There are few traffic lights here, just everyone going about their business, left, right and straight in the same intersection.  The instruction for crossing the street is to just walk at a predictable pace, and the cars/scooters will move around you.  It does work, but it is much easier to watch other people move around than it is to hold your breath and venture from here to there.

David and I are staying in the old quarter.  The heart of the old French city is everywhere; gorgeous architecture and little courtyards housing restaurants or coffee shops.  Everything has worked according to plan with 3 months stretched out in front of us the pace is much more relaxing than trying to stuff so much into a few weeks or a month.

We have ventured to the many highlights of Hanoi.  The standard things: water puppets, temples and pagodas.  We were at the temple of literature and we were offered a private concert (for a gift of approx $5,) but it lasted 15 minutes or so and was accomplished on the traditional instruments, bamboo pieces which were struck like a drum, and a very ancient 1 string instrument.  I took video to capture the sound – just beautiful.  We were lucky to catch the changing of the guard of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum lots of pomp — they modeled it after Buckingham Palace.  And walking through the park we came upon one couple who had just gotten married and were posing for wedding pics, the traditional dress is beautiful.

In one of the temples, offerings are made to the honored deity.   Money is appropriate, of course, and flowers and incense are appreciated.   At this particular temple it is a first to note the gift of oreo cookies and white castle shortbread.  I just had to take a picture . . . .

Tomorrow we head out for a 3 day cruise on Halong Bay, a UNESCO heritage site with karst stones jutting up from the sea.   Here is a sneak peak of our boat and the bay, and a promise of an update when we return.    But for now, it is time for our afternoon massage, yes this expat life is wonderful.