We told him we had a reservation for City Gate, and Jenny pointed out we could read the sign for the Joy Hotel. Without any argument the driver took us to the real City Gate Hotel.
Stepping onto the balcony (yes you get a lot for your $) the following morning to survey the view, I expected to see Pierce Brosnan riding a motorbike handcuffed to a sexy accomplice, chased by bad guys. It looked just like a film set. Tiny, narrow streets, chaotic buildings, strong smells of food and authentic extras everywhere!
Jenny and I took a wander around the Old Quarter. One of Hanoi's most famous attraction's is the Ho Chi Minh Complex, this holds his body (his dying wishes were to be cremated), a museum, his preserved house on stilts and the Presidential Palace. Every year Ho Chi Minh's body is sent to Russia (or is that the Waxwork Museum in Great Yarmouth?) for "work" to be done.
Jenny at the Palace.
The complex has so much protocol, along with the strangest opening hours, it closes at 11am for an extended lunch. Because of the sheer size of the complex it's difficult to see everything in the time allocated.
We filed around the "body" shielded by a glass case, everyone thinking "it's a great likeness, can't possibly be the work of Great Yarmouth. Maybe London?"
There is one of the strangest museums I've ever visited within the complex, of course the Ho Chi Minh Museum. I was hoping to be informed, feeling rather ignorant about the man himself, but instead found baffling exhibits such as an artist's representation of Ho Chi Minh's brain, a giant bowl of fruit on a table levered onto two legs and many photographs of middle aged Vietnamese citizens holding get togethers overseas.
A representation of Ho Chi Minh's brain, of course...
Huh
Vietnam is famed for it's water puppetry shows, by who I'm not sure. We went to see an evening show. On the stage in front of us was a small pool of water, framed by a wooden set and to the left a small orchestra. The show began with some traditional music, including a zither and then one very small, old looking puppet, with paint flecks hanging precariously on, appeared in the water.
Jenny and I shot each other nervous glances, "we paid how much for this?"
In fact it was pretty good, it was all in Vietnamese so I have no idea what was going on, but it involved dragons, fire, fishermen, turtles and swords. At just over 40 minutes it was the perfect length.
