Hanoi - Capital of Vietnam

Getting out is easier said than done here. With the traffic, you have to be careful not to get run over. However, the danger does not come from cars as expected, but from the scooter drivers who do not follow traffic lights or rules. So stay vigilant!

As for everything else around: Incredible! You step out and feel like you're in a different world. Everywhere you hear engines and honking, people negotiating with each other. You smell the scent of fruits and tea, which is being sold on every corner, unfortunately also a lot of exhaust fumes. Many people wear face masks here, probably for that reason. The food is prepared on a gas grill right on the sidewalk. If you value hygiene, you're in the wrong place here. But the local food is guaranteed to be freshly prepared and not spoiled, as is the case with some imported goods (pizza, etc.). If you also make sure not to consume tap water or ice cubes, you won't have any digestive problems here.

The dish I tried today is a Vietnamese national dish made with meat broth, rice noodles, and herbs. You can eat it with fried bread, salad, prawns, mussels, and all sorts of other things that I couldn't define yet.

This afternoon I visited the largest of the city lakes, a small Buddhist temple, the Ho Chi Minh (revolutionary from Vietnam) museum, and the mausoleum where his remains are exhibited. Ho Chi Minh is celebrated here as the ultimate national hero. His guards perform very exciting 'performances'.

On January 25, 2020, the New Year is celebrated here. That's why the whole city is full of red and golden lamps and umbrellas. In addition, there are lanterns hanging everywhere, which I find really beautiful here. Tomorrow, the other part of the city will be explored. For now, I say goodnight ♡