HANOI 2005 Part 2

Welcome to the another part of my Hanoi 2005 trip. You can also find part 1 here.

**MONDAY WAS FOR WATER PUPPET**

As I firstly told you in my last part, this trip of mine was for training. So, I had free time only after each day's training session. This picture shows the participants, instructor, and kind organisers from Vietnam.

Right after we finished that day's session, we caught a taxi to the Hoan Kiem Lake again but today we jumped off the taxi right at the 'WATER PUPPET THEATRE'. We just need to cross the road. The worse thing is the road is like this all the time....and no one stop for us. We need to hop forward-backward...and pray (+..+")

++NOOO...OH...OOPS...Lemme go PLEASEEEE!!!!++

PHEW....Fortunately, we're all safe in front of the water puppet theatre. We, then, booked 4 first class tickets for the fastest show which will begins in no more than 1 hour. Again, because we didn't wanna waste our time waiting outside the theatre, we started walking around. Took a few pictures.

'I think I must sit here, A, take a photo for me!' it's Mr. Aphichai's.

'Why this place interests you?' I asked, disagreed with him.

'Oh, this spot shows the real Vietnamese life. Here's where they find and how they eat seafood, don't they?' He reassured. I still amazed...but just 'do it for him' is better, I thought. 'OK, OK, you sit there...1...2...3' (-*-)

Let's look at the picture, he was almost laugh but the Vietnameses were laughing and everyone, even a Westerners, was looking to us (-*-).

After that, I and my colleagues went back to the theatre. It was just before the show. I forgot to tell you that the price was 100,000VND per 1 person and please buy the first class ticket because it was not too expensive and the second class seats were too far away. The show was good, both music and puppets at their best performance. This show is the 'CAN'T BE MISSED' for your Hanoi trip!!!

Err...The last picture was the puppeteers. They had to stay in the water during the show and that's about 1 hour, 2-3 rounds a day...they're really tough.

After the show, we're starved to death and decided to eat something local. We directed to a street restaurant we found before the show which we think that the food was clean. It was a very nice experience eating like the locals and the taste was not so different than in Thailand (not spicy at all but still very okay). See it in pictures below, we paid only about 30,000VND for this meal!!!

RECOMMENDED - Many street restaurants in Hanoi serve a lot of good food with cheap price. However, local Vietnamese prefers to sit in a small chair but I don't like it. If you're like me, choose a restaurant with taller chairs, if possible.

I would like to stop this part here...ei ei...see you in part 3.