Hanoi

Although we really enjoyed the bustling district one of Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi has already grown a soft spot for us. The old quarter of Hanoi with its narrow streets, old buildings, and perfect mixture of locals and backpackers is a pleasure to witness. From the rising dragon hotel we took for accommodations, to Charlie the bloke from Whales who owns some backpacker/tourist hotels and helped us out with some honest info, we felt at home right away. Pretty cool when you ask for a "good place for a drink" and they walk you to an old Vietnamese lady selling beers out of a half size garage door to patrons on small plastic chairs crowding the side walk and street, most of which are fellow travellers. Good times!