Exotic place to meet, Vietnam

Unbelievable to see a man with a board with my name on it emerge out of the haze at Hanoi airport, Jo who had arrived before me had it sorted. Taxi driver and I drove past motorcycles with no lights and laiden with flowers at 12am to sleeping bodies in the hotel lobby and at last sleepy Jo.
Hanoi, leafy with zillions of swarming motorcycles and the typical look of conical hats alongside trendy silks in boutiques, men resurrecting spare parts we would have chucked out years ago and pho stalls. Noodle soup that is, lime and rich herb flavour with chewy beef, delicious. A city of 6 million Hanoi old town has retained an olde worlde look with the French architecture.

Before long we headed North for Bac Ha on the train,making friends with the locals who pulled Jos hairy chest and exclaimed. The Sunday trading market seemed to be a great place for friends and family to meet, attracting throngs of villagers from the surrounding hill tribes. Some walk several hours for the weekly opportunity to trade and barter food, animals, clothes and household goods. Most locals paid little attention to us, rather choosing to focus on their business and the opportunity that the Sunday market bought. Visually it was a feast for our eyes, we were incredulous at the women and their bright clothing.