We're getting ready to leave Hanoi

As the post's title says, this is our last day in Hanoi (and Vietnam) and we've just realised we're quite sad to be leaving. We've had a bit of a love-hate relationship with this city, we'd be the first to concede this, but it's not until you face the reality of leaving that you start to fully appreciate the charm and uniqueness of the whole Hanoi experience. We could never live here, did I even need to say that, but we also now have a better appreciation of a completely different way of life to our own.

We love the old trees in the French quarter

This morning we did a bit of street shopping and also walked along the Long Bien Bridge which crosses over the Red River. The bridge was actually designed by Frenchman Gustav Eiffel (now where have you heard that name before). If his tower is a magnificent piece of engineering, his bridge in Hanoi must been designed on one of his off days; it really is a piece of old, rusty junk. Still, must have been quite special when it was constructed in 1899 and was the longest bridge at that time in Asia. It's just wide enough for a train down the middle (which we were lucky enough to see) and two lanes of motorbike traffic, one going each way. However, in true Vietnam style, just because you're on a one-way lane doesn't stop you going the wrong way; happens all the time and nobody blinks an eyelid. 

Long Bien railway station

Long Bien Bridge

Very lucky to see this train crossing the bridge.

Looking down from the bridge onto the squalor below.

To finish off the afternoon we took a ride on a cyclo, which is basically a rickshaw. Our ride lasted an hour and it's amazing how much of the city we covered in that time, all at a pace not much quicker than walking. But because we're not constantly moving out of the way of motorbikes, which you do when you're on foot, it was much more relaxing. Our man peddling also pointed out some of the local landmarks for us, in very broken English.

The Hanoi Opera House

Our cyclo driver

Tomorrow we're catching up for breakfast with an old friend of ours from Wangaratta, then it's off to the airport bound for Kuala Lumpur. When I got here a week ago I couldn't wait to leave but now I'm a little less certain. A week is probably enough here in Hanoi, but it definitely grows on you. The tree-lined streets, the beautiful French buildings and the people themselves combined together to make this place very unique; but very memorable. I think we'll actually miss it.

Alison's favorite cafe, Cong Caphe - she'll really miss them.