Well, the highlight of yesterday was a Cyclo ride through Hanoi. It was better than walking and really got the adreniline pumping.
On a Vietnamese cyclo, the passenger sits at the front while the driver peddles from behind. As a result, you feel that you are at the mercy of every motor cycle, bus and car on the road. It is no use worrying about which side of the road you are on here, because the locals certainly don’t. At intersections, you are weaved through opposing traffic, on right hand turns it is normal to be gliding across the road while looking straight into the radiators of oncoming cars. Somehow everyone misses each other and the tour continues. The view and experience far outweighs the excitement (terror??). It was however a bit disconcerting to read in the newspaper that some 280 Vietanmese had been killed in traffic accidents over the three days of Tet.
We peddled around the old quarter of Hanoi (rememeber that there are only three of them) taking in the sights and smells for an hour. Great views of everyday life in the streets and all this for only $1.60 per person. I think that we”ll go again. Actually, we are going to try and see the water puppets today.
