. Hanoi is a very dynamic city with close to 5 million people, and an equal number of motor bikes (or so it seemed). We were told that the actual numbers of motor bikes in the city is about 3.5 million, all with their own distinctive horn noises - sort of like a motor bike symphony (which isn't as charming as it sounds!). The traffic is an organic entity that is in one sense chaotic while in another orderly in that as you wade into the streets, the drivers simply avoid your path and other drivers avoid them and so on and so on and so on so that your entry into the traffic organism eventually leads to safe passage to the other side of the road.Hanoi is well traveled as you couldn't help but notice many Western tourists. Probably the largest number being French speakers due to the fact that Viet Nam was once a French colony.
We stayed in the Old Quarter of Hanoi where every 3rd building was a hotel, every 3rd building was a cafe and every 3rd building was a tailor. Due to how taxes were levied - the government taxed on the frontage of the buildings facing the street - each building is therefore very narrow and long.
It seems that no matter where we travel or live, people inherently distrust their governments and always look for loopholes or schemes to pay the least amount in tax - despite all governments good intentions :). In the centre of the Old Quarter lies the refuge of Hoan Kiem Lake
where you will find many locals and tourists taking some time to relax from the hustle and bustle of the city.
It seems that no matter where we travel or live, people inherently distrust their governments and always look for loopholes or schemes to pay the least amount in tax - despite all governments good intentions :). In the centre of the Old Quarter lies the refuge of Hoan Kiem Lake
where you will find many locals and tourists taking some time to relax from the hustle and bustle of the city.We spent three days in Hanoi before heading on a night train to the small village of Sapa not far from the Chinese border. Sapa is located in a mountainous region northwest of Hanoi about 1600 m above sea level. It is surrounded by a number of ethnic minority villages who have lived near Sapa for centuries. You can't help but be in awe of the beautiful mountains, the countryside and the ingenuity of the people to live and farm in this area. 
Rice terraces fill your view in every direction. However, capitalism and the free market have hit Sapa as the town is inundated with members of the surrounding ethnic villages to sell their crafts and products to the growing number of tourists. We shared in many discussions surrounding the positives and negatives or tourism - and it is very easy to see both sides of the coin when visiting Sapa and the enthnic villages. That being said we left Sapa a little more knowledgable of the people's history and their way of life while hoping to support their culture and economy in a positive way.
Rice terraces fill your view in every direction. However, capitalism and the free market have hit Sapa as the town is inundated with members of the surrounding ethnic villages to sell their crafts and products to the growing number of tourists. We shared in many discussions surrounding the positives and negatives or tourism - and it is very easy to see both sides of the coin when visiting Sapa and the enthnic villages. That being said we left Sapa a little more knowledgable of the people's history and their way of life while hoping to support their culture and economy in a positive way. We then headed back to Hanoi again on the night train and were reaquainted with the smells, noises, hustle and bustle of a city of 4 million plus people. The following day we were off on our final destination - Halong Bay. 
A Unesco World Heritage Site, Halong Bay is filled with literally thousands of Limestone Islands. It is a breathtaking area which only recently (within the last 20 years) has become a tourist hotspot. Amongst the islands of Halong Bay, which is about a 45 minute boat ride from the mainland, are several fishing villages built on the water protected by these craggy uninhabitable islands. There were 14 of us on the boat and we were treated regally and fed very well by the staff while getting to know one another and hear about each other's travel hi-lites and recommendations which is a common past time when travelers meet.
A Unesco World Heritage Site, Halong Bay is filled with literally thousands of Limestone Islands. It is a breathtaking area which only recently (within the last 20 years) has become a tourist hotspot. Amongst the islands of Halong Bay, which is about a 45 minute boat ride from the mainland, are several fishing villages built on the water protected by these craggy uninhabitable islands. There were 14 of us on the boat and we were treated regally and fed very well by the staff while getting to know one another and hear about each other's travel hi-lites and recommendations which is a common past time when travelers meet. We will look back fondly on our visit to VietNam and the beautiful sights we were fortunate to see. We met some great people on this journey we won't soon forget- in fact, one such traveller, a Canadian named Wendy- stopped into Singapore last week for a night. We went to dinner and she spent the night at our place.
Another great trip! Thank you for taking the time to read the blog and learn about our adventures in Singapore and South East Asia. We will see you soon!
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