Smart table and stools in Hanoi, Vietnam

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Smart tiny tables and stools in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

These are smart wooden stools and the table, with varnish, and even a little plant. Plus a wastebin. Typically, in Hanoi's old quarter the stools are toddler size and backless. Most other places have battered wood stools. More have scratched and dirty plastic stools. You perch to drink coffee or eat street food such as deep fried items on sticks.

Travel information
For hotels
booking.com
Comparison site:
https://www.clicktripz.com/rates/search/index
For airlines
travelok.com
vietJetair.com (Comprehensive list of budget airlines in Wikivoyage.)
For transport
https://www.grab.com/vn/en/

Language
Duolingo.com 
(Remember to click on the sound symbol to hear how words are pronounced.) 

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Please share links to your favourite posts. I have several more on Hanoi, Halong Bay and Vietnam.

The Volunteer Pub, visited in Baker Street, London

The Volunteer pub is on the corner beyond the Sherlock Holmes Museum where you see crowds on the pavement as you walk north from Baker street station from the Marylebone Road along Baker Street towards the greenery of Regents Park.

You will see the pub sign hanging outside.

The surprise is the huge mural on the wall inside of the Great War soldiers.

No the volunteers did not join up inside a pub. The pub came later. Apparently, according to the staff behind the bar, an office where men could volunteer was on this site, then afterwards the pub was established with a name reflecting the location's history.

What about the food? They serve a surprisingly restaurant style food, considering we were perched on stools at high tables. I ordered egg with avocado.

My companion knew this pub because he and the third member of our group used to work in this area. My friend chose Eggs Benedict. He thought the egg should have been runnier. I would have been quite happier with it, as I am not a fan of chasing yolk with a fork and leaving half of it on the plate.

My avocado with egg seemed a very healthy late breakfast for a weekend.

The staff were very jolly. I asked the girl who was serving, "Why is this pub called the Victory?"

She hesitated a moment, before replying, "It isn't called The Victory. It's called the Volunteer."

"Oh. That's explains it," I replied, nonchalantly.

My friend was in hysterics.

Oops. The Victory is a pub in Pinner, named after Nelson's warship.


At The Volunteer, the Gents toilet is downstairs. The Ladies is upstairs. See my other posts about Sherlock Holmes and keeping your bag safe.


Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.