This was not my typical OC-planned-itinerary-trip since I was swamped with work but the friendly locals made it easy for us to work our way around and basically see the best of Vietnam during our 5 day stay. We arrived HCMC around 1am and quickly had some shut eye before our 6am flight to Hanoi. Arriving Hanoi, describing us as haggardly tired would be an understatement. We located our hotel (which is super nice with super friendly people) Serenity Hotel, we quickly washed up, skyped (*_*) before sojourning outside for our lunch and Hanoi half day city exploration.


One adjustment we first had to be familiar with is the currency - Vietnamese Dong or VND. Check out below the denomination - we were instantly... MILLIONAIRES!


After warming ourselves with the vein-y network of streets in the Old Quarter, we finally find ourselves navigating easily with our easy handy map (c/o our super great hotel!). Our first meal was at a quaint cafe, Ciao Cafe, which serves a diverse cultural line up of entree. *BURP*


We decided to check out the few malls located in Hanoi so that we will be done with it so first stop is "Thuong Mai Trang Tien" which was far from what our mall definition is but was a-OK since its airconditioned :D There was basically nothing to see so we exited and made our way to the famous Hoen Kiem Lake which we later concluded to be the center of Hanoi Life :)



Navigating the streets proves to be quite a challenge. As our guide (later on) said, if you don't decide to put your right foot in and start crossing the street, you will never get to the other side (of the street). It is no-brainer a motorcycle country with men and women from all walks of life having their own ride. A lane devoted to this local mode of transport is very evident especially in wide/major roads.




They won't stop for you either, else they get bumped from the behind. So imagine their adrenaline-pumped-drive speeding by you as you try to cross the street in one piece. :)


A scheduled visit to the touristy "Water Puppet Show" slated for 5pm nudged us to the direction of the theatre but since the distance + hot weather was too much to bear, we hailed a cab. This was our first taste of Vietnam's infamously rude & dishonest cab driver. To my horror, the cab meter was working overtime with the numbers in the cycle moving like there's no tomorrow (No picture as I was furiously heating up and ready for a fight!). Earlier before lunch we rode a cab to the Ho Chi Minh Museum costing us VND10,000 and that was approximately 12km away.

Fast forward to present, the lake probably stretches around 2km where on the far end of the lake is the theatre and this ridiculous cab driver was charging us VND50,000!!! Last time I check, math is universal right like 1+1=2? There was no way I was shelling out previous VND for that useless piece of **** so began my lengthy fight for what is right (hahaha). Good thing a police officer approached us and the cab driver was like how much? I threw him around VND10,000 and jumped off :))) Going back, the water puppet show went on for 45 minutes from a what-is-this-all-about? to when-will-this-end??? hahaha, won't elaborate on that but check out the photo below to see what it is all about so that you make the call whether to check it out during your trip :)



The sun finally called it quits and we exited the theatre with the dusk settling in, which sends a magnificent view of the lake readying for bed time :) We strolled across to the bridge by the lake to catch a glimpse of the famous lake from its center. The sounds & sights of Hanoi by night was invigorating and bustling!


Part of our Eat List is a much blogged about food shack called "Bun Bo Nam Bo" which serves only ONE PRODUCT. Yes, you read it right - only ONE MENU ITEM! We didn't realize this before the local lady just stares at us when we were trying to get their menu with a bored-expression-thinking-these-must-be-tourists. They serve the famous local dish called Bun Cha which is sold everywhere in Vietnam but it is here you get the best quality PLUS they got regular seats compared to other shacks where you sit on kid's-little-tike-looking plastic wares (hahaha!). It's a dry noodle dish with sliced beef strips and veggies with garlic and other local spices & flavorings. It also comes cheap at only VND 45000. With cheap prices comes a cheap place also! By far this is the dirtiest most unhygienic restaurant I've entered in my life. I was a witness of how the girls swept off everything from the table... to the FLOOR when they bussed out the soiled dishes. The floor is full of tissue papers, food items, and other things I don't mind not identifying! One should eat with the eyes fixated on the food infront and not on the surrounding to avoid... throwing up! Well, I suppose it's part of the appeal & distinctness of the place... (not for me though -_-)


Our tired feet was begging for mercy by this time and as kind masters, we agreed to go back to the hotel for a much deserved rest.

Hanoi Day Two.. on the next blog entry :D


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