Again, not a lot to report from Cat Ba other than it had a beautiful beach and I played volley ball for the first time.  We stayed one night on the island and spent most of the day at the beach with our other boat guests.

It was Europeans versus the Chinese and I’m pleased to report that we kicked their asses.  They are absolutely mad – every time their player missed a crucial volley, they he knelt down while the rest booted him in the ass – strange.

As an example of how silly they are just look at the last photo – they did provide entertainment for all which was good and it was all in good humour.

Imagine a city where the exotic chic of old Asia blends with the dynamic face of new Asia.  Where the medieval and modern co-exist.  A city with a blend of Parisian grace and Asian pace, an architectural museum piece evolving in harmony with its history, rather than bulldozing through like many of the region’s capitals.  Hanoi is where imagination becomes reality (lonely Planet).

Couldn’t sum it up better ourselves – throughout our stay we have dodged the swarms of crazy motorbikes, weaved our way through the tangled web of streets in the old quarter, watched synchronised t’ai chi along the Hoan Kiem Lake and got a real taste for cafe culture while sipping bia (beer) and sometimes coffee with the locals.  Hanoi has it all, you couldn’t but enjoy this great city.

For us above all else was the buzz and character of the old quarter – you will see by the photographs - it has a real mix: an ancient history, a colonial legacy and a modern outlook.  We wished we could stay longer than five days but we must move on.  The further north of Vietnam you go the better it gets for sure.

This about sums us the motorbike scene, sometimes as many as four children are transported by a guardian, madness!