Bruce and Marija go to Southeast Asia
Mar 6th, 2013, 09:06 AM
#41
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Thanks for reading!
------------------------
Luang Prabang is a great town for leisurely exploration. Unlike Siem Reap, there aren't many must sees, with the possible exception of watching the monks collecting alms early in the morning and several noteworthy wats. There are caves and whiskey villages outside the town but we were happy to just stay put, especially since there are great places for leisurely lunches and dinners.
Our first morning started with the obligatory alms giving ritual. I asked at the hotel where we should go and was told to stand in front of the hotel since the monks pass by there. I had this vision of a long line of monks all walking the same route, so I assumed that it didn't matter where you stood as long as you were on the route. That's not the case. The monks walk around in the areas surrounding their wats so if you stand in a place without many wats you won't get the full impact. It's definitely worth going into the center of town where all of the action is. That's what we did after a rather anemic monk turnout on the first morning by the hotel. The activities in town started later than the suburban ones so the light for photography was also much better. There are vendors selling rice and other food for the monks but the signs on some of the wats warn visitors not to buy street food for the monks since it can make them ill.
The Royal Palace is also an interesting stop where you can see the moon rock that President Nixon left behind. We also enjoyed the small ethnology museum and the movies about tribal life. Every afternoon from 1-3 the <b>Luang Prabang library</b> hosts "practice English with the tourists" sessions for the monks. It was fascinating to talk to "our" monk and learn about his life and dreams, which did not include a permanent state of monkdom. I highly recommend this. The library also sponsors a book project where for $2 you can buy a book for distribution to children in remote villages.
http://www.lao-kids.org/lp-library.php
<B>Eating</b>
Besides our dinner at 3-Nagas, we had dinners at L' Eléphant and Tamnak Lao. L'Eléphant is very much the stereotypical French bistro, crowded to a fault when we were there.
www.elephant-restau.com/Engindex.html
We had Mekong fish stuffed with pork and herbs and a side of assorted vegetables. Dessert was some sort of nougat concoction. This was the least favorite of our dinners, though Bruce was introduced to Dark Lager from Beer Lao which immediately became (and to this day remains) his favorite SE Asian beer.
<B>Tamnak Lao </b>, www.tamnaklao.net, has none of the pretension of L'Eléphant and serves well prepared traditional Lao dishes. Our order of
fish casserole, moo (pork) larb, banana with laos honey and, of course, lao dark was very good.
Lunches were at <b>Tamarind</b> , www.tamarindlaos.com, and <b>Apsara</b>, www.theapsara.com, both excellent. The fruit/herb drinks at Tamarind were exceptional and the local wild mushroom dish at Apsara was the best dish we had in Luang Prabang. I wish we had been in Luang Prabang on a Friday when Tamarind has a special dinner.
Our flight to Hanoi on Lao Air was scheduled for early afternoon and we arrived in plenty of time. When we checked at one of the three airport counters, the agent handed us two bottles of mineral water and informed us that our flight would be three hours late. We certainly didn't think that the free water was adequate compensation.
There's nothing at the Luang Prabang airport, including working wi-fi, so we briefly debated returning to town and having lunch, since it was only a 20 minute ride. The drawback to that plan was that they might unexpectedly move the flight back up and then we would be out of luck. We pulled out the two remaining emergency granola bars, which together with the free water, made a dismal lunch.
The small airport seating area is after passport control and we watched it fill up, wondering if we should join the growing crowd, so we wouldn't be left seatless. On the other hand I was afraid that once we passed passport control we could not reenter Laos and all of the ticket agents and counters would be out of our reach. That was an excellent call. <b> Do not go to the departure area of the Luang Prabang airport until you know your plane is leaving on schedule. There are no airline staff there and you can't change your flights.</b>
We hung around the counter area and found out that there was another flight to Hanoi that was leaving before our hypothetical departure time. (Since there aren't any arrival or departure boards this was info we picked up by talking to people.) After much discussion with the airline staff and going to a special office to have our names inscribed on a waiting list, we were put us on the earlier flight which was also delayed but at least had a plane at the gate. The obedient passengers who headed to the gate were out of luck.
While participating in the active social life of people checking in, we witnessed a man who was denied a boarding pass to Hanoi because his birth day on the smudged Vietnam visa on arrival letter didn't match that in his passport. (Just the day, everything else matched.) His tour guide made some frantic calls and headed out to the Vietnam consulate not far from the airport. He did return in time with a visa for the lucky passenger who did have to pay a couple of hundred dollars for the rush job.
