I've been asked to write in English because apparently my Russian with latin letter is really awful! So here goes...

Now I'm in Vietnam - have been here for about 4 days. It's an amazing place - I'm full of new impressions and have found everything to be totally unique. I have a business partner in Moscow who used to work here in te 1970s as a journalist and he always seemed so fired up about the place - I can understand why now!

My first few days were spent in Ha Noi in the north - the capital. Ha Noi is a smaller city than Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in the south but is really pleasant. Of course, it's hot hot hot! Very humid and temperatures over 35 degrees celsius so out doors you sweat constantly - not so good if you're in a business suit but OK if you are in the standard cotton shirt and slacks.

I had some free time on Sunday to look around with my colleague John from the USA. He's been once before so had a better idea of where to go. The streets are busy all day long with thousands of people on motorcycles - it's the main means of transport and there are so many of them it's unbelievable - seems to me people must just ride around (I asked my colleague Thuong and she said mostly that's exactly what they do as often it is the only way to cool down!) You see whole families on one motorcycle which is hilarious - mum, dad and baby all zooming along. They also manage to strap incredible amounts of stuff to the back of these scooters - I saw one guy carrying an enormous 1.5 m tall vase on the bac of his motorcycle!

I have taken some pictures - some of the Temple of Literature (the first university to be opened in Vietnam - it's older than Oxford University in the UK). The ancient scholars are worshipped like Buddhas - the layout of the temple is almost exactly like the Lama temple I wrote about in Beijing.

There are also some other pictures - of the One-Pillar Pagoda (a little teple in the centre of the city) and of Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum (which is massive in comparison to poor Vladivmir Ilyich's). Plus a few others as well. Let me know if you have any questions about them!

Will write more about Saigon when I have seen more!
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