March 18, 2024
Last time we were close to here, we took a boat trip on Ha Long Bay so this time we decided to see the city and we had a full day tour with Lily. It was a warmer day but still cloudy.
We started with a rickshaw ride in the Old Quarter of Hanoi
to see the local lifestyle. The Old Quarter is a district made up of staggering
streets, also known as the 36 tree-shaded streets with shops, tailors,
workshops, diners, cafes and streetside vendors. It was a long leisurely ride and
it’s always fun watching locals going about their daily life. (and waving at
the silly tourists)
Next, we made a stop at Café Dinh for egg coffee. It’s made with egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk, and robusta coffee. (some variation café to café) The Café is 50 years old and was packed with people.
We visited Hoa Lo Prison which is known as "Hanoi Hilton". It was a prison for political prisoners at wartime. Now only part of the prison exists today as a museum. It actually was an interesting museum, and we were almost late going to Train Street as we spent quite a bit of time there.
We arrived at Train Street just as the train was passing through. She was trying to get us there and seated before it passed through. It’s a unique attraction located in the old quarter of Hanoi where on a narrow alleyway where trains pass twice daily, just inches away from houses and shops. The alleyway is lined with small cafes and shops, so of course we stopped for refreshments. What an adorable area. We posed for some funny shots.
Next up was the Temple of Literature which are Confucius dedicated temples and Vietnam’s oldest university. Set amongst lovely gardens it also had interesting architecture. There was a lot to see, and we are glad we didn’t try to do it on our arrival day as tired as we were.
I wanted to try Bahn Mi for lunch, so Lily took us to Bánh
Mì Long Hội. Yum! Bánh Mì is crusty bread rolls smeared with pate, mayo, Asian
ham, pickled vegetables, green onion, coriander/cilantro, a mighty wack of
fresh chilies and drizzle of seasoning. (there
are different meats to choose from to add to it) I had the Bahn Mi Thanh Cong -
Vietnamese meatball, pate, grilled pork with herbs and Greg had the Bahn Mi
Thinh Vuog -Vietnamese chicken meatball, pate, chicken roll with herbs.
Our next stop was a fun one at the Dong Xuan Market. To the locals it is known mainly as a wholesale and distribution point for many retailers. Lily helped us bargain with the locals for a cheaper price on a pair of pants for me and a skirt for Cathy.
Our tour ended with a Water Puppet Show. It’s a traditional art form of Vietnam dating back to the late Le Dynasty, the 11th century. The capital city, Hanoi, is believed to showcase the most excellent show that you will enjoy while immersing yourself in the colorful cultures.
Greg and I saw a Water Puppet Show in Ho Chi Minh City in
2013. Janie & I giggled with delight as we watched. This one was more
theatrical than the more traditional simple one in Ho Chi Minh City, but very
entertaining.
We walked back to the hotel and on the way to dinner we
stopped at St. Joseph Cathedral is renowned for its Gothic architecture and stained-glass
windows that were imported from France. Completed in 1886, it stands at 64.5
meters and is modeled after Paris's Notre Dame. We popped in and out quickly as
there was a service going on.
We shopped a bit on the way back to the hotel, but I was having some minor GI issues and was keen to get back to the hotel. (skipped the ice cream stop, so that tells you how motivated I was to get back)
For larger photos and the videos:
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