Collected at 14:00. On the way to the airport we stopped at a place where silk is made. Silk worms (usually imported from China) are kept in baskets for about 3 weeks until the reach a certain size.
They are then transferred to another basket where they are fed on mulberry leaves for about 4 weeks:
Until the cocoons form. The cocoons are then harvested, spun and coloured.
Then woven:
The bark from the mulberry bushes is mashed to make paper which is then patterned (often with leaves) and made into cards, lampshades etc which are then sold in the night market.
There was also a little boy who was very keen to show off his new puppy:
Dropped off at Luang Prabang airport for the 17:10 Lao Airlines flight to Hanoi.
Excuse my ignorance but I didn't know Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. So I was expecting something like Laos but a bit more advanced. Coming in to land, we could tell how wrong we were.
Hanoi airport is brand spanking new and bigger than Heathrow Terminal 5. It was built with support from Japan and the quality of the place is fantastic.
Having said that the guy at immigration really did not like me. Everyone else was flying through but with me, he kept looking at my passport photo, then looking at me then repeating over and over again. He then checked the laser stamp on every single page of my passport under UV light. After some more checking my face against my passport picture he finally let me through.
My first impression of Vietnam is I love it. You leave the airport on this brand new motorway and cross a multi-coloured bridge (also new) where cars/motorbikes just stop to take photos or look at the view.
Checked in to our hotel and was told at the desk that our room had been upgraded and we were now in the best room in the hotel, and "the only room with a balcony". Not at all sure what we did to deserve this.
Once you get into Hanoi it looks (certainly at night time) more like I expected it to i.e a bit shabby. Having said that, the excitement of the place is palpable. This may be a result of the fear/panic that is induced every time you try to cross a road. There are motor bikes everywhere and they follow their own rules - coming at you from every direction. We worked out that if you cross the road at a controlled crossing when the sign says "walk", the bikes won't stop but they will avoid you. If you cross when it says "stop", they will just head straight for you and it's up to you to get out of the way.
You see lots of families all on one motorbike - mun, dad and two kids. What's weird is that the parents will each have a crash helmet bit the kids won't. One kid will be standing in front of the dad who is steering. The mum is sat behind holding a baby her lap.
Went out to dinner to a restaurant recommended by our guide. I thought ot was briliant but David is already pining for Lao food.
Stopped for a coffee on the way back to the hotel to watch more of the madness going on. Hanoi coffee is strong and muddy and has lots of condensed mil in it.
There has been a delay in the blog as the wi-fi in Nam Ou was very slow. So I have done the last two days here in Hanoi where the wi-fi is lightning fast.
05:00 start tomorrow for a city tour.
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