09 July 2008 - Hanoi

We go visit the "Hanoi Hilton", a former prison built by the French. It's quite an experience to see how the Vietnamese were treated during times of war. Lots of propaganda so it's hard to believe everything. For example, this prison was used to hold American POWs during the war. There are lovely pictures of the Vietnamese treating the POWs fantastically, the POWs laughing and having a good time.

After the "Hilton" I go around the markets to buy some fake DVDs for less than $1 each. Even if they are bad copies, I'm not too bothered. One thing strange that I notice about this place how the markets are set up. If you go up one street, every stall on that street will be selling the exact same thing. Shop after shop, they all sell the same thing.






In the afternoon we all do something that isn't exactly in the tourist guide books. We go for snake blood. Ok, this sounds really gross....and it actually is. We all get into a taxi and get driven out of town, down some back alley and taken to a snake restaurant. There they get a snake - King Cobra - about one meter long. Then they kill it in front of us by slitting its throat and draining its blood into a glass and mixing it with vodka.It is so nasty to watch! We then each get a shot of this stuff. The vodka masks the taste, but it is still quite hard to stomach. We then get taken to the restaurant part where they prepare different parts of the snake into little meals like snake spring rolls, snake soup, etc.

What can I say about snake? Well, it tastes like chicken...not really. It's real unique and I cannot describe it, but all I do know is I never want to try it again. Looking at the menu, snake is not the only thing you can buy here. Welcome to Asia!




In the evening we go to see a water puppet show - a "traditional" Vietnamese show for us foreigners. Lots of drumming, singing, dolls, puppets. It last 45 mins. Thank God!

We all go for one last meal before I say my goodbyes as I am leaving for Beijing the next day.