Monday, March 2

We were up a little later than usual. We went down for breakfast around 8:00.  The breakfast is small but good.

The lobby

The lady is making omelettes.

Then off we went ....it is our first day of not perfect weather.  Around 17 C out and a very light drizzle.  I don't need a coat, feels good! But locals are wearing winter coats.

Cute deer bushes near the lake

Hoan Kiem Lake

Near the northern shore of the lake lies Jade Island on which the Temple of the Jade Mountain (Ngoc Son Temple) stands. The temple was erected in the 18th century. It honors the 13th-century military leader Tran Hung Dao who distinguished himself in the fight against the Yuan Dynasty, Van Xuong, a scholar, and Nguyen Van Sieu, a Confucian master and famous writer in charge of repairs made to the temple in 1864. Jade Island is connected to the shore by the wooden red-painted The Huc Bridge (The Huc, meaning Morning Sunlight Bridge).

Clock in the middle of flowers

The cathedral, where we stop for a Vietnamese coffee

Yum

Nice menu- good variety of west and east

Love this .... Her whole kitchen and menu done a few inches off the ground

We stop at the Waffle House for lunch OMG delicious

Crepe filled with fruit, fruit,on the side, a little chocolate sauce, two dollops of real whipped cream, and coconut ice cream for me... Vanilla ice cream for Bruce  $50 000 dong each 

I love the stack of different sizes of conical hats

Ladies in the silk shop where I bought a new silk nightgown.... Love the feel

We found Dainty's bowl ... $4

Bamboo galore

We found coasters we agree on.... Not bumpy on top

Name of shop

The bakery lady.... A little bag for $100 000 dong

Not good... Rice donut holes... Tough and greasy

We were back home around 1:30.

We just met with Anna, our tour rep, to pay for the rest of our tour.  While reading the itinerary it appeared we were going to be trekking in Sapa.  I mentioned this to her.. And she said that the first day (after sleeping on the train) we would walk 10 km and then on the second between 6-8 km.  we think not going to happen, we are talking mountains....crappy knees.  So we asked if it was possible to go by motorbike but she said she could arrange a car for $15 a day. Oh ya, that is more like it.  We will walk, the car will follow.... We will ride when we need to.  The best of both worlds!

Our Food Tour by Foot began at 6ish.  Our foodie guide came to our hotel and we began the tour...

We stopped at a fruit stand as we were curious what these were.  They are called Buddha's Hand, you do not eat them but use them as offerings.

  

First Stop

Beef, rice noodle, greens, onions, peanuts, pickled veggies

delicious!

The garbage is picked up at the same time each day.  He rings a bell and then the shop owner knows to go and take the garbage.

Second stop

The middle container is snake wine - 9 different snakes and a bird .... And rice wine. No we didn't taste it.

This dish is like making fresh spring rolls but fish is the protein.  Delicious!

3rd stop

She makes fresh rice paper and then fills it with various ingredients.

Pork and lime to eat along with it

Also has crispy onions on top- the onions are left to dry in the sun for a few days and then are fried

As we were walking we heard music coming from here.  This means there is a funeral and they play the music all day until about 10 at night.

This time of year everyone eats candy.  Our hotel had candy in a dish that Bruce liked.  So we stopped at the candy store so we could buy some.

We also stopped at a Taoism temple.  They believe in magic. M

Along the street she was grilling pork. ,we each had one win chili sauce. Yummy!

This place was next.....

First, little clams cooked with lemongrass, pineapple and some greens.  Very nice!

Then whole squid.... These were our least fav.....

These prawns had a very nice taste....

Next....

They take a needle and put sake into the coconut. Then they put it in a warm place.

It taste very good.

Green mango salad with shrimp and squid.  Delicious

Chicken cooked with honey.... Very good

The dipping sauce for the Vietnamese spring rolls mmmmm good

Then add some of the noodles to the bowls of sauce and enjoy.

Bananas flambé.. ..with amazing vanilla ice cream 

The inventor of egg coffee

Last but not least... And extra delicious - egg coffee

The man that invented it, did so when there was a shortage of milk, we added an egg yolk, condensed milk and created an amazing drink.

And as promised....a picture of GG

Sunday, March 1

We were up at 7 so we had an hour to get ready- shower and pack up.  That would leave us an hour for breakfast. I got up a little early,showered and had time for two cups of coffee before we went down for breakfast.  Good start to the morning!

