Feb. 2018--Hanoi Water puppets and Video of Street Traffic

Hanoi is enchanting. We visited around "Tet Week" which is the Chinese New Year. It was a very cultural, enlightening experience . . much different than we expected. What an amazing trip! 

Lively streets and vendors!

Weather was comfortable, but slightly cool. No problem for our Canadian friends, the Peltons, who were with us on this trip. 

Leslie is a bit pensive as she thinks about crossing the street. In Hanoi, you cannot wait for a break in traffic to cross. . you simply have to start walking and wave your arms BIG, to show the scooter drivers you mean to cross in front of them. It is unnerving at first, but you do get used to it. 

Tim and Leslie Pelton teach in Beijing with us. They are at Peking University.

Families all over Vietnam get dressed in their finest clothing during the holiday week and travel on scooter to restaurants and other family members' homes. This little girl enjoyed her walk with grandma and grandpa dressed so "Vietnam-esy" They were good sports when we asked to take their picture. 

Laraine in the lobby of our hotel.

Across the street from our little hotel. 

We ended up eating at McDonalds because all the restaurants were full on the holiday.

A typical wait at the light

A water puppet show. Hard to describe. Techniques are handed down within certain families for centuries, and kept secret. 

One of the many puppets performing. How they manipulate the puppets underwater is a mystery.

An entire cast of animals, people and even fish make up the water puppet show. We didn't understand the language, but it was fun to watch. 

Puppeteers come out for an ovation at the end of the show. 

These delightful hotel staff people were so sweet.

We just sat by a lake in the center of town and took pictures.

Eating outside is a local favorite. These tiny tables and chairs are difficult for big Westerners to deal with.