Hanoi Old Quarter.

We are up early this morning , thought we’d beat the heat and the crowds and walk around the lake. The heat wasn’t too bad, but the crowds were already there. Vietnamese people get up early to exercise. They were out walking, running, biking, dancing, lifting, meditating you name it.

It’s only a small lake on the edge of The Old Quarter but very pretty with flowers and plants all around, a pagoda in the middle and a nice red bridge at one end.

After a quick breakfast we went off to find the original Egg Coffee Cafe. The coffee shop is down a little alley and then up some stairs. We weren’t holding out much hope that we’d like it but it was surprisingly good. Reminded me of licking the bowl of sponge cake.

We wandered through the old quarter for a while. Lots of old building if you look up past the shops. There seems to be a street for everything here. Beer St, Kitchen St, Flower St, Hardware St, Toy St, Glasses St. Lantern St

Of course we found more food. Sea Crab Spring. Rolls. One of the specialties of Hanoi. And another coffee, Salted and Iced this time.

St Joseph’s Cathedral was our next stop. It’s a nice little photo stop and someone conveniently did a handstand in front of it for me and a group of high school girls obligingly took our photo.

It was almost noon and getting very hot and sticky, plus we needed a rest from the constant horn blowing that goes on endlessly in the old quarter so we headed back to the hotel to recoup.Læs mere