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...

18/06/06 Demiliteralized Military Zone-DMZ from 1954-1975 The BenHai river served as the demarcation betweem North and South Vietnam.On either side of the river there was a 5km area and this was known as DMZ line.Ironically as the conflict escalated this area was actually the most militerized zones in the world.In this region, the war was from the air rather than from the land- with massive craters ruining the complexion of anotherwise exceptional landscape....

Hanoi- A popular Hanoi hangout is The Water Puppets Theatre-whichis basically a Punch & Judy in water.It is an ancient artof wooden puppets carved from water resistant fig tree timber.Modelled on villagers aswell as mythical creatures . With a support orchestra and folk doing the speaking parts it is quite brilliant. It is an old theatre- the stage being a square tank.Behind screens the troupe of puppeteer handlers stand waist deep inwater and creature the pup...

HUE-28/06/06 Am sat at the WHY NOT? bar- with cold Larue in hand-happy & relaxed.Jottin notes in my journal. On my way to Tropical garden restaruant - it is incredibly humid and as my leggies stick to gether in a low waddle I am in a quandry what to eat. Feel like an iced soup!! Well one day later - still hotter than a wok but getting my head around it. Slowly slowly monkey monkey-- Had a superb manicure and pediure at Saigon Morin hotel - just to retrea...

Hue- On my way here-passed beautiful landscapes and village scenes.The houses here are skinny minny- due to high cost of land frontage- so people buy skinny plots and then proceed to build lonways into the back garden.Doors are left wide open back & front-v Feng Shui- and you get ot gander inside.all same same but different-spartan,table, couple of chairs, side cabinet,some dust collectors in the form of gaudy buddhas/vases/tutt,a TV which remains on 24/7-and ...