Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay is a couple of hours away from Hanoi. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and is made up of those Limestone Karst formations again, like in loas, this time out at sea. Pretty spectacular sailing around and between them. Spent the night on the boat. These guys are some people we met on the boat.

Hoem Kiem Lake Island

Building on a small island in the middle of Hoan Kien Lake near the Old Quarter part of town. Not sure what its purpose is.

Hoa Lo Prison - Hanoi Hilton

Hoa Lo Prison was originaly a French Prison where Vietnamese plotters were kept. Their treatment sounds pretty brutal although the museum says this encouraged revelutionary meeting amongst prisoners where they discussed ideas to escape.

During the Vietnam Wat this was used to house captured American pilots shot down over northern vietnam. The pilots nicknamed it 'Hanoi Hilton'.

Hanoi war museum

Visited the war museum in Hanoi. Had a large section on the war of independence against the French and a building at the back about the American war.

The photos show me with 'Uncle Ho' head, a showing a vietnamese solider wih some celbrating villagers and a wreck of an american plane piled up with a photo of a vietnamese women dragging some of the wreckage in the sand infront of it.

Temple of Literature

Temple of literature in Hanoi. Hundreds of years ago used to be a place of learning for students. Now is an area of peacefullness in the middle of all the madness of the streets of Hanoi.

Hanoi - North Vietnam

Flew from Vietienne the capitol of Laos to Hanoi. These are the views from our balcony over the city roofs in the old quarter and looking down at the streets with typical fruit sellers and bikes.

Vang Vieng

Absolutely loved this place! Very touristy but its where you can go tubing. The surroundings are pretty special too, you can make out a limestone karst rising up behind the town.

When we arrived there were some young monks ringing the temple bell, you can just make them out.

One evening Mike and I got invited to a locals birthday party with the whole family. We were happily picking away at the meat of this plate when we noticed the eye staring at us. very tasty though!

Some people from the slow boat trip into Laos

Having dinner in Luang Prabang with some people from our boat trip along the Mekong.

Royal Palace in Luang Prabang

The royal palace in Luang Prabang and adjacent Wat with mike stood infront. The palace is now a museum after the royal family were exciled shorty after the 1975 communist revolution and seemingly disappeared.

Pak Ou Caves

Inside the caves. These photos are from the lower cave. The higher cave is larger and is where ceremonies take place.

Caves near Luanp Prabang

Think they were called the Pak Ou caves. I'm so far behind on this blog I can't remember. They're only accessible by boat and inside are thousands of Budha representations. Every new years all the people in the local area come to the caves to celebrate the new year and to donate more budha models.