Saturday, August 09, 2008 @ 9:55 PM
School has officially started and I've been trying to get use to waking at early cus I have 4 days of 8.30am lesson. AND IT SUCKS! But still, I have to thank Banana in getting hall for me so I can save the shuttling to and fro.Since I've gotten all the pictures from our trip, it's high time I blog abt it.~~~~~~~Now, let the adventure begin...Day 1 - Singapore to Hanoi
Guess what? The flight was delayed for a horrible 3 hours! We were super sian but luckily there's Terminal 3 for us to explore. The only thing that worries us is whether the hotel ppl will pick us up. Though I am quite alright with it cus at most we'll just hop onto a cab.Finally boarded the plane after a long wait because the flight was delayed further when we're at the gates. We're all excited and cant wait to step foot on this foreign land that no one has ever encouraged me to go. Questions like 'Why go to such place?', 'Huh?? Go somewhere more developed la!' or 'It's very dangerous there, later step on landmines how?'.All I can say is that it's very safe there. Just don't venture on paths that no one has ever taken is fine. In terms of theft, just becareful with your belongings will do because it's heng suay if u lost anything.
We finally landed at Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport at a good time of 1am SG time (12am Hanoi's time). BUT baggage delay is another horrible thing. Luckily it wasn't for too long as there's this really run down DFS store selling pirated ELSIVE shampoo called ELVIVE. Really got us laughing. But the main thing is that we felt relieved that the hotel representative was still there waiting for us! I was glad because on the way to the hotel, the whole of Hanoi was pitch dark except for certain areas with street lights. Everyone sleep with all of their lights out and it was like ghost town. I was famished and the tot of having authentic Vietnamese supper was gone just like that.Reached the hotel and saw this sign that reads "24 hours rooftop restaurant". Weilun and I threw hopeful glances at each other. When we asked the reception abt it, he simply say "sorry, close!" Damn it! But they ain't wrong either cus the restaurant is indeed open 24 hours but nobody to cook for you only ma. Anyways, I slept hungrily.We ran into this group of NTU graduates from Accountancy at the airport and we happen to be staying in the same hotel. At least we felt that there're ppl who wanna come Vietnam. Their stay was short though but fate let us meet them again when we're back from Ha Long Bay and when they're back from Sapa. So they gave us some advise as we're leaving that night for Sapa.
Some hiccups and we're left with a small room but the aircon helped me sleep well. Woke up and went straight up to the 24 HOURS ROOFTOP RESTAURANT to have our brekkie. It looked alright but we had to climb to the 6th storey jut for breakfast because most of Hanoi's hotel do not have lift installed!
Day 2 - Tour Around Hanoi's Old Quarter
This is the breakfast we have on the first 2 mornings. Lixia got sick of Baguette very fast but I'm a big fan of bread so I'm still fine..hehehe..
After breakfast, we started our walk around Old Quarter. It's also where our hotel is located. Damn convenient but navigation might give a lil problem because the streets are in all sorts of direction and almost no road is parallel to one another. Somehow, it's a few degrees off!
First up is Hoan Kiem Lake. Basically there's some history abt this place but they dun povide any broucher that I can read so it's just a lake!
A bridge link across to the tortoise temple and we just snap peektures here an there because it's really damn HOT! The heat was literally going through our skin and sweat was overflowing like siao!
Nah, you see la...so hot how to smile?
Came across this sign outside the toilet and found it amusing. So is it 500dongs for 1 pull or 1 piece? Only Weilun did the best act!
Headed out of the temple and found the post office. Since we're there, might as well post some postcards to ourselves. Bought more along the way and posted to our other friends as well. I only receive them like 3 days before I'm back. Seriously, they dun call snail mail for nothing.
Random street shots...
Was looking for lunch spots but none of the shops had aircon! Really very cham la...we needed somewhere cool to sit and something cold to eat and stop by this dessert shop. Got ice so heck care and eat first! The sun was still shining strongly at me though. This dessert is damn nice. It has pudding with coffee (we tot was caramel) underneath it and is accompanied with a variety of lil starchy stuff. Everything tasted GOOD and COOL!We decided that we cannot take the heat any longer so we just headed back to hotel w/o lunch. Bathed and rest before asking the reception to recommend us authentic Vietnamese food.So we came to this restaurant called Quan An Ngon. Whatever the name is la...just order and eat!
The concept is very different from other places. You can either order from menu or walk ard to order what u want to eat from the stalls outside. It's the same actually. Since we didn't understand what the menu was talking, we did the walking and ordering. Quite cool but this meal is pricey considering their standard of living.
Pop by this bakery and confectionery shop. The only aircon place other than our hotel. Bought some macaroons and langues that tasted like shit. Nua until cannot nua then we took cab back to hotel.
We went for the water puppets by one of the most well known theatre in Hanoi. I was quite entertained but the rest didn't find it of much entertainment value.
Apart from breakfast, we finally had supper. The roadside stalls are so into kids table and chairs. We're not so used to eating at such low height but it's quite an experience!
Walked ard Old Quarter at night is so much better! No sun but still hot la! We're quite an expert at crossing roads now. The rule is dun look left and right cus it's useless. Wanna cross just cross! But of cus with some caution la...dun take my words for granted.
Rested by Sago Bar and has vietnamese coffee. It's damn shiok! I'm still missing it cus somehow the ones I brought back dun taste as good as what they serve.
We ended the night and prep ourselves for Ha Long Bay trip.
0 notes
