Back to Hanoi for the third time and the Flower Garden Hotel which is a nice hotel not too far from the Old Quarter and the French Quarter. Hanoi is a big, noisy Asian city with millions of scooters that honk at every opportunity. Crossing the street requires a special strategy of stepping out bravely and strolling nonchalantly across the street hoping that the cars and bikes will miss you as they weave around you. Janet has it down pat but I am more wary and t...

Spent a very bumpy night in the train but both of us managed to get some sleep. arrived at 5:30am in Hanoi and were picked up by Vim and taken to a hotel close by for a shower and breakfast. On the road again to Halong Bay - 4 hours most of which I slept and Janet dutifully kept up the chatter with the guide. We stopped along the way for a break at this wonderful place that was full of craft made by the victims of Agent Orange. A really great selection ranging f...

Today, left at about 9:00 with guide, Dzung, for the market town of Bac ha. It took about two and a half hours down the mountain from Sapa through Lao Cai. The road is very windy and because today was a holiday, lots of crazy traffic - motorbikes by the thousands - some with three or four people on board, trucks, horse drawn carts - you name it - we saw it. Some spectacular scenery but whizzing down the mountain overtaking trucks,cars and motorbikes on improbab...

Today was a quieter one in Sapa. Breakfast at hotel another great buffet with a wonderful array to chose from. This time there was local produce in the way of plums, peaches, and both done in conserves. We met our guide and drove to the tallest waterfall in Vietnam. It was pretty - called the Silver Waterfall but oh, all those stairs to climb with our shrieking muscles. And it rained again which made them slippery so again I walked down very carefully. Then t...

Last of Hoian -managed to get in a last swim in the ocean before the car trip to Danang and flight to Hanoi. Had the afternoon in Hanoi, so wandered around main lake and shops. Then attended a session of the famous water puppets which were entertaining. Puppeteers dressed in waders manipulate the puppets to tell a story accompanied by a traditional band. Then to the railway station to leave on the overnight train to Sapa. We were comfortable in a deluxe cabin...