Day 2 Hanoi plus some planning
Wake up round 6.30am, we have just gone back 3 hours in timezones so thats acceptablly late enough. Went down for breakfast, Jess had Chicken Pho, I had vegetarian fried noodles (still not fully embracing meat dishes here yet but I think I will get more confident as the trip goes on). Decided last night in the absense of any great plans to go do some touristy stuff today.
Headed of by cab to the Mausoleum to see the body of Ho Chi Minh, - very well organised and military style precision to drop your bags off at the entrance, lining up in 2 rows, see the body, dont stop moving, get your stuff back, see his house, cars and his house on stilts - done within an hour. I now (back at the hotel) read that you arent supposed to wear shorts, but i still dont feel too disrespectful to Ho Chi Minh as there were some UK guys wearing pub crawl t-shirts.
After that we caught a cab down to Hoan Kiem Lake, choose a fairly western, but with french influenced cafe for a coffee and cake snack. Jess had a 2nd shot of coffee, I had a iced coffee with a bucket load of whiskey in it.Walked around the lake, saw tortoise tower and went on the temple in the middle. Still yet to see a live turtle, seeing one is a sign of luck. Apart from that Jess is now in the habit of taking a photo of every food dish that we are served.
Tourist gouges noticed so far -
1. Sydney Airport (just in general)
2. Travelex at Sydney Airport - Shouldnt have converted so much money into Dong also difference between buying/selling price is damn high probably should have just used ATM's in Vietnam
3. Prices quoted in $US are converted back to Dong at the convenient rate of 20000 Dong (its actually 19500) - but I dont really mind tipping the Vietnamese
Apart from the whinge about the gouges I am really starting to enjoy Hanoi, as opposed to being shitscared of Vitnam in the cab from the airport and remaining scared once we got to our Hotel. Note to self - next time pack more long pants - I am begining to think that the only people that wear shorts in Vietnam are tourists - I may be proved wrong in the coastal areas - or it may be that Vietnam are finding this 20 degree temperature quite cold.
Glad Australia won the cricket
Got a cab out to dinner to a what we thought was a fairly safe option, Highway 4. Options available on the menu were snake, cricket, snails, frog legs plus the usual 'safe' options. Got starters of squid and spring rolls (both lovely), Jess wanted a hot pot (chicken) which we had to cook ourselves at our table. Hmm - wasnt an expert at this in Australia and not an expert at it now - apart from the fact it has some sort of stomach lining meat in it and that me and Jess started a game of what part of the chicken is the meat from - it was either beak or wing - pretty sure it was wing - the hot pot was lovely. We probably over cooked the dish in order to stay bug free. Dinner was washed down with 4 Hanoi beers - which I am developing a taste for.
Its now 6.30am here and no health issues yet (touch wood), off to Ninh Binh for a day trip in a few hours where I have read on Wiki travel that they serve goat and a local specialty is dog...... Hmmmm i feel like goat today.
-----------
Below is Jess's version of events
Today is our first full day in Hanoi. A full day of absorbing & processing the sights & sounds of this busy, intense city.
This morning we start the day with a Vietnamese breakfast of fried noodles & juice (for Anthony) and Pho Ga (rice noodles, broth & chicken) and coffee - strong black coffee sweetened with condensed milk (for Jess).
High on a coffee & sugar buzz, we head off to face the Hanoi day.
First stop was Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. We follow the crowd through the entrance, falling into line, walking quietly two by two and (quickly) doing as we were instructed by the guards - "You - sunglasses off!"
The crowd moves silently and steadily through the corridors & rooms of the mausoleum. We finally enter the inner chamber where Ho Chi Minh's body is housed in a darkened, wooden case. I am expecting him to look rather creepy (being a dead body an all) but he lies peacefully and looks well 'maintained'.
On our way out we find the One Pillar Pagoda. Due to our dress (shorts) we don't venture inside, but snap a few photos from outside. "Legend states that the Emperor had a dream that he was given a son by the goddess of mercy, Quan An, while seated on a lotus flower. Soon afterwards, the Emperor married a peasant girl and had a son. The Emperor built the pagoda to honour the goddess, and it contains a statue of her and many sculptures of lotus flowers. Built over a lotus pond, the pagoda is extremely popular with childless couples and is also believed to have miraculous healing powers" Sorry Mumma Margy!
A hectic taxi ride, and we arrive at Hoan Kiem Lake. We wander along the shoreline and enjoy some people watching. I can't help to make goo-goo eyes at the local children bundled up against the cold (!) and wave back as they peek out from behind their mums and the park benches.
We visit the Ngoc Son Temple and read about the Ho Guon Tortoises. We have not yet spotted a real tortoise, doing so will bring good luck.
Anthony points out that I photographed every wedding we've come across during our walk around the lake... will there be room on the memory card for anything eles? We spot at least 15 before I stop counting, and snapping.
