ledge.

Cool beetle

After our trip to Sapa, headed east to Halong Bay, and spent a day and night in this boat, visiting the bay.

First stop was this incredible cave full of stalagmites and stalactites.

Heading into an opening between the peaks.

Halong Bay

"Hello!  You want to buy sometiiiiiiiiing?"  (Her boat is filled with cookies, crackers, and pringles.)

Kayaking in the bay

Buildingfronts are extremely skinny in Vietnam - the skinnier the house, the smaller the property tax on that house.

Kitty found a place to nap in Hanoi.

Pho.  Served up with some sort of fried dough.  Yummmm.

Vietnam has actual legitimate bakeries.  After being without decent baked goods for half a year, it was hard for me to resist.

Vietnam is famous for its coffee.  These are the two most popular types.  They smell like chocolate.

Sugar cane!  They run it through a press and serve it up with ice.  Delicious!

Vietnamese BBQ.  We were the only ones in the restaurant getting help from the owner.  Haha.

That's all of Vietnam!  Next stop:  Singapore.  Pictures coming soon!