A Bend in the River – The Dyke and The Bridge

  Hanoi means ‘bend in the river’, although to most visitors the river seems to barely feature in the city scape of today, in stark contrast to when the city was founded by Ly… Continue reading →

Wires Wires Everywhere

  Hanoi’s tangled webs of wires are a quintessential part of the city’s character, bringing charm or chaos depending on your point of view.

An Old Quarter Walk and a Dog in a Conical Hat…

Two weeks ago, Piers’ god mother (and husband – both very good family friends) came to visit. We had a fantastic time showing them around as they were probably some of the most… Continue reading →

Sunny walks over Tet

Hanoi has once again been gripped by cold and grey weather, but last week, over Tet, it was unseasonably mild. Here are some photos from around Hanoi. Another ‘you see something new in… Continue reading →

The Lead up to Tet: Releasing Goldfish and The Three Kitchen Gods

I love the way I always notice and learn new things living in Hanoi. Despite having lived in Hanoi for two and a half years, it was only last Thursday that I chanced… Continue reading →

Merry Christmas from Hanoi

Hanoi has been gearing up for Christmas since the beginning of December. All the shops and restaurants are decorated for Christmas and Hang Ma, the holiday decoration street,  is doing a roaring trade… Continue reading →

A Sunset Walk to West Lake

A Saturday walk up to West Lake passing Lenin Park and Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum.

Hanoi in the Spring Sun

Various scenes around Hanoi – enjoying the finally sunny but rather sticky weather.

Abandoned pools and random busts in downtown Hanoi

Back to Hanoi and a walk over to the first French Colonial University founded in 1926.  Sadly, it was a rather grey day, typical of winter here, but the empty sidewalks at Tet… Continue reading →

French Colonial Architecture in Hanoi

The French were in Vietnam from 1873 until 1954, with Hanoi becoming the capital of French Indochine in 1887. While the old quarter was left intact as a distinctly Vietnamese part of the… Continue reading →