Hanoi Highlights : Hanoi City 2

9-June
Took taxi to Ba Dinh square, but walked a big round to Ho Chi Minh mausoleum entrance ard 0830hr
1-hour queue to enter HCM mausoleum
Bypass HCM Presidential house (yellow colour) in the surrounding area
Viewed his residence, cars etc.
Visited One Pillar Pagoda, but skipped HCM Museum (mostly b&w photos)
Took taxi to Museum of Ethnology, to see the tribal traditional houses etc for an hour+
After lunch then took taxi to Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) for an hour+
See courtyards, temple structure, statues etc
Dinner at Hanoi Garden Restaurant (rating "so-so")
Watch Water Puppet Show at Thang Lung Theatre at 2000hr (rating "not to be missed")
Hot Lava Stone foot massage (USD12 pp, rating "so-so and expensive")

10-June
Shopping for set of handsewn pictures which we saw on 1st day
Shopped for shoes and handbag
Lunch at Little Hanoi (french bar), had sandwiches and tried Halida beer (rating "good")
Shopped again for handsewn pictures
Return hotel for rest and shower
1700hr van pick up to NoiBai airport (45mins)2000hr return flight to LCCT, arrived 0025hr

Ba Dinh Square in front of Ho Chi Minh (HCM) mausoleum	HCM Mausoleum
A HCM street banner	Long queue to enter HCM mausoleum
Residential Palace	HCM's residence
HCM's residence	One Pillar Pagoda description board
One Pillar Pagoda	HCM's Museum at the background
Museum of Ethnology	Layout map of museum
a water puppet theatre (foreground), longhouse (background)	front view of longhouse
a grave surrounded by sexual explicit figures	a wooden toy horse & swing
Entrance of Temple of Literature (Van Mieu)	The iconic gate of Van Mieu
The water puppets on display	Bar counter at Little Hanoi cafe
Halida beer, anyone?	fresh flowers selling at roadside
shoes display in the shop	Traffic on Hanoi streets

Hanoi Highlights : Hanoi City 1

7-June
Check in Trung Nam Hai Hotel at Pho Duan street)
To Quan An Ngon restaurant for dinner (french mansion, outdoor dining of local viet cuisine) rating "interesting and good"
Walkaround restaurant area (Hanoi Tower etc.)

8-June
Stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake, visited bridge and temple at lake
Bought Water Puppet Tickets at Dien Thien Hoang street (main street, opp lake), 1st class tix RM10 pp
Walkaround and shop at 36 Pho Huang (old quarters)
Had grilled fish lunch at Cha Ca La Vong restaurant (rating "interesting and good")
Had ice cream & cold drinks treat after walkaround at Thu Thay (beside lake, rating "enjoying")
Stroll around West Lake, visited small temple, saw Sofitel hotel nearby.
Had dinner on a dragon boat at the lakeside (Potomac Restaurant, rating good)
Walked/shopped at weekend night market at Hang Dao until 2300hr, saw street artist drawing upside down

@ Quan an ngon restaurant for dinner	street outside hotel
Hotel Trung Nam Hai entrance	street peddlar
selling ciggarettes at roadside	street in Hanoi, near HoanKiem lake
Bridge at HoanKiem Lake	Monument near HoanKiem Lake
Temple entrance at HK lake	a pagoda in the temple
at the temple	taking a break at the temple
entrance of the Thang Long Water Puppet theatre	Board at TL Water Puppet theatre
Cheap and colourful clog shoes	Handicrafts shop
ornaments	Cha Ca La Vong restaurant
food served in CCLV restaurant	the stove with grilled fish on top
how it's mixed and served	buying Vietnamese coffee
Street that is selling metalwares	enjoying ice cream at HK lakeside cafe
my iced mocha drink	restaurant on the dragon boat at the West Lake
sideview of the restaurant	temple at the West Lake
pagoda at the temple	Street artist drawing upside down at the night market