Hanoi-040706 Just got back from my cookery course at the Sofitel Metropole Hotel-WOOOOOweee.The best yet. I cannot believe the food we cooked- stuffed crab- steamed-deep fried stuffed pincers, rolls - different style- beef marinated with lemon grass grilled and served inside lemon grass sticks,fried rice - but the best I have ever tasted, hot sour fish soup with lotus seeds. The most wonderful Vietnamese woman chef under the charge of Didier Colou who is world...

Hanoi-030706- Am getting very excited about meeting up with Judith.Only a few days until we will be supping cocktails and yapping.A month travelling a seule is good and for me long enough.I have so enjoyed some solitude aswell as meeting some very interesting and fun people but you cannot beat old mates for comfortableness and feeling at ease. It is quite wearing being constantly EN GUARD for any slight mishaps- however, must say that not once have I ever felt ...

Hanoi 030706 The highlight for me was Sunday night at the Hanoi Opera House- where I had a wonderful classical experience- Mozart -Symphony in C major "Jupiter" along with some P Tchaichovsky- Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker - the conductor was as high as a bird bath with the longest shoes imaginable- but boy when he picked up his baton- he created a symphony of shear joy. As always I had a few tears in my eyes- it was simply magical. The enormous ...

03/07/06 Hanoi- An early start loadedme into a cyclo and some serious sight seeing. Hit the Ho Loa Prison which was another sobering occasion but of enornous interest. It all helps to piece together the history of Vietnam and to realise what in fact happened in my life time but until now had not an indepth realisation. Towards the end of the 19th century in an effort to contain the growth and developement of popular anti -colonial movements amongst the Vi...

Hanoi -30/06/06 Silver bird was mode of transport - 1 1/2 hours - instead of 3,000,000 on a bleeding bus. No thinking required for that one! Hanoi is the capital of North Vietnam-The Grand Old Dame of Asia.I might add she is ageing far better than some of her contemporaries.After the Vietnam partition -Hanoi lay static- 40 years later with economic reforms has she got herself back on her feet- and continues to strive into the present charging world. Havi...