Hanoi is chaos!  Between the millions of motorcycles, cars & buses, narrow streets, constant vendors, and people galore, riding/walking the streets of Hanoi is challenging to say the least.  Crossing the street requires confidence and hope!

We began our private Hanoi tour at the Temple of Literature, a 1000 year old institution that pre-dated most universities.  High school students come to the campus (it is now a shrine) to bring them good luck in their upcoming university studies.  The focus is on the early Vietnamese leadership that recognized the importance of education.

Ho-Chi Minh is clearly loved by all in Hanoi.  This month Vietnam celebrated its 70th anniversary of independence from France with parades and other celebrations.  We weren’t able to see Uncle Ho’s preserved body in the mausoleum because he is sent annually to Russia for a 3 month “rejuvenation”.

We visited the “Hanoi Hilton” which before American pilots stayed there, was one of the toughest prisons in Indochina – a French colonialist legacy.  The USAF prisoner pictures focused on their free time (volleyball, basketball, raising chickens, receiving packages from relatives, etc.).  It was clearly a very tough facility.

Saturday night we left for Sa Pa in our private berth on a very old train – the overnight ride was almost 9 hours to cover 200 miles.  Thank goodness for Ambien!