Bruce had his favourite banana pancakes with chocolate syrup and ginger tea.  I had bread and laughing cow cheese and a mango shake.  Delicious.We settled the bill and then before we left the owner presented us with a gift. Two cups with warmers.... cool!  The luggage was in the car and we were just about to get in when I remembered we had not got our passports back from the reception.  A different woman was at the desk when Bruce paid as the owner was out buying our gifts.  Close call!


The taxi guy was right on time and off we went.  We arrived at the airport 40 minutes too early to check in.  Boo hoo.  They only allow check in two hours before departure.  But the check in girl was a sweetheart and checked us in and said she would put our luggage on the belt at the right time. 


We went through security and had lots of time to spare.  At the end of the departure hall was a large sign: Fresh Beer.  So, even though it was 10:00 Bruce decided to have a Tiger. 

On the way to the airport, this bridge in Da Nang is a dragon ... Cool

Looks pretty new this domestic terminal

We played a few games of cards to waste some time and then switched to Scrabble.  Flight was on time...and in fact a 1.5 hour flight made it in 1 hour.  Amazing! We collected our luggage and once again there was a guy holding a sign with my name on it.  Away we went..... I love how you pass rice fields while you are on a freeway - such a contrast. Some pics enroute. 

The rice paddies 

Awesome bridge

We passed this amazing mosaic mural for a long time..... it is amazing.  I had to check out about it....

Stretching 3.95 kilometers, along Hanoi's Red River, Ceramic Road has been declared the world’s longest ceramic mural, by the Guinness Book of Records.
Ceramic Road was a massive art project, initiated by artist Nguyen Thu Thuy, out of love and passion for Hanoi, and as a special way to celebrate the city’s 1000th anniversary in 2010. Nguyen Thu Thuy reached out to fellow Vietnamese, as well as international artists for help in realizing her dream, and mural masters from all around the world started coming to Hanoi, to leave their mark on Ceramic Road. Some created contemporary design patterns, others used Vietnam’s history as inspiration, and even recreated famous paintings out of ceramic tiles. Nearly 100 artists, from countries like Mexico, Brazil, France, Denmark and many others participated in the creation of Ceramic Road.

It is cool outside - like 19 C.  It feels wonderful....no sweating.  We arrived at the hotel about one hour later.  Of course the hotel is in a little alley where only pedestrians and the odd motorbike can travel.  Right across the way is a BAKERY called Joma.

We checked in... the host gave us a map and showed up where the interesting spots were.  We went up to the room ... very nice....a little corner with a sink and small fridge... a huge bed (2 doubles) and a single, a desk with a computer on it...no kidding- fairly slow and an illegal copy of Windows 7, but I am typing this on it (even though it stalls and almost crashes every couple of minutes).
There is also a very nice bathroom- glass door shower...with a rain shower and hand held, a 32 inch flat screen TV.  We are set!

The roof next door seems to be used as a table ...

So, off we went to have a late lunch at the bakery.  Bruce ordered a maccichino and a reuben sandwich and I had a chicken and veggie sandwich on rye and a Vietnamese coffee.  Delicious! 

Then we decided to explore a little - a little because the map of the area was in the room.  Of course you might have guessed we did all right for awhile but then ventured a little farther and soon did not really know how to get home. 

A bakery with croissants etc. all French pastries

A coffee shop

Love these ceramic Vietnamese coffee cups- note they have them in lime green and only $100 000 dong ... Will soon be mine!

Some things have not changed- little red stools on the sidewalk and people eating Pho

We asked several people...no one knew the street, of course not because it is a little alley. We found the liquor store a second time so we went in and behold they had box wine from Chile- Savignon Cabernet. Even though the price is almost the same as it is at home we bought it (350 000 dong). Finally, we went to a hotel,used their WiFi, and brought it up on Google Maps...we were 9 minutes walking from the hotel.  

So we stopped at a place we had seen hours earlier (we walked for almost three hours) for something to eat.  For when we find the hotel we will be finished for today.  I had the beef, caper, and tomato on pasta and Bruce had the beef steak and seafood with roast potatoes.  We also ordered garlic toast....but it turned to dust when you bit it...so not so good.

Mine

Bruce's 

Sure enough Google maps got us home.  The hotel has beautiful wine glasses- so we are set.

This is very near us -tree with crescent moons and stars

Yes, we see the sign !