A quaint little town in the middle of Vietnam where the streets are lined with tailors and seamstresses that can make any custom fitted outfit that you can dream up in a matter of hours.
The lunar new year is just around the corner. You can feel it in the air — hence the masks.
I rolled into Hanoi at about midnight, and I should have known by the way the cab driver was driving that this was going to be one unforgeable experience! That evening didn’t even prepare me for the controlled chaos that would be revealed the next morning. They say that if you want to safely cross the street here, just close your eyes and start walking. I believe it. And the way in which they are able to balance the most awkwardly shaped objects on their tiny two-wheeled scooters is worthy of any carnival act. I saw everything from trees, to dogs, to families, to dressers, to doors and even birds being transported on the back, front and sides of these mopeds.
So many unique sites, sounds, and “food” that no words nor pictures can describe the experience sufficiently. You MUST come here to experience it yourself. But bring a face mask as the air quality is pretty horrible. *cough*
I sure hope Unesco can keep up with us. At this rate we’ll run out of World Heritage sites to see! I’ll definitely be coming back here again in warmer/clearer weather. I can only imagine how beautiful it must be on a warm sunny day (not that this was a disapointment by any stretch of the imagination). And maybe next time an aerial view may be in order as well!
