"The American War" Hanoi by tim_japan

One of the many things that was striking to me about Vietnam was that our "Vietnam War" was ALWAYS referred to as the "American War." It's hard to be in this country and not feel the weight of the American presence during that time. But just as in Japan the Vietnamese tend to disassociate the people of America from that of its' "leaders" and politicians. The warmest and most engaging smiles to be found in any corner of the world.

A Women Juggles Food

So many of the Vietnamese through their daily chores could be worthy of a spot in the venerated French Cirque du Soleil; from the women juggling large scales of food on their shoulders, to the men on their bikes piled high with jar after jar of pickled snakes and reptiles peddling madly through mad streets of central Hanoi, these people have balance and poise beyond belief.

• Pros:Cheap goods and fantastic art on the steal, surprisingly clean and organized, Ho Chi Minh is in the house!
• Cons:Expensive rickshaw drivers.
• In a nutshell:Feel like Catherine Deneuve in "Indochine" and take a visit to Hanoi.