Flights to Vietnam during German summer vacation were quite expensive, so we chose an indirect flight with a stopover in Seoul, South Korea. And we would do it again at any time… Our accommodation, the Open Guest House, was a nice, well located hostel and we took a lot of interesting impressions with us. After 4 days in Seoul we arrived at the airport Noi Bai in Ha Noi at 11 p.m. At that time there was no public transport available anymore, so we had chosen a hostel with pick up service and were picked up as agreed. Apart from that the Atlantic Hostel Ha Noi was not recommendable for more. The bed squeaked with every movement, the cleaning ladies started cleaning up the rooms at 9 a.m. with loud techno music, the water was more or less lukewarm and some lights did not work and haven’t been repaired on our notes. Traffic in the Old Town After the first night we explored the Old Quarter. To get a first impression, it pays just running straight on and let the whole thing work. While you are fighting your way through a crowd of countless motor scooters, cyclos (Vietnamese bicycle taxis), street vendors and some cars, you will be surprised anew on every corner. It is hard to find anything that is not available in this district. If you are able to expend the energy you can beat down the already low prices even more. Break at Hoan Kiem Lake Close to Hoan Kiem Lake there are some air-conditioned (but still cheap) restaurants where you can eat very tasty Vietnamese food. At this lake – an oasis of calm in the bustle of the Old Quarter – some benches invite to rest for a while and recharge. Puppet Theatre at the Old Quarter Next to the lake the most famous Water Puppet Theater of Hanoi is located, which offers 3 performances daily for 60,000 Dong (about 2.20 €). Since the tickets were already sold out for the first show when we arrived in the early afternoon, it is recommended to buy tickets in advance. The performance lasted about an hour and offered a mix of traditional Vietnamese music and puppet shows you should have seen at least once. written by mala , translated by Caterina