Valet parking (bis)

Picture this with some engine and horn noises, and it's like you were here!

Valet parking

As Vietnam's traffic is something close to 99% bikes (though we see more and more cars), you can imagine that valet parking is something quite different than what we're used to in other countries! Those guys will make sure that your bike is safe when you go to your favourite restaurant, and will make sure they are neatly parked - and I keep getting amazed at the density they manage to reach!

Panorama

You probably will have noticed by now that Hanoi doesn't have a lot of tall buildings (and I think that's part of the charm of it all); today however I made good use of my visit to the Sofitel Plaza to climb up to the 20th floor and snapped a quick shot of the city. On the left hand side, Trúc Bạch Lake (you can even see my building on the little peninsula on the far left); on the right hand side, the much bigger West Lake. Separating them is the dyke road where I featured the Tran Quoc Pagoda.

Well, I'm off tomorrow to Malaysia for a week; I'll be back here soon!

Gà nướng

This is 'honey chicken street', or the best place to have gà nướng and other comfort food... Went there last night and it was better than just finger lickin' good!

The storm

You can't actually observe it on the photo, but I could literally see the storm coming with the rain slowly making its way over the lake. Fantastic moment!

Nano Home Depot

[traditional street shop in the Old Quarter]

Tarmac

I was getting tickets at the Opera the other day, and from the ticket counter I told myself 'the road sure looks wider than before'. Not until I realized that the roundabout that used to be right in the middle... went missing.

Thankfully I passed by today again and it is back! I looked closer and it actually consists of a couple hundred plants in their pots... Smart!

The little communist shop

[somewhere in the Old Quarter]

Cyclo

It's not often that you see a cyclo that isn't transporting tourists, whether French, German or Korean; so when I saw this cute family I just couldn't resist!

Back in the old days

Believe it or not, this is one of the classic sights in Hanoi - not that you see them everyday in the city, but you will sure get a good chance to have a close look if you go nearby the Metropole. For those who are not familiar this is one brilliantly maintained Traction Avant from Citroën - probably the most iconic car in France during the WWII period. This one probably is over 50 years old, can you believe that?

Gather 'round

All around a small table in the street to get some phở; nothing beats that!

The best job in the world

'kay, I'm kidding, that's not the person in charge of the road/railway junction traffic. But when a train leave the station and temporarily invades the motorbikes' domain, trust me, that's something to see! Lots and lots of 2-wheelers, whose drivers are (hardly) ever losing their temper. Definitely something French drivers should learn from! ;)

Painting the town yellow

For those of you who have visited Hanoi (or even Hanoi Daily Photo for the past few months), this ochre color is unmistakably very typical of the city, whether on the old colonial mansions or on the local tube houses from the Old Quarter. This wall is losing of its original color, but it's giving it a certain charm!

Street surprise

Kebab in Hanoi... Who would have thought?

Parking lot

There is no such thing as a car park in the Old quarter (pretty much). To go there, motorbikes are advised!