------------------------
Luang Prabang is a great town for leisurely exploration. Unlike Siem Reap, there aren't many must sees, with the possible exception of watching the monks collecting alms early in the morning and several noteworthy wats. There are caves and whiskey villages outside the town but we were happy to just stay put, especially since there are great places for leisurely lunches and dinners.
Our first morning started with the obligatory alms giving ritual. I asked at the hotel where we should go and was told to stand in front of the hotel since the monks pass by there. I had this vision of a long line of monks all walking the same route, so I assumed that it didn't matter where you stood as long as you were on the route. That's not the case. The monks walk around in the areas surrounding their wats so if you stand in a place without many wats you won't get the full impact. It's definitely worth going into the center of town where all of the action is. That's what we did after a rather anemic monk turnout on the first morning by the hotel. The activities in town started later than the suburban ones so the light for photography was also much better. There are vendors selling rice and other food for the monks but the signs on some of the wats warn visitors not to buy street food for the monks since it can make them ill.
The Royal Palace is also an interesting stop where you can see the moon rock that President Nixon left behind. We also enjoyed the small ethnology museum and the movies about tribal life. Every afternoon from 1-3 the <b>Luang Prabang library</b> hosts "practice English with the tourists" sessions for the monks. It was fascinating to talk to "our" monk and learn about his life and dreams, which did not include a permanent state of monkdom. I highly recommend this. The library also sponsors a book project where for $2 you can buy a book for distribution to children in remote villages.
http://www.lao-kids.org/lp-library.php
<B>Eating</b>
Besides our dinner at 3-Nagas, we had dinners at L' Eléphant and Tamnak Lao. L'Eléphant is very much the stereotypical French bistro, crowded to a fault when we were there.
www.elephant-restau.com/Engindex.html
We had Mekong fish stuffed with pork and herbs and a side of assorted vegetables. Dessert was some sort of nougat concoction. This was the least favorite of our dinners, though Bruce was introduced to Dark Lager from Beer Lao which immediately became (and to this day remains) his favorite SE Asian beer.
<B>Tamnak Lao </b>, www.tamnaklao.net, has none of the pretension of L'Eléphant and serves well prepared traditional Lao dishes. Our order of
fish casserole, moo (pork) larb, banana with laos honey and, of course, lao dark was very good.
Lunches were at <b>Tamarind</b> , www.tamarindlaos.com, and <b>Apsara</b>, www.theapsara.com, both excellent. The fruit/herb drinks at Tamarind were exceptional and the local wild mushroom dish at Apsara was the best dish we had in Luang Prabang. I wish we had been in Luang Prabang on a Friday when Tamarind has a special dinner.
Our flight to Hanoi on Lao Air was scheduled for early afternoon and we arrived in plenty of time. When we checked at one of the three airport counters, the agent handed us two bottles of mineral water and informed us that our flight would be three hours late. We certainly didn't think that the free water was adequate compensation.
There's nothing at the Luang Prabang airport, including working wi-fi, so we briefly debated returning to town and having lunch, since it was only a 20 minute ride. The drawback to that plan was that they might unexpectedly move the flight back up and then we would be out of luck. We pulled out the two remaining emergency granola bars, which together with the free water, made a dismal lunch.
The small airport seating area is after passport control and we watched it fill up, wondering if we should join the growing crowd, so we wouldn't be left seatless. On the other hand I was afraid that once we passed passport control we could not reenter Laos and all of the ticket agents and counters would be out of our reach. That was an excellent call. <b> Do not go to the departure area of the Luang Prabang airport until you know your plane is leaving on schedule. There are no airline staff there and you can't change your flights.</b>
We hung around the counter area and found out that there was another flight to Hanoi that was leaving before our hypothetical departure time. (Since there aren't any arrival or departure boards this was info we picked up by talking to people.) After much discussion with the airline staff and going to a special office to have our names inscribed on a waiting list, we were put us on the earlier flight which was also delayed but at least had a plane at the gate. The obedient passengers who headed to the gate were out of luck.
While participating in the active social life of people checking in, we witnessed a man who was denied a boarding pass to Hanoi because his birth day on the smudged Vietnam visa on arrival letter didn't match that in his passport. (Just the day, everything else matched.) His tour guide made some frantic calls and headed out to the Vietnam consulate not far from the airport. He did return in time with a visa for the lucky passenger who did have to pay a couple of hundred dollars for the rush job.
