Power cuts on somebody’s birthday

Saturday, last weekend, was Ho Chi Minh’s birthday, inspiring various neon-bright celebratory displays with black and white pictures of ‘Uncle Ho’ leading the revolution, teaching children to read, or sitting in a bamboo chair next to his traditional Vietnamese stilt house reading a book and smoking. His stilt house is still there, right up the street from the somewhat less traditional imposing Russian granite house where he currently resides…

Sunday was election day in Vietnam, proclaimed by more neon (and flowery) signs, and polling stations well bedecked with flags and posters.

More standard Old Quarter shots.

Another view of Hoan Kiem Lake.

St. Joseph’s Cathedral.

Shrink-wrapped Buddhas (I guess they're Buddhas, I’m not an expert and really don’t know).

The rose-seller's bicycle.

“Moto moto! Very cheap! One hour! Go around! West Lake! Hashish? Museum Uncle Ho! Where you from? My friend, cheap for you!”

Pas de power in Paris