Hanoi (day 31)

Great day today. Got up relatively early (for me) and had a ridiculously strong cup of coffee for breakfast. Hit the streets and headed to Hoan Kiem lake. Relearned how to walk across streets in southeast asia, which is easier than you would think in a city with few stoplights and a million scooters. You just kind of go, and they beep, and everybody wins. About halfway around the lake i met a fellow named Tom who flagged me down due to my tattoo (a full arm sleeve is quite handy for meeting new people, as well as being pointed and stared at). We talked for a bit, went for tea, and then he proceeded to drive me all over the place on his scooter. Saw a huge chunk of the city, including such sights as the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the remains of a B-52 bomber in the middle of the city, a statue where John McCain was shot down, a local noodle shop, and a bia stall. Then i learned the joy of living in a maze; never quite lost, never quite found (which pretty much sums up my existence).
Stay tuned. Videos to follow (or follow the linky).