Hanoi Women

While I know these few pictures do not come close to representing all of Hanoi's diverse female population, I was struck by the number of women hauling cargo, either for sale or labor in their bamboo over the shoulder baskets. These women must be very strong. The woman in the 5th picture was carrying apples or pears and when she saw Kathie and me walking through the market. She focused on selling us some of her fruit. This is a picture of her cutting a slice to try.

The last photo is of 2 nuns we crossed paths with while visiting the Ambassadors' Pagoda (Chua Quan Su) who graciously agreed to have their pictures taken. According to the Lonely Planet guide, this pagoda is the official center of Buddhism in Hanoi, attracting crowds of mostly old women on holidays. There are about a dozen monks and nuns living there today.