From the drive in from the airport, Hanoi looks like just about every other city I’ve ever been to – perhaps even worse. But ‘The Paris of the Orient’ was a great surprise.
Hanoi is a thousand-year-old city that has all the charm and character one might expect from a city of that vintage. It’s centred on a large lake and the Old and French Quarters are a real treat to explore – this is where the majority of my photos were taken.
You’ll see examples of French colonial, Chinese and Vietnamese architecture…unfortunately, not enough, though.
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4. A small mosque in the old quarter that caters to Hanoi’s dwindling South Asian population.
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12. Opera House
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27. mmmm, delicious.
28. Yes, they are alive and will not be on the menu this evening. How do I know? They’re wearing sweaters.
29. Hoan Kiem Lake with the French Quarter in the distance.
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33. So many scooters. So many BLOODY scooters!!
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38. Main rail line into the city. Pretty tight squeeze.
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40. Hanoi Citadel. Unfortunately, it’s off limits to the public.
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42. Uncle Ho’s Mausoleum
43. Lenin
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That’s all for now but there’s much more to come.
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