Hanoi trip- Day 1

Finally I got time to write this post. I have been busy with my work and house chores right after Vietnam trip. Now since I got spare time, stop watching Vampire Diaries and do blogging, please (talking to myself)


So here we go, Hanoi- Day 1.

From Singapore to Hanoi approximately took about 2.5 hours flight and we almost died from starvation. Yep, our flight was at early in the morning, we don't even have time to eat breakfast....or drink water....So we got no choice but to spend $15+ to have a proper meal for breakfast during the flight.
After a long flight, we reached Hanoi airport and proceed to check in our hotel, Meracus hotel. As usual, welcome drinks, wet towels, friendly, and well-informative staffs are welcoming us right after we checked in. Let's the photos self- explanatory.

Welcome drinks ><  Business card

Superior Room

Laptop with WiFi

After checked in to our room and explore every corner of the room, we proceed to have a quick lunch and browsing around the city. By foot. Well, it was so packed and jammed by the vehicles and people. We've gotta watch out every time crossing the road or even walking by the road side. Suddenly remind me of my hometown. Errmm...for lunch, I forget what is the name of the restaurant but they served yummy beef- steak and rice and noodle. And it just opposite of the restaurant selling Pho, a local Vietnamese noodle. 

With a full stomach, we went browsing around the city. 

Bun Cha Hang Manh
aka place sells spring rolls

Vietnam springrolls
it's super yummy but very oily

St. Joseph Cathedral

St Joseph Cathedral is a Catholic Church but they closed down and not allowed visitors to go inside. So we just cam-whoring in front of this building. This church is so huge authentic which attracts lots of tourists. After that, we continue to Hoan Kiem Lake, just a few minutes walking away.

Personally I think, I'd prefer exploring a new area/ country/ city by foot, so that I'd get to know and interact directly with people, landmark, or building surrounding the area. Plus the weather in Hanoi is so cooling. We've been walking non-stop but not even shed a single sweat. Yep, maybe a bit sweat in the armpit :-D So the weather is pretty good, it's not too hot for us to walk under the sun, but not too cold for us to eat ice-cream by the lake. 

Hoan Kim Lake
Many locals hang out here.

six of us

Feels like in another mystical world

Red Bridge to the temple

Red bridge of Ngoc Son Temple

Thien
Means "Sky" in Chinese

Monument
I don't even understand the meaning of the word

Lake View Cafe

Lake View Cafe is like 4 or 5 storey.
Very tall and old authentic building.

Egg-Coffee or Coffee-Egg!??

And after that, we proceed to go for dinner. Go to Hanoi wouldn't be complete without trying Pho (pronounce as Fe) meaning noodle rice vermicelli. 

Yummy!
But I'm struggling to finish all (especially the meat) coz of my braces

For second round, they all went for a supper nearby hotel area, the street vendor selling lots of foods and drinks on the side of the road. I just chilled out in the room. Knowing that tomorrow is gonna be a long day to Halong Bay I decided to sleep early. 

Mel, Yuli, Bams

Okay that's all. 

Be right back for next post. Day 2 in Hanoi/ Halong Bay.

-Deb-