Mar 6th, 2013, 09:58 AM
#42
"The monks walk around in the areas surrounding their wats "
Either that's a difference between the suburbs and the town, or things have changed. In town it certainly used to be true that all the monks walked in a long line.
I think L'Elephant may have gotten too popular for its own good.
Either that's a difference between the suburbs and the town, or things have changed. In town it certainly used to be true that all the monks walked in a long line.
I think L'Elephant may have gotten too popular for its own good.
Mar 6th, 2013, 11:37 AM
#45
Still enjoying your TR.
What i really liked about LP was exactly what you said its great for "leisurely exploration." Totally agree with you on the food. I still long for one of those fruit drinks from Tamarind.
Where we stood the monks walked in a long line down the street. Not sure what went on at other portions along the way. We would see them coming out of their wats and joining the long line.
What i really liked about LP was exactly what you said its great for "leisurely exploration." Totally agree with you on the food. I still long for one of those fruit drinks from Tamarind.
Where we stood the monks walked in a long line down the street. Not sure what went on at other portions along the way. We would see them coming out of their wats and joining the long line.
Mar 16th, 2013, 01:42 PM
#46
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<B>HANOI</b>
Few of us who came of age during the Vietnam War could ever imagine vacationing in Vietnam. Out! was the chant. But decades later here we are, voluntarily standing in line waiting for permission to enter Vietnam.
Heeding Tonkin's warning about long lines, we obtained visas before arriving, opting for a "loose leaf visa" which does not require you to mail in your passport. You just send in a form, and of course your money, and receive a loose leaf paper visa which you bring with you. I went a step further and stapled it into our passports. Introducing unauthorized metal into a passport is probably illegal but I wanted to ensure that the visas and passports would travel together and remain as an expensive memento of our trip ($90 per visa, plus Fed Ex charges. Fees are not given on the embassy website, you have to call. Guess that saves them the trouble of updating their website each time they increase the fee.)
Since Tonkin arranged transfer from the airport to the hotel, it was in their interest to get us on our way ASAP, so I was a bit suspicious of their warning about visa lines at the airport. But lines are always possible and, since we were scheduled to arrive in early evening, it seemed imprudent to put our dinner plans in jeopardy, not to mention having to endure the grumblings of an impatient husband. Since we arrived several hours later than scheduled, I was particularly pleased to go straight to the immigration control line, leaving the soon-to-be-fainting-from-hunger VisaOnArrival crowd in the dust.
A helpful employee of Lao Air contacted Tonkin to alert them to our delay and change of flight but we were still uncertain as to whether someone would be waiting for us. We were relieved to see our name on a sign when we exited. Traffic was heavy, probably made worse by the drizzle, and it took almost an hour to reach the <b>Sofitel Metropole</b>. Check in was efficient and we settled into a room in the new wing for our four night stay. (Since the room was booked by Tonkin Travel we couldn't take advantage of our Accor member benefits but the Tonkin rate was better than what I could unearth. ) The room was small but otherwise comfortable. We gratefully took note of the hotel's no tipping policy, since we were still dong free. (There is a Citibank to the left as you exit the hotel from the historic wing.)
The location of the hotel is excellent, a 10 minute walk to Hoan Kiem Lake and the old city. Brides flock to the hotel in their wedding finery to have their photos taken. At one point we counted 15 couples posing. Maybe the time before Tet is particulary favorable for marriages?
Our room rate included breakfast which was served in three locations. The breakfast rooms were crowded and a couple of times we had to visit several venues before we found one without a wait. The first morning we were seated at an empty table for eight and told to expect company. The couple who joined us a while later also seemed surprised by this forced befor coffee congeniality. The breakfast was extensive, embracing foods from many regions. We did not eat any other meals at the hotel, though we did have drinks at the Bamboo Bar and the Club Bar where unfortunately we missed the chocolate buffet which is rumored to pop up in late afternoon.
