Uncle Ho would turn in his mausoleum...

They've done such a good job of stuffing the old boy, you almost expect his face to twitch as you gaze beyond his less than life like guards.

The tourists file past in silence, although some pay no respect; appearing in multi-coloured, knee-length shorts.

I arrived with the wrong impression that Hanoi under Communism had created a city of large boulevards to accommodate the armoured May Day Parades that glorified their leaders' power.

It is only around the mausoleum, that this is so. The rest of Hanoi is beautified by shaded streets, and numerous lakes that leave a calm impression.

In what seems like a desperate attempt to catch up with
Ho Chi Minh City, though....

Hanoi has taken to the streets with it's market economy.