I really like the Non La - the cone hats, they look so simple but are beautifully made. We tried to locate a hat maker, it took forever - asking everyone who passed us as well as negotiating a big car down teeny tiny lanes. It was mad… Our driver did so well and the next thing we knew we were both riding pillion on a hat-maker’s motorbike and arrived at a little square.
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The guarded section of Train Street
Adversity is the Mother of Wisdom - Vietnamese Proverb. Hanoi
It then became one of Hanoi’s most visited places. Now, having been closed for a while following a near accident', the main entrances are guarded and limited people are allowed in. Many of the coffee shops have closed due to the Government’s clamp down as well as the lack of tourists. We were not allowed onto the tracks at a couple of guarded sections so we quickly hopped onto another section just in time…
Read MoreHanoi 4.45AM
When Eating a Fruit, Think of the Person Who Planted the Tree - Vietnamese proverb.
Getting up at 4.20 AM was no laughing matter, but needs must. By 4.50 we were on our way to witness Hanoi both waking up and finishing its night shift.
Our first stop was Long Bien Bridge and then onto Long Bien market. They are located next to each other and both unique in their own way.
Read MoreA Day of Travelling Will Bring a Basket Full of Learning - Vietnamese Proverb
We learnt pretty fast that you just go with the flow - when you cross the street, you walk like an elephant - slow and steady, don’t stop, look forward, keep moving, and trust that scooters and cars will either stop or move around you. Except Buses - they don’t Stop. You run.
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