Night Life

We have just made it back to Hanoi after a very easy journey via air. Amazing how 1000 kms can be so stress free when one flies. Not so good for the planet but sure makes things simple when distances are large and time is limited. We are back at the same hotel (of which we are fond) and leave this evening on the night train to Sapa. We decided to book a simple room for the afternoon and evening to give us all a place to lay our head while we wait. Hanoi is a difficult place to be out in for endless hours. There are not many places to just hang. It was also good planning because it has been drizzling all day here. Hanoi seldom seems to be free of fog and rain. That said it is a good humid 24 Celcius.

Even though I said no more blog posts on Hoi An, I left realizing I needed to post some images of the town at night. The ambiance in the evening was so beautiful in the late hours, especially with the beautiful French colonial buildings and all the lovely lighting. These images were taken during the last two nights during all the full moon festivities.
This was a trendy late night desert cafe that had some very tasty things to eat. A big change for us since we have had few calorie rich foods while in SE Asia. The picture below is the sitting area of the same Cafe. It was very tastefully done!
Another old building that housed a restaurant in the old quarter. Many of them have a European feel about them but serve delicious Vietnamese food.
The lanterns we have mentioned so many times look stunning at night. They are made with bamboo frames and local silk. Stores light up the old town with them at night. It looks magical!
A Buddhist temple that is a hive of activity everyday and evening. Kai and I went in the building the other evening while some religious ceremony was in process -- they were chanting and it looked amazing with all the lanterns.
Until next time...