The day started with an Old Quarter Trishaw Cycle tour. We had the opportunity to relax whilst our driver pedalled us to many of Hanoi’s highlights from the French colonial times.

We had an unobstructed view with our driver behind us and we were able to take plenty of photos. Some with the driver!

We passed Dong Xuan Market, the largest indoor market seeing a range of produce, souvenirs and clothing.

The old quarter is an intriguing neighbourhood home to a mix of Vietnamese architecture, parks, ancient shops and temples as well as more current street food establishments. At first the 36 streets that make up the Old Quarter felt quite frenetic, but the constant motion and action is all part of its charm.

Many of the bicycle vendors we passed were selling goods including flowers, ripe fruit, as well as roadside cooks selling pho and bun cha.

The streets in the Old Quarter tend to been characterised by selling specific products. We went down one such street only selling lanterns and piggy banks!

Our route took us into the Chinese district where we came upon a dragon…celebrations were in full swing and it was so surreal to see this come out of nowhere.

The longer the tour went on the more we were intrigued by moments in hidden alleyways and secluded pagodas along with cosy coffee shops.

As the tour came to an end, we thanked our guide with a tip and headed to a roof top coffee shop to take in the views over Hoan Kiem lake.

The coffee shop, called Laika is perched on the 5th floor with unspoilt views across the Old Quarter. We tucked into an iced coffee with coconut cheesecake which was a taste to behold.

After a relaxing break, we meandered around the lake and on to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and the One Pillar pagoda before moving on to the botanical gardens and Tran Quoc pagoda. Despite the heat of the day, we were keen to walk around and see the key sights.

Along the way we past Note Coffee, where people leave a note on the wall or outside of the building with their thoughts for the day.

The lake area is beautiful and being a Sunday was busy with families and also those seeking to keep fit with impromptu classes along the water front.

The roads around the lake are closed to traffic over the weekend making it ideal for kids in their makeshift miniature cars…!!

As we walked to the mausoleum we stopped off at a cycle shop for Andy to revel at the latest designs.

Other streets offered up a mix of lanterns and the infamous train street, which we visited later in the day.

The area around Ho Chin Minh mausoleum was marked by a statue of Lenin and was awash with security.

Once we arrived at the mausoleum, Michelle sadly wasn’t able to go into the grounds as she had bare knees (!), a big no no, so Andy went inside and took a view quick photos before returning and we moved on to our next stop.

Nearby we came across the One Pillar pagoda a very understated building.

After a brief walk through the botanical gardens, we reached Tay Lake and Tran Quoc pagoda marking the oldest Buddhist temple in the whole of Hanoi dating back over 1500yrs.

The pagoda is located on a small island. There is a great deal of Buddhist symbolism at the Tran Quoc with lotus flower statues representing purity of the mind, body and speech.

Just in case people are unaware of the correct way to follow the law of karma they provide helpful illustrations. Some serious and some somewhat surreal.

The island is covered in trees and bonsai plants and was very busy with locals making offerings to Buddha and the resident monks.

With a further walk on to the Old Citadel, we stopped off for an ice cream. You’ll find stores selling them across the city for as little as 25p.

Continuing with our walking theme we headed to the Old Citadel where part of the old pagodas and walled palace once stood. Most was lost when the French arrived in the 1800’s who ordered the palace to be demolished and replaced with a colonial military complex.

The remains of the Citadel were however impressive and part of the original structure from the 1100’s has been excavated and preserved.

When we arrived in the late afternoon the gardens were being cropped by a team of workers with the most basic of materials and hedge shears.

As we experienced at the Hue Citadel locals like to dress up and have pictures taken in traditional dress. We came across a young couple who agreed to let us take photos.

The manicured gardens were beautiful and we enjoyed a hour of so wandering around the grounds and taking in the old historic buildings and decorations.

Our next stop was to Train Street to watch the arrival of local trains along the narrow street with bars and restaurants sitting immediately on each side.

As the 6pm train time nearer, the numbers of people started to swell as we readied ourselves for the train a foot or so in front of us.

When the time came the first train appeared almost without warning. After 25yrs commuting into London, Andy was quick to point out that he had seen his fair share of trains at close quarters to last a lifetime!!

As it turned out there was another train due to arrive at 6.15pm so we stuck around.

It was a little quieter this time and we were able to get a good spot for the trains arrival.

At last the train and we got our selfie just at the right moment.

After a hectic day of doing tourist stuff, we grabbed a bite to eat at a nearby Vietnamese restaurant and enjoyed Bi Cuon and Cam Ga Rau Thom. Essentially chicken and rice with wraps and rolls.

From there we walked through the night market and picked up a few more gifts for our daughter and friends as well as a new ‘looky likey’ t-shirt for Andy.

Feeling all walked out, we returned to the hotel after a successful day of Hanoi attractions.

More to follow tomorrow with a food walking tour to look forward to.