Every day the hotel gives free tours of the underground bunkers which were discovered during remodeling. You must sign up in advance. The hotel historian, after a brief recap of past events and noteworthy visitors, outfits you in hard hats and takes you down into the bunker where you listen to Joan Baez sing, as she sang in that very bunker during the Christmas bombings of 1972.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...n_1019217.html
The tour ends with complimentary hot tea which we drank in silence, reflecting again, after so many years, on this war and our collective actions. Surprisingly, the Vietnamese seem to treat what they call the "American War" as just another war in their tragic history. We always felt welcome wherever we went. Of course, many of those who actually experienced the war are dead and their offspring are too involved in planning their future to dwell on the past. That's quite different from the ethnic grievances that are often passed from generation to generation. For example in China, we were amazed at the open hatred of the Japanese expressed by the young.
Few of us who came of age during the Vietnam War could ever imagine vacationing in Vietnam. Out! was the chant. But decades later here we are, voluntarily standing in line waiting for permission to enter Vietnam.
Heeding Tonkin's warning about long lines, we obtained visas before arriving, opting for a "loose leaf visa" which does not require you to mail in your passport. You just send in a form, and of course your money, and receive a loose leaf paper visa which you bring with you. I went a step further and stapled it into our passports. Introducing unauthorized metal into a passport is probably illegal but I wanted to ensure that the visas and passports would travel together and remain as an expensive memento of our trip ($90 per visa, plus Fed Ex charges. Fees are not given on the embassy website, you have to call. Guess that saves them the trouble of updating their website each time they increase the fee.)
Since Tonkin arranged transfer from the airport to the hotel, it was in their interest to get us on our way ASAP, so I was a bit suspicious of their warning about visa lines at the airport. But lines are always possible and, since we were scheduled to arrive in early evening, it seemed imprudent to put our dinner plans in jeopardy, not to mention having to endure the grumblings of an impatient husband. Since we arrived several hours later than scheduled, I was particularly pleased to go straight to the immigration control line, leaving the soon-to-be-fainting-from-hunger VisaOnArrival crowd in the dust.
A helpful employee of Lao Air contacted Tonkin to alert them to our delay and change of flight but we were still uncertain as to whether someone would be waiting for us. We were relieved to see our name on a sign when we exited. Traffic was heavy, probably made worse by the drizzle, and it took almost an hour to reach the <b>Sofitel Metropole</b>. Check in was efficient and we settled into a room in the new wing for our four night stay. (Since the room was booked by Tonkin Travel we couldn't take advantage of our Accor member benefits but the Tonkin rate was better than what I could unearth. ) The room was small but otherwise comfortable. We gratefully took note of the hotel's no tipping policy, since we were still dong free. (There is a Citibank to the left as you exit the hotel from the historic wing.)
The location of the hotel is excellent, a 10 minute walk to Hoan Kiem Lake and the old city. Brides flock to the hotel in their wedding finery to have their photos taken. At one point we counted 15 couples posing. Maybe the time before Tet is particulary favorable for marriages?
Our room rate included breakfast which was served in three locations. The breakfast rooms were crowded and a couple of times we had to visit several venues before we found one without a wait. The first morning we were seated at an empty table for eight and told to expect company. The couple who joined us a while later also seemed surprised by this forced befor coffee congeniality. The breakfast was extensive, embracing foods from many regions. We did not eat any other meals at the hotel, though we did have drinks at the Bamboo Bar and the Club Bar where unfortunately we missed the chocolate buffet which is rumored to pop up in late afternoon.
Every day the hotel gives free tours of the underground bunkers which were discovered during remodeling. You must sign up in advance. The hotel historian, after a brief recap of past events and noteworthy visitors, outfits you in hard hats and takes you down into the bunker where you listen to Joan Baez sing, as she sang in that very bunker during the Christmas bombings of 1972.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...n_1019217.html
The tour ends with complimentary hot tea which we drank in silence, reflecting again, after so many years, on this war and our collective actions. Surprisingly, the Vietnamese seem to treat what they call the "American War" as just another war in their tragic history. We always felt welcome wherever we went. Of course, many of those who actually experienced the war are dead and their offspring are too involved in planning their future to dwell on the past. That's quite different from the ethnic grievances that are often passed from generation to generation. For example in China, we were amazed at the open hatred of the Japanese expressed by the young.
Mar 16th, 2013, 03:27 PM
#48
Fascinating about the bunkers -- I didn't know about them. Yes, I felt the same as we toured VN last year -- how can I be here? echoed in my head over and over and I was constantly thrown back into those turbulent years. The VN people are just lovely and I was amazed in conversations detected no animosity towards Americans. The younger people we talked to about the American War talked about looking to the future and that was well into the past for them.
Continuing to enjoy your report and often relive our trip last year.
