Two months later and I'm back in Hanoi

Circumstances changed and I was back in Vietnam only two months after the last visit. Another opportunity to see friends, eat and do a bit of work.

One of the great attractions about Vietnam, aside from the fascinating history going back over 1,000 years is the food. Each province has a traditional dish they are known for. In Hanoi, one of those is egg coffee and Luk Lak is famed for theirs. Raw frothed egg with a shot of the Vietnamese version of espresso. Rich, thick and tasty. The restaurant has a famous chef and serves high end local cuisine. Fabulous.

Then there is the history. A must see is the 1,000 year old Confucian Temple of Literature. This is Khuê Văn Các pavilion portion (added in 1805) of the temple grounds and opens on to a large well/pond. Beautiful to visit for a few hours. A few steps away are stone turtles with large tablets on their backs. Each tablet list a graduating scholar going back 1,000 years.

The ground are also full of various decorative dragons found on rooftops, tops of urns and incense stands.

Then there are the ever busy street scenes. Masses of motorbikes and cars - all honking incessantly - and in the tourist areas are the pedicabs. This by Hoan Kiem Lake, a big attraction for tourists.

A block from where we were staying in Hanoi there is a very small temple tucked away from the street, down a very narrow walkway. We happened by as prayers were in progress (Tet had just ended) and devotional candles were lit rimming the burning incense.

While out walking one morning we came across one of the oddest things I've seen in Vietnam. Didn't see the driver/owner but we did count at least 12 small dogs (some with dyed fur) tethered to various parts of the motorbike with a side car. Would have loved to see this going down the street! Yes, there are two sun umbrellas to protect the dogs.