Hanoi and Tho Ha Village

The cyclo ride yesterday was fabulous. All the traffic is crazy and people just ride straight ahead without stopping. Its a miracle there aren't any accidents. The old quarter of Hanoi has streets named for what they sell. Like shoes are all the shops on "Shoe Street" or sugar is pretty much all thats sold on "Sugar St." you get the idea. After that Old quarter tour we went to the Ho Chi Minh palace and tomb. You been to Lenins Tomb, seen Mao, you've pretty much seen Ho Chi Minh too. Nothing remarkable. In the evening we went to a water puppet show. Its a regional specialty where they do puppet shows in the water behind anm elaborate screen/stage over the water. I could barely keep my eyes open and can not say a puppet show was enough to keep me interested. But glad we went anyway. This morning however, we took a trip to the local village of Tho Ha. Fabulous. Had to take a ferry ride across this horribly polluted river to get to this island of Tho Ha. It was quite an experience. I thought we were going to go under on the "ferry" once everyone piled on. but we didn't. The village main economy is making rice paper for spring rolls. They are drying on screens everywhere you go. I did see some people rinsing the empty screens in the filthy river which I will never forget, but I did eat spring rolls at lunch this afternoon and I'm still not dead, so I guess its ok. We got to sit with a family who made the rice paper and had a chance to make some ourselves. Fun. Then a stroll around town. Pretty poor but culturally rich. Everyone wants to meet us and take pictures with us. Upon returning to the hotel we booked a massage at a spa. We walked in and it was beautiful. I got Thai massage, Signa swedish, and Lilly aromatherapy. 75 minutes each at $20. Love this country! My massage was famulous. I still feel great. She walked on my back, pounded me with elbows and stretched me backwards like a bow. Lilly and Signa did not fare so well. Fortunately we were all in the same room laughing and giggling while we were heckled by the masseurs (they were laughing and giggling at us). Lilly was rubbed raw, then freezing after a cold shower and no towel. Twice. Because she came back and still had coffee grinds (really) from the salt scrub she had still on her and needed to go re shower after being heckled by masseus. Very funny. Signa had trouble with her neck, so we all ended up leaving early in a whirlwind of miscommunication. Something none of us will ever forget. Now we are on our way to Bobby Chin for dinner. Very hip restaurant in Hanoi. Also included is a little video of Lilly fulfilling a dare to be tarzan from a tree in the city while we waited for some friends to buy wine.