SaPa to Hanoi

The next day we explored the township of SaPa.There are hundreds of hotels and eating places.
The local hill tribe people are all about in their traditional dress which the wear every day.
At 5.00pm we boarded yet another bus for Lao Cai( very close to the Chinese boarder) where we bought a ticket for the night train to Hanoi.We had an hour to spare so with our bags in tow we had a look round bought some fruit and boarded the train at 7.30 pm.
It was a very lively night with lots of commings and goings until 4.30am when the train stopped abruptly and it was everyone out! We were in Hanoi.
We had not booked a hotel so out came the torch and the Lonely Planet.One taxi ride and an dissagreement over the charge we were making our way down an alleyway hoping we would find a hotel.Eventually at 5.00am a hotel opened so we booked a room had a much needed shower and a short sleep.
At 9.00am we were out to see Hanoi a very different place to the sleeping city at 4.30am.
Noise dust people Cars bikes motor bikes all honking.Complete chaos.
It took us a couple of hours to adjust.
Crossing the roads you just walk at the pace of the locals and you are OK.Just keep cool.
The food is much the same we are missing the Thai food full of flavour.
We walked for 9hours exploring .We found the old Hoa Lo prison now a museum.(The Hanoi Hilton where the US pilots were kept during the Vietnam war.)
In the evening we went to the night market.
I think it is even bussier at night than during the day.The footpaths are seathing with people cooking and eating.The roads are still crammed with motor bikes carrying whole families weaving slowly through the pedestrians the driver using a cell phone!
We always seem to get a room on the 5th floor!