Hanoi

A thick white blanket of cloud, backlit by an invisible sun, spanned the sky. At 23 degrees the day felt very mild compared to the high temperatures and humidity we had experienced. The locals were wrapped in jackets and hats as we might be on a cold autumn day.

Around the edge of Hoan Kiem Lake and down wide busy streets away from the Old Quarter, we stopped for lunch where the chef/owner had appeared on Vietnamese Masterchef in 2013. Alex enjoyed delicious 'Bun Bo' (rice vermicelli and beef in sauce) whilst Kim had tasty 'Pho Ga' (chicken rice noodle soup). Not only was it very enjoyable it was also very cheap with the bill totalling £5!

With full stomaches we marched westward to stand before the brutal architecture of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Lined on either side with giant red Communist flags, which fluttered brightly in the faint wind. Guards in uniforms, taut with medals and starch, stood watchful whilst on the lawn women crouched low to pull weeds. You go inside and file past Ho Chi Minh's embalmed body with thousands of other tourists. However the prospect of viewing a corpse 46 years dead did not overly excite us so we wandered by.

Adjacent and behind layers of security was the intensely yellow Presidential Palace. Just like the White House in Washington, we had no idea if anyone was at home behind its tall gates and blinded windows. However it is said that Ho Chi Minh did not reside in the lavish overthrow of French colonialism, choosing instead to live in a small stilt house set within the grounds.

Circumnavigating the edge of the old crumbling citadel walls we came to its North Gate. Originally built in 1805 by the Nguyen Dynasty, at 17 metres tall it remains an imposing structure. It's face is scarred by two great holes gouged out the brickwork, caused by cannon fire when the French took the city by force at the end of the 19th century. Atop of the gate incense vapour drifted from a solemn bronze altar to the Nguyen leaders charged with the city's defence.Read more