Today is my 3rd day in Hanoi and I think it takes about that much time to start getting used to the maze-like streets and crazy traffic (and crazy driving) to start appreciating the city. So far the highlight of Hanoi has been to see Uncle Ho encased in his age-less glass box. The are super hyper at the masoleum, you can't laugh or talk as you approach it and you have to give them all cameras so no taking pictures. Apparently if they catch you taking a picture they make you sign a document declaring that you disrespected Uncle Ho.
The tour has officially ended and I have a couple of days extra before I head to HongKong. I'm actually really glad for the extra days, I'm would not have thought it but I'm actually pretty tired from the past 20 days of traveling and Hanoi is a good place for some R+R. Tomorrow I plan to see the Ho Chi Minh musem which was closed today – should be a good laugh.
After we left Hoi An we went to Hue for one day. Hue is the old captial for the Vietnamese kings and they have a pretty impresive 'Purple Forbidden City' and along side a citadel with the biggest flag I have seen in my entire life. After that we traveled on an overnight train to Halong Bay. This is where there are huge cliffs rising out of the water and its a classic Vietnam picture. When we hot to Halong Bay is was POURING but luckily it cleared up by the time we had to get on the boat.
The boat we took here was great – it was this old-timey looking one that had the feeling of French Colonial times. We ate an amazing seafood meal and then went to see one of the caves. One unfortunately thing about Vietnam is that they make everything uber-touristy. For example the caves had a light show to 'tart it up' and we went to the Temple of Literature (which is the site of the oldest university) and inside it you can buy tourist crap AND have an ATM there to help you buy the crap.
Halong Bay at night is a very boring and dead place. I think it's cause we were staying near the bay itself and no where near the city. I went with someone in the group to get a massage. In hindsight there were probably several things that should have made me clue in that this wasn't wasn't a totally legit place like the bar in the lobby, that they wanted up to pay upfront and that my massage women was wearing a nightie. (Okay to be fair, Vietnamese people wear what I would consider pajamas out in the street at the time so I just thought it was an indoor extension of that). My masssage room had a massage bed and then in the most creepy interior decoration - two chairs positioned right in front of the with an ashtray inbetween. What a disaster.