After a bit more of a wander we head back to the hotel, we need to organise our next few days... Halong Bay and Ninh Binh (and maybe go for a swim & nana nap?)...
Love & nana naps,
Headed of by cab to the Mausoleum to see the body of Ho Chi Minh, - very well organised and military style precision to drop your bags off at the entrance, lining up in 2 rows, see the body, dont stop moving, get your stuff back, see his house, cars and his house on stilts - done within an hour. I now (back at the hotel) read that you arent supposed to wear shorts, but i still dont feel too disrespectful to Ho Chi Minh as there were some UK guys wearing pub crawl t-shirts.
Had a bit of trip planning to do in the afternoon. Hmmm, perhaps i should have booked more stuff prior to getting here. Tomorow we are off to Ninh Binh (not the place near Byron Bay) to some rice fields and lakes and caves for a day - then back to Hanoi then the following day off for a 3 day, 2 night stay on a junk boat. Yet to book our sleeper train to Hue yet.
Tourist gouges noticed so far -
1. Sydney Airport (just in general)
2. Travelex at Sydney Airport - Shouldnt have converted so much money into Dong also difference between buying/selling price is damn high probably should have just used ATM's in Vietnam
3. Prices quoted in $US are converted back to Dong at the convenient rate of 20000 Dong (its actually 19500) - but I dont really mind tipping the Vietnamese
Apart from the whinge about the gouges I am really starting to enjoy Hanoi, as opposed to being shitscared of Vitnam in the cab from the airport and remaining scared once we got to our Hotel. Note to self - next time pack more long pants - I am begining to think that the only people that wear shorts in Vietnam are tourists - I may be proved wrong in the coastal areas - or it may be that Vietnam are finding this 20 degree temperature quite cold.
Glad Australia won the cricket
Got a cab out to dinner to a what we thought was a fairly safe option, Highway 4. Options available on the menu were snake, cricket, snails, frog legs plus the usual 'safe' options. Got starters of squid and spring rolls (both lovely), Jess wanted a hot pot (chicken) which we had to cook ourselves at our table. Hmm - wasnt an expert at this in Australia and not an expert at it now - apart from the fact it has some sort of stomach lining meat in it and that me and Jess started a game of what part of the chicken is the meat from - it was either beak or wing - pretty sure it was wing - the hot pot was lovely. We probably over cooked the dish in order to stay bug free. Dinner was washed down with 4 Hanoi beers - which I am developing a taste for.
Its now 6.30am here and no health issues yet (touch wood), off to Ninh Binh for a day trip in a few hours where I have read on Wiki travel that they serve goat and a local specialty is dog...... Hmmmm i feel like goat today.
Below is Jess's version of events
Today is our first full day in Hanoi. A full day of absorbing & processing the sights & sounds of this busy, intense city.
This morning we start the day with a Vietnamese breakfast of fried noodles & juice (for Anthony) and Pho Ga (rice noodles, broth & chicken) and coffee - strong black coffee sweetened with condensed milk (for Jess).
High on a coffee & sugar buzz, we head off to face the Hanoi day.
First stop was Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. We follow the crowd through the entrance, falling into line, walking quietly two by two and (quickly) doing as we were instructed by the guards - "You - sunglasses off!"
The crowd moves silently and steadily through the corridors & rooms of the mausoleum. We finally enter the inner chamber where Ho Chi Minh's body is housed in a darkened, wooden case. I am expecting him to look rather creepy (being a dead body an all) but he lies peacefully and looks well 'maintained'.
We file out of the mausoleum and collect our camera from the stand outside (thankfully!). We pay 15,000VDN to walk around the presidential palace area. Again falling into line with the crowds, we visit the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh's house and his house on stilts.
On our way out we find the One Pillar Pagoda. Due to our dress (shorts) we don't venture inside, but snap a few photos from outside. "Legend states that the Emperor had a dream that he was given a son by the goddess of mercy, Quan An, while seated on a lotus flower. Soon afterwards, the Emperor married a peasant girl and had a son. The Emperor built the pagoda to honour the goddess, and it contains a statue of her and many sculptures of lotus flowers. Built over a lotus pond, the pagoda is extremely popular with childless couples and is also believed to have miraculous healing powers" Sorry Mumma Margy!
A hectic taxi ride, and we arrive at Hoan Kiem Lake. We wander along the shoreline and enjoy some people watching. I can't help to make goo-goo eyes at the local children bundled up against the cold (!) and wave back as they peek out from behind their mums and the park benches.
By now I am mid-coffee crash so it's time for a break. We find a seat at a lakeside cafe and order black coffee (yes, with more condensed milk!) and an iced coffee heavy with whiskey. We also enjoy some sweet cakes.
Love & nana naps,
Jess x
posted by Anthony at
1:19 AM
1 Comments:
Must feel like millionaires with the exchange rate! Food sounds... adventurous ;o)
Jacqui xx
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