Day 017 : Hanoi

Hanoi has becoming increasingly busy with each day I spend here as people are buzzing around preparing for Tet (the Vietnamese New Year). One of the many traditions of the New Year is that every family must have one chicken. In the U.S. when we want a chicken we head to the local supermarket to purchase a dead, plucked, and maybe even boneless plastic wrapped bird. In Vietnam it's a whole different story! First, you hit the street...

Pick a chicken...

Pluck a chicken...

Moving on, Chi was kind enough to take me to a local discotheque...at 4:00 in the afternoon! In Hanoi the discotheques are open in the morning, afternoon, and evening. The clientele obviously changes throughout the day. The afternoon crowd ranges in age from 45 to 75 years old! The majority of the people on the dance floor were older women and younger men, but these women weren't cougars - They were simply married women that like to dance for exercise, but their husbands refuse to join them. So they hit the discotheque and dance with younger men (mostly university students) that are surprisingly good dancers. The men participate obviously for fun, but also to earn some extra dong (Vietnamese cash).

On the way home this evening I could not help but notice this street scene in the back alley where I am staying. I'm really intrigued by how every aspect of life spills out onto the streets in Vietnam...

Click here for Hanoi photos!