Hoan Kiem lake is one of the nicest lakes in Ha Noi, with a couple temples in the middle and a pretty red foot bridge just barely visible in the distance. The Vietnamese are early risers. We got back from Sapa at 6 in the morning on a Saturday, and the walk around the lake was buzzing with activity. Groups of people doing excercises in time with the morning anouncements broadcast over loudspeakers all over the city. People jogging, reading, riding motorbikes. A far cry from Singapore, where you'd be hard pressed to find someone on the street at 6am, even on a weekday.