Puppet Theater

The first full day in Hanoi was spent wandering around the city. There’s a lot to see, and even though bicycles from earlier times have now been replaced by scooters and cars, and certainly with more tourists, it is now quite pleasant to walk around.

Fortunately, Allan is very curious, so he makes sure that the rest of us taste a lot from the various street kitchens. Sweet buns with sesame seeds are a hit - at least for me.

There are street kitchens and shops of all kinds next to each other in a true jumble - very charming. And now we navigate traffic as if we were (almost) locals.

It's always good to have a chat with those who want to. For instance, we didn’t understand why a lot of festively dressed people were being photographed in front of a specific building. A local explained that the building is going to be demolished, and since it is apparently iconic, many want to get a picture in front of it before it happens.

We found the knife shop we were looking for and invested in some lovely handmade knives made of black steel - the kind that can be sharpened over and over again.

We also had time for a stroll around Ho Hoan Kiem Lake with the beautiful red bridge before we had to grab a quick meal. We had indeed booked tickets for the water puppet theater. It was an experience that can be recommended if you find yourself in that area.

Early up tomorrow, as we are headed north to Sapa.