Hot Humid Hanoi

I picked a wrong time to come to Hanoi.  This is the hottest time of the year.  On top of that the humidity makes Hanoi unbearable during the day.  I enjoy walking around the Old Quarter of Hanoi because this is where you get a true perspective of what Vietnam is.  However, after walking for just 1 hour, my shirt would be all soaked.  Fortunately, my hotel is quite comfortable and after a short walk, I'd come back to the hotel, take a shower and cool off.  I feel bad for the local vendors who have to work outside or without air-conditioning.  But, that is life here.
I remember coming to Hanoi about 2 years ago in July.  It was also hot and humid but I still enjoyed walking all over Hanoi, even though I'd get soaked in sweat.  Now that the sights are not so new to me anymore, maybe that's why I am feeling the heat and humidity more.

A Lotus Bloom

Lotus Pods in the background

Lotus seed with the tiny green stem that makes it bitter

Young couple taking pictures

This is the lotus blooming season.  Some friends took me to West Lake where there are a lot of lotus plants.  It's quite a popular thing to do as evidenced by the number of people by the lake.  People come to admire the beauty of the flower as well as to take pictures.  I've eaten a lot of lotus seeds in soup, dessert or pastries but I've never known how or where they come from.  Now I know seeds are taken from a pod, then cracked open and the lotus seed (meaty party) is taken out.  Inside the seed there is a green stem which makes it bitter so that is usually taken out too.

Lunch Buffet at Sumo BBQ

I took a walk one morning around Truc Bach Lake where I used to live.  I have a fondness for this lake because it's a small lake and life around the lake is a microcosm of Vietnam.  I used to run around the lake in the morning and marvel at the lives of the Vietnamese.  They don't have much compare to what we Americans have but they try their best to make a living.  Even the old do their part.  You don't see people going around begging.
When John McCain's plane was shot down during the Vietnam war, he fell into this lake.  There is a memorial marking the incident somewhere on the side of the lake.

Workout Area by Truc Bach Lake