Continuing to enjoy your report and often relive our trip last year.
Mar 17th, 2013, 05:46 PM
#49
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Now you're in uncharted territory for me - haven't yet been to Vietnam. So fascinating about their feelings about the "American War." You would think the whole country would still be in therapy, as in a way we are.
Mar 17th, 2013, 06:11 PM
#50
Hi Marija,
I'm really enjoying reading your report as it's so similar to the one we took several years ago....but I got scared off of Luang Prubang and cancelled because i was worried about the smoke from fires. We also had Ponheary and loved her insightful yet low key tours of Siem Reap. But I think my overriding impression of Siem Reap was the extreme heat and humidity!
I didn't realize we could tour bunkers under the Sofitel Metropole....is this a recent development?
Looking forward to your reports on Hue and Hoi An, two of our favorite places.
We got all our visas ahead of time so didn't go through that drama.
I'm really enjoying reading your report as it's so similar to the one we took several years ago....but I got scared off of Luang Prubang and cancelled because i was worried about the smoke from fires. We also had Ponheary and loved her insightful yet low key tours of Siem Reap. But I think my overriding impression of Siem Reap was the extreme heat and humidity!
I didn't realize we could tour bunkers under the Sofitel Metropole....is this a recent development?
Looking forward to your reports on Hue and Hoi An, two of our favorite places.
We got all our visas ahead of time so didn't go through that drama.
Mar 17th, 2013, 11:33 PM
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Hi Marija I am very much looking forward to more !
We opted for Visas on Arrival to Hanoi, arrived around 7 pm and had no waiting whatsoever to get ours [took about 5 minutes in all]. Not sure if we were lucky or whether it depends on time of day.
We opted for Visas on Arrival to Hanoi, arrived around 7 pm and had no waiting whatsoever to get ours [took about 5 minutes in all]. Not sure if we were lucky or whether it depends on time of day.
Mar 18th, 2013, 09:37 AM
#52
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Thanks for reading!
barefootbeach--unlike you, we had great weather in Siem Reap. It wasn't unpleasantly hot.
yestravel--I think the bunkers were found in 2011. Don't know how long the tours have been available.
---------------------------------------------
The first night we asked the concierge to make reservations for us at the <b>Green Tangerine</b>, www.greentangerinehanoi.com, a restaurant that has been recommended by many here. Although I knew the restaurant was a short walk away, we went by taxi since I had read so much about the difficulty of crossing streets in Hanoi and I couldn't risk death or injury delaying dinner. (Taxis are incredibly cheap in Vietnam, $2 will get you almost anywhere you want to go. )
In fact, crossing streets does take concentration but it was not nearly as perilous as I feared. There are stoplights, though not at all intersections, and you're seldom crossing alone so you have cues from locals on when it's safe to proceed. We never saw any kind of accident during our 11 days in Vietnam.
Green Tangerine is set in a gorgeous old house. It was too cold to eat outside on the patio and the first floor was full, so we were led to the second floor which was not nearly as charming as the first. Not a problem since our main interest was food and drink. We had the only table for two, the rest of the youthful patrons were seated at large tables, drinking and conversing very loudly. The loud conversation turned to shouting and some sort of altercation ensued. Together with our food, we were quickly relocated to the first floor. We later saw some of our fellow diners leaving against their wishes.
The food and drink were a major disappointment. It's quite possible we were responsible for both. I had read suggestions to order a Vietnamese sampler and instead of following our usual strategy of diversification, we inadvertently ordered it for two. Poor choice for one, even worse for two. We also selected a bottle of wine which was terrible. Bruce accepted it after the sample thinking it would "open up." Instead it seemed to "shut down", growing worse with each sip. We were forced to do the unthinkable--leave a bottle of wine unfinished. Even in India and China we managed to empty bottles of wine impersonators.
The first morning, a financial representative from Tonkin was supposed to meet us at 8:30 for some sort of formalities that I couldn't get them to explain. We were paying by credit card and they had the number; we already had hotel vouchers and e-ticket numbers so, as far as I could tell, we were good to go. When no one from Tonkin showed showed up, the concierge called them, someone apologized but showed no interest in rescheduling. Unfortunately, despite our failure to rendezvous, the charges showed up on our credit card.
