Our hotel staff at the Rising Dragon Hotel in Hanoi must be the friendliest we've come across...they've treated us like family - welcoming us back after each day of exploring and asking how our day went. Amongst the hustle and bustle of busy city streets, some very friendly people live and work. We walked around the city and Hoan Kiem Lake where there Turtle Tower stands on an island in the middle of the lake. Hanoi traffic was intense - crossing a street is not for the faint of heart but if you step out into with a purpose, it all flows nicely. Hesitate and you have a problem - likely, a medical problem. The streets were lined with merchants peddling their wares. I stopped for a shoe shine and was soon approached by a woman who attempted to ask if I had fought in the American War. 'You GI?'. I shook my head 'no'. She made a motion with her arms as if firing a rifle and said her dad had been killed in the war. No malice or accusation intended - she was just trying to make conversation. We continued our pantomime until I paid for the shine and we departed ways, each of smiling and waving our goodbyes. Such friendly people.
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