Snake farm

We went to a snake farm for dinner - it was really exotic! We watched them being killed first....suffocated, then the blood is drained, then the gall bladder taken out, then the heart which sits on the side still beating away. A 7 course meal followed - all dishes made from the snake we watched being killed: snake spring rolls, snake skin, grilled snake, snake tail with fried vegetables, snake soup, ground snake bones, and something else I can't remember! And that's not including the snake blood and the liquid from the gall bladder. The latter is very bitter apparently, but both are mixed with the extremely strong rice wine we also tried in Sapa. Hoang also drank down the heart with one of the cups of blood.
Being a dirty vegetarian, I was very boring and stuck to fried rice and green beans. They also had porcupine at the restaurant farm. This restaurant is very famous and a big deal in Hanoi. It cost about $100 which is A LOT of money in Vietnam. Westerners do not usually go there - only better off Vietnamese, although it is situated in the poorer back streets.
It was fascinating watching the city at night in the rain on the way to the restaurant. Everyone wears big hooded macs - especially on motorbikes.

The motorbike has right of way in Vietnam! You take your life into your hands every time you step out on to the street. Often, there is effectively no pavement because they are covered with parked bikes, women selling fruit and flowers, and all kinds of food, and people sitting on small stools doing varous things, from eating, to playing cards, to grooming one another. I can't remember if I already mentioned the habit of women looking through men's hair to spot for white hairs. And women do it for women, but I haven't seen men doing it for women.
After the meal I went to a jazz club. It was so cool. A famous Vietnamese saxophonist was there (but I can't remember his name). It was a nice atmosphere and there was no fee to get in. They played lots of famous pieces and it didn't really sound different to other jazz I have heard.