Hanoi Trip Day 1: 11th Sep 2014, Thursday
河内之旅第一天：9月11日2014年, 星期四
Attractions for the day:
St. Joseph's Cathedral 圣若瑟主教座堂 [Google Maps Link]
Hoàn Kiếm Lake 还剑湖 [Google Maps Link]
Ngoc Son Temple, or Temple of the Jade Mountain 玉山祠 [Google Maps Link]
Accommodation for the trip:
Church Boutique Hotel Hang Gai 杭盖H＆K教堂精品酒店 [Google Maps Link]
Been waiting for a long time to visit Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Found a good 4D3N package tour from Lokopoko Travel. We took an Airbus 321 from Vietnam Airlines at 1:05pm and reached Hanoi Noibai International Airport in a flight which took three hours and twenty minutes.
Vietnamese style set.
Looks good right?
Hanoi here we come!
Awaiting the arrival of our luggage.
Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, we were greeted by a local guide, arranged by Lokopoko, who brought us to board the coach which would bring us to our hotel - Church Boutique Hang Gai Hotel. Along the way, we got the chance to see the beautiful scenery that Hanoi had to offer. Huge, vast terrains, magnificent bridges, cool-looking structures and much more.
Taken across vast terrains such as this.
Majestic looking structure.
That's a cool-looking dragon on the front of this karaoke place.
One of Hanoi's attractions, the Hanoi Ceramic Mosaic Mural.
We were then brought to our hotel, the Church Boutique Hotel on Hang Gai. It was a small hotel along the busy street of Hang Gai. Our room was pretty okay. Nicely decorated and with all the necessary amenities one would need. Definitely good enough for a night's stay.
Although not spacious, but looks comfy enough for a good night's sleep.
Not much amenities. Not that we would use them anyway.
The room was quite elegantly decorated.
Not much to complain about this hotel.
A beautiful main lobby.
And a huge chandelier welcoming you into the hotel lobby.
The rest of the day was free and easy, therefore we decided to explore around the area. First stop was the St. Joseph's Cathedral which was just around the corner. The exterior of this cathedral was so run-down you would believe it looks not much cleaner on the inside. However, upon entering the cathedral, we witnessed a beautiful sight, which was a complete contrast of the decrepit exterior. And there were worshipers praying. Looked like there was some prayer session going on. We snapped plenty of shots in and outside the cathedral before moving on to the next location.
Quite a common sight.
A balloon-seller holding onto his balloons while riding on his bike.
A balloon-seller holding onto his balloons while riding on his bike.
The dilapidated exterior of St. Joseph's Cathedral.
Still worth taking a photo with.
A statue of Regina Pacis, the Queen of Peace, right outside the cathedral.
Pretty sure she brings peace to the people around here.
The view from the entrance of the cathedral.
Viewed from a different angle.
Also known as The Catholic Cathedral of Hanoi.
A stark contrast with the exterior.
Many worshipers praying within.
We found the other Church Boutique Hotel.
Next place to visit was of course the Hoan Kiem Lake. It is a huge lake surrounded by greenery and the Hanoi Old Quarter. We saw many locals and tourists hanging around the area, having a relaxed stroll or just chilling at some corner. There was the very prominent building consisting of the City View Cafe right at the top and various other shops and restaurants on the other floors. Right in front of this building was a roundabout which scooters and motorbikes zoomed around seemingly in a rather disorderly manner. And there were no traffic lights! Yet the moment someone tried to walk across the road, motorists would slow down and give way to the pedestrian. Pretty interesting sight.
A partial view of the Hoan Kiem Lake.
One side of the roundabout at Hanoi Old Quarters.
The other side of the roundabout.
Getting hungry by that time. We went to search for a beef pho place recommended by my sister, who did a research of Hanoi must-eats. The place was not too difficult to find. Just a short five-minute walk to the northwest of Hoan Kiem Lake.
At first sight, the shop looked quite run-down and uninviting. But the smell of the beef pho permeated the air around the area so much that one would certainly be enticed to walk in and have a taste of the dish.
From the menu, there were only three items for order. We had totally no clue what each item stood for. Therefore we just went with our instinct and ordered a bowl of Pho Tai Nam for both of us, which cost 50,000 VND per bowl. (It is now when I'm writing this post that I checked up the meaning, which means beef flank noodle soup.) Luckily we did not get any unpleasant surprise and got two bowls of hot steaming beef flank noodles served to us within minutes. The aroma was so good that we could not wait to savour the taste of the dish. And indeed the beef was succulent and tender. The soup was rich in flavour. A heavenly combination.
3 different items to choose from.
An unpleasant-looking piece of meat hung at the food preparation counter.
One of the best meals we had in this trip.
Looks ordinary but tastes awesome.
Never mind the run-down interiors.
Worth every dollar paid for their awesome pho.
Pho Gia Truyen
Address: 49, Bat Dan Street, Hanoi [Google Maps Link]
Operating Hours: 6 to 10am, 6 to 8:30pm
After the satisfying meal, we walked back to Hoan Kiem Lake and decided to have some desserts. What better dessert than ice-cream? We visited a prominent restaurant just next to Hoan Kiem Lake called Thuy Ta Cafe, also known as The Little Kitchen Cafe. We ordered a milkshake and banana boat ice-cream to cool us down from the hot and humid weather. And right next us to was the beautiful scenery around Hoan Kiem Lake. What an indulgence!
Time for some ice-cream!
Chocolate milkshake (80,000 VND) and banana boat ice-cream (125,000 VND).
That's Thuy Ta on the signboard.
Thuy Ta Coffee & Restaurant
Address: No. 01, Le Thai To Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Tel: 0129 737 6868
Website: http://thuyta.vn/en/
Right after dessert, we explored the little "peninsula" within Hoan Kiem Lake, where the Ngoc Son Temple was situated. We then found ourselves back at the Old Quarters, exploring the little nooks and corners where we found plenty of tourists. Hanoi was indeed a popular spot for tourists for its cultural elements, as well as a cheap and relaxing place to visit.
Entrance to Ngoc Son Temple.
Altars.
A tiger on the left.
And a dragon on the right.
The long passageway leading to Ngoc Son Temple.
Another view of Hoan Kiem Lake.
The Thang Long Water Pupper Theatre that we would be visiting.
Getting less crowded.
Many locals gathered at the roundabout.
Many tourists at a local pub.
Relax with some Hanoi beer and soft drink.
And of course our final spot was the local convenience store, where we stocked up on mineral water and got some beer and drinks.
For a list of the hotels/resorts available for booking in Hanoi via Agoda.com, click here.
To make a hotel booking at Church Boutique Hotel Hang Gai, click here.
Links to our Hanoi Trip 2014
Day 2 Part 1
Day 2 Part 2
Day 3 - Ha Long Bay
Day 4
Souvenirs
To make a hotel booking at Church Boutique Hotel Hang Gai, click here.
Links to our Hanoi Trip 2014
Day 2 Part 1
Day 2 Part 2
Day 3 - Ha Long Bay
Day 4
Souvenirs
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