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