The sun is out and a lovely mild temperature to walk through the old quarter, and stop off for coffee at the multi-level and quirky Note Cafe.

And to the tranquil Hoan Kiem Lake, the symbolic and geographic heart of Hanoi – with greenish water (a dark or light shade depending on the reflection of the sky), lined with stone benches on which to relax and catch a breeze, full of soft shell tortoise to discover (very auspicious if you do) and a gathering place for perambulation during the day and night for Hanoians. Tai chi and yoga under the trees surrounding the Lake, street stalls, cafes, a precinct for kids to try themselves out on go-karts and small electric cars …..something for everyone. You can buy a ticket to cross the red Huc (Rising Sun) bridge to the Confucian Ngoc Son temple on Jade Island. Inside the temple, you can commission a master calligrapher to scribe a wall hanging for you.

On my way back to the hotel, I came across a wedding celebration, with guests arriving with presents for the bride and groom…such a busy street…. that was almost at a standstill, to accommodate the wedding party!

And I returned to Hoan Kiem Lake for some night shots of the red bridge and building reflections on water…