art design travel health life: Hanoi, Vietnam, the bike taxi tour of the city!

Breakfast at the Club Lounge. Brie, some other cheeses I couldn't remember, a mini 'pain au chocolat', peanut butter and nutella in the bowl, 2 types of dried fish, and 2 shots on the left. One was a cucumber and kiwi, and the other is bircher muesli.

Gourmet Egg Benedict. I only had a half order. They also gave me 2 veal sausages, 3 strips of bacon, some hash browns, and a slice of stewed/broiled tomato. It was D-lish...

This guy was rowing with the feet and had perfect form. Large big circles. And what does he do with his hand when he's not sitting back? He's skimming the pond with his long handled skimmer. I bet this guy has the best 6 pack ever! Maybe I should call 24 hour fitness and start a 'foot rowing class'... the next new fitness craze!

The streets of Hanoi, Vietnam, filled with bikes, bike taxis, taxis, and lots and lots of power lines.

Look at all the traffic... the flow is to the right diagonal, so tell me who is the guy who is cutting our vector?? nuts...

Now, where did I park the moped??

I guess this girl is called the 'egg-roll-girl'?

Bun Cha! Its Vietnamese for 'DAMN that's GOOD!'... ok, not really the translation. It means, 'grilled pork'... I think... Its grilled pork, grilled pork mini-burgers wrapped in basil?, noodles, egg rolls chopped in 3, chili and garlic, and a soup-like base of cucumber, vinegar, and a touch of fish sauce. Oh, yeah, and a plate of greens including basil, sesame leaf, parsley, and something else that looked like a bird's nest. Either way, this was one of the best meals we've ever had overseas. The fun part was we ate on the 4th floor. The stairs up to the 4th floor were shoved into random areas... see below...

Laura posing on the stairs to the 3rd floor. How does a size 13 shoe make it down the stairs? Very carefully, says Ben...

Under the staircase to the 2nd floor, lies the kitchen. Not very impressive considering how good the food tasted. Just goes to show, you don't need a Viking grill in your house. You just need 4 Vietnamese ladies!

A fruit stand. How fresh!

Laura's Vietnamese Chariot!

A farmer walking with her wares. Her products were wrapped up for the rain, but I'm sure she was getting ready to 'sell'...

To show the perspective, I took a shot with my feet in the photo. The distance between my feet and the motorcycle and my feet is only one moped length. I think its the focal length or the way that the lens distorts the image, but they were MUCH closer than it appears.

The bike is so loaded with clothes, I can't believe that the bike's tires weren't flat!

This was a little monument marker pagoda outside the first university in Vietnam. The name of this place is Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam! Now, who can pronounce that?

The entrance to Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam. Nice, isn't it?

Laura posing...

More shots of the gorgeous landscaping...

Look! Red columns!

Walking into the university...

This place has lots of entry ways...

More of the gardens...

Posing inside the little house...

Turtles hold these plaques. What's on them? Who knows... They might be text books?

Holding the place up with my head! GRRRR!

I guess its a good thing I didn't buy this place for my summer home...

Sitting and resting like an old Asian man. Practicing for my old age...

Ancient Vietnamese air conditioning covers!

A scale model of the entire campus...

A big brass bell...

Nice Bonsai tree... I wonder how old it is?

Red columns...

Stone soldiers protect the entrance from book burners and invaders. Actually, I have no idea what this dude is doing!

Red columns again...

Posing in front of the pond...

Another beautiful view...

Laura and her friend Jhong!

Everyone going every which way...

These mopeds are going around us... and we are going across their traffic pattern... Scary traffic patterns... I'm just glad I was in front and the driver is in back. That way, he's safe...

Barber's corner... A shave and a haircut!!!! 2bits!

Power lines galore!

Ho Chi Minh's Museum...

Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum...

Lucky us! We waited to go to Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum until friday afternoon. If you read the sign, it says closed on monday's and friday afternoon. What a let down...

Posing in front of Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum...

Posing by a temple on the same site as Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum.

This guy was hot on Laura's tail, and I was about to get squeezed by this guy... close call. VERY close call...

This guy was carrying these IMMENSE canvases on his bike/cart. He almost looked like he was in a land yacht race. There was a part of me that was waiting for a gust of wind to blow him away... or maybe help him go faster? either way, crazy...