hkskyline's 2013 in HANOI

[hkskyline]

Welcome to Vietnam - a cleaner, cheaper, and exotic alternative to Thailand.

Hanoi's Old Quarter is a congested, lively, and bustling series of many streets. Some streets continue to hold names of specific trades that once domminated the area, although the stores may not adhere to the naming convention anymore. Nevertheless, this is a great place to see how time stood still.

















St. Joseph Cathedral opened in 1886 and looks a bit out of place in Vietnam, like the Opera House.





















The area's streets are quite narrow, so riding a motorcycle seems sensible. For pedestrians, weaving through the traffic is quite a stressful experience.



















































The full set : http://www.globalphotos.org/hanoi.htm

[xzmattzx]

Nice pictures. It certainly looks exotic, but not too overwhelming for a westerner.

Clearly it was December, based on the Christmas trees at the cathedral. People are wearing jackets in the pictures, yet there are leaves on the trees. What were the temperatures like there at that time?

[hkskyline]

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

Nice pictures. It certainly looks exotic, but not too overwhelming for a westerner.

Clearly it was December, based on the Christmas trees at the cathedral. People are wearing jackets in the pictures, yet there are leaves on the trees. What were the temperatures like there at that time?

It was a cool 15-23C-ish. A light sweater is needed at night.

[hkskyline]

[hkskyline]

The Temple of Literature consists of a temple first built in 1070 to worship Confucius and a school established in 1076 to teach his doctrines. This ancient university has been restored and now welcomes large crowds of tourists.









































What a rightful place to take a graduation picture - at the ancient university. Today's historic site is laid out in a series of 4 courtyards.