I arrived safely in Hanoi at 5 a.m. today after about 31 hours on the train, from 11 p.m. Friday until this morning. It was interesting seeing a little bit of the country that way, and I have another trip back to go still, on a different schedule. I'll give more details when I'm back "home" at our room in Saigon.
Per the usual hospitality, a friend of a friend set me with a friend to act as tour guide and I just returned from a half day of motorbiking and pantomime with him. I discovered a new favorite dish--cha ga--that I'm afraid they only have in the north. I'll have to find a restaurant in Saigon that specializes in food from Hanoi.
I'm at my "backpacker's hotel"--(think state university dormitory building, with a single aged computer to share in the lobby)--waiting out the afternoon heat now and then I'm going to start exploring on foot. Awesome pix when I return home.
-Robert
