Hoan Kiem Lake

To say that Vietnam has been a whirlwind is a major understatement. I've already spent four days in Hanoi and three days in Hoi An. My internet in Hanoi would not allow me to load the Blogger page. It was incredibly frustrating because I had no problem getting onto Facebook or checking my email on my phone, but I couldn't do much of anything on my computer. This means that I couldn't upload most of my photos because they were on my camera, not my phone. So, in an attempt to play catch-up, here are some of my photos from my first experiences in Hanoi. I spent the majority of my first day around Hoan Kiem Lake, which is in the middle of the city. 

Here is a brief explanation about the lake.

Throughout my trip I've been struck by parents of all cultures teaching their young children how to do things, like take photos, cross the street, and play at the beach. 

This elderly gentleman kept doing these arm exercises where he'd pump his arms and swing them up. I tried to get a video, but he caught on and stopped doing his exercises when it looked like I thought he was a spectacle to behold. 

The Asian folks love tall, blonde people. I get asked to have my picture taken all the time. I have yet to experience this, but other travelers I've met along the way told me that people will place their babies in their hands and start taking photos without really even asking. That's a little much for me. I'll stop and take a photo when someone asks politely (by Western standards). 

The following photos come from the Ngoc Son Temple, which is located at one end of Hoan Kiem Lake, sort of in the middle of the water. The red bridge in the previous two photos connects to the temple.