First city walkabout

A beautiful sunny day today with humidity at about 30%. Amanada and I took Orlo to school by taxi then continued to the city centre. We enjoyed coffee and juice in the Avalon Lounge which has wonderful views over Hoan Kiem lake. Amanda then went off to work and I began my walk around the Old Quarter. I had downloaded a route from Google, but it turned out to be less than clear, so I wandered! Good job I had myIPhone to pinpoint my location at times ;). This city is throng with scooters, bike, motorbikes, taxis and a few cars. You just have to weave through then to cross the roads and narrow streets!! I found the streets which sell jewellery, haberdashery, bamboo scaffolding poles, and many other streets besides! I missed the market and the 'silk' street ( however there will be other opportunities ;) ).

All the goods are transported by scooter or bike or in baskets on a yoke, amazing looking fruit, eggs, bread, boxes of paper, you name, I saw it today! There are lots of cycle rickshaws plying for hire but I stuck to Shank's Pony for a whole two hours. By that time to I was back at the Avalon, so stopped for some watermelon juice and a cake to fortify myself. By this time it was getting quite hot, however I left there and went over to the lake to cross the red 'Sunrise Bridge' to visit the Den Ngoc Son ( Temple of the Jade Mound).  Note: I saw some beautiful jade jewellery in the jewellery street!

Leaving there I walked south by the lake side to the French Quarter , passing a statue of Ly Thai To on the way. I knew I had arrived when I saw a very swish looking shopping mall housing Loius Vuitton, Cartier and Chanel!!!!! I walked passed!!! In this area the streets are wide boulevards.....after a walk around one block I decided I had had enough of the heat, the noisy scooter hooters and the traffic, so I hailed a taxi and returned to the apartment. The taxi fare was about £3.60 for a fifteen minute journey.

Since my return I have been checking out the currency exchange rate, it feels high as you spend tens of 1,000s on a cup of coffee or a bun, but 10,000 dhong is 30p!

I was very glad to get back to the apartment and put the aircon on today!

This evening we are going out to eat at e of the street cafes with a dessert afterwards in a French bakery ;)