I always thought that the streets in China are really chaotic, as you always have to pay attention not getting hit by a taxi or by bikes in the back when crossing the street. Well, in Hanoi you just have to survive hundred of motor bikes coming towards you, even if they have red light :). Just a view days ago somebody told me that the traffic in Saigon is ten times worser than in Hanoi...I wonder how this works...I will find out :).
Besides the heavy traffic on the streets the people in Vietnam are unbelievable friendly. They even say sorry when they jostle you on the street. Which I am absolutely not used to anymore after six month in Shanghai. Nobody says sorry there > First comes first serves. I was just about to say: "No Problem. Just do it again!" - Just to hear the sorry again :).


Many, many motor bikes...are making crossing the street quite a challenge :)


On the lake in Hanoi


A street market in Hanoi




A little boy on the streets


Very interesting in Vietnam, you can see a lot of buildings like this: In the front not very wide but very long in the depth.

Halong Bay
After a day in Hanoi I went on a two day trip to Halong Bay. Halong Bay is very famous for its three thousand little islands.


The first night I stayed on the boat...but our boat was right on the end. It is quite difficult to climb several boats with a 15 KG backpack on the back....an experience with muscle sore as result :)


Halong Bay


The "Surprising Cave" we visited on one of the little islands


The view outside the surprising cave and me


Little market on the water


In the afternoon we went Kayaking next to one of the millions fisher farms in the bay. To get to the kayaks we had to balance aaall the way to the other side :). Luckily they were not growing any sharks there :).


The next day we went hiking on Cat Ba Island


On the top...yeahhh :)

In Hong Kong I had to stay for four nights as my Visa for Vietnam was only valid from the 25th of March on. Besides going shopping, going up the Victoria peak and making an harbor tour, there is not much to do in Hong Kong. And that's what I did :).


With this cable car I went up Victoria Peak


The view from Victoria Peak...the weather was unfortunately not really the best


They even have a Hollywood Road in Hong Kong :)


On the streets in Hong Kong


On the waterfront in Hong Kong


Matching to the Hollywood street there is an alley of stars at the waterfront with hand prints of Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Jet Li


Me on the waterfront


Here we have Jackie Chan


On the harbor tour

After my stop in Guilin I flew to Shenzhen and took the ferry to Macao where I stayed for two days. Macao lies next to Hong Kong and can easy be reached with a one hour ferry trip. Macao is an ancient colony of Portugal - not from England like Hong Kong. Luckily, otherwise it wouldn't be soooo beautiful today :). Macao was given back to China in 1999.

I have to say I really was fascinated by Macao. You can see and feel the Portuguese influence everywhere. I had the feeling to be in Portugal itself...and this in China!

In the city center on the evening of my arrival



The old house of Mercy


Beautiful lanes just everywhere


Very interesting in Macao: the official language is Portuguese and Cantonese. So, all streets signs are showing both languages...which is a quite irritating picture...:)


The view on Macao


Guia Fortress


Just beautiful houses everywhere




In a public garden




Mount Fortress


Ruins of saint Paul


On the street an interesting ritual