Our second meeting of the morning proceeded as scheduled. Two absolutely charming <b>Hanoi Kids</b>, www.hanoikids.org, were waiting for us in the lobby at 11:30. Thanks to all here who recommended them! They were an absolute delight and the highlight of our stay in Hanoi. Hanoi Kids is a free guiding service provided by university students who want to practice English. They are forbidden from accepting money. You just feed them and pay for taxis.
We chose our meeting time so we could start with lunch at <b>Quan An Ngon</b>, the "safe" street food restaurant. We sat at one of the long communal tables and asked the Kids to order for us. They asked if it was OK to order some of the more pricey meat dishes (maybe $3) and we encouraged them to order without financial constraint. In Hanoi, at this restaurant, we felt as flush as Bill Gates. (That feeling rapidly evaporated when we entered the confines of the Metropole with its $20 cocktails!)
The Kids made excellent selections and tutored us in the art of wrapping pancakes and herbs in rice paper, as well as in other nuances of Vietnamese table manners. No one left hungry. This was a great place to have local supervision since there were so many menu items and the protocol for ordering, eating and paying wasn't completely obvious. Although it looks like a food court, you sit down and wait for someone to take your order.
After lunch we went to the Ho Chi Minh complex which, except for the one legged pagoda, was pretty much closed. Having little choice, we left Uncle Ho to continue his rest and walked to the Temple of Literature. The Kids said it was not far but a wrong turn entered the picture and it took close to an hour. We encouraged them to give us an abbreviated tour, since it was getting late. One of the rules of the Kids is that they have to return you to where they found you, so we all took a cab back to the hotel, chatted a while longer, took photos and parted. (Thanks to Craig for the suggestion to bring something from home for the Kids since they can accept small gifts.)
Our afternoon with Hanoi Kids, aka The Little Ambassadors of Hanoi was most enjoyable. We didn't view them as tour guides. Instead they provided a unique glimpse into student life. They discussed their majors and classes, their families and apartments, the structure of their organization and the difficulties they encounter. The sights of Hanoi just provided a backdrop to our conversations. Of course, it's possible that not all Kids are willing or able to open up to strangers.
For dinner we confidently walked over to the<b> Ly Club</b>, www.lyclub.vn/hanoi, dodging all obstacles in our path. (The major obstacle was not motorcycles but torn up sidewalks.) Like Green Tangerine the Ly Club is in a beautiful converted old mansion. We selected the degustation menu which was good, but not noteworthy. After the tragic wine of the previous night we stuck to beer and cocktails.
barefootbeach--unlike you, we had great weather in Siem Reap. It wasn't unpleasantly hot.
yestravel--I think the bunkers were found in 2011. Don't know how long the tours have been available.
---------------------------------------------
The first night we asked the concierge to make reservations for us at the <b>Green Tangerine</b>, www.greentangerinehanoi.com, a restaurant that has been recommended by many here. Although I knew the restaurant was a short walk away, we went by taxi since I had read so much about the difficulty of crossing streets in Hanoi and I couldn't risk death or injury delaying dinner. (Taxis are incredibly cheap in Vietnam, $2 will get you almost anywhere you want to go. )
In fact, crossing streets does take concentration but it was not nearly as perilous as I feared. There are stoplights, though not at all intersections, and you're seldom crossing alone so you have cues from locals on when it's safe to proceed. We never saw any kind of accident during our 11 days in Vietnam.
Green Tangerine is set in a gorgeous old house. It was too cold to eat outside on the patio and the first floor was full, so we were led to the second floor which was not nearly as charming as the first. Not a problem since our main interest was food and drink. We had the only table for two, the rest of the youthful patrons were seated at large tables, drinking and conversing very loudly. The loud conversation turned to shouting and some sort of altercation ensued. Together with our food, we were quickly relocated to the first floor. We later saw some of our fellow diners leaving against their wishes.
The food and drink were a major disappointment. It's quite possible we were responsible for both. I had read suggestions to order a Vietnamese sampler and instead of following our usual strategy of diversification, we inadvertently ordered it for two. Poor choice for one, even worse for two. We also selected a bottle of wine which was terrible. Bruce accepted it after the sample thinking it would "open up." Instead it seemed to "shut down", growing worse with each sip. We were forced to do the unthinkable--leave a bottle of wine unfinished. Even in India and China we managed to empty bottles of wine impersonators.
The first morning, a financial representative from Tonkin was supposed to meet us at 8:30 for some sort of formalities that I couldn't get them to explain. We were paying by credit card and they had the number; we already had hotel vouchers and e-ticket numbers so, as far as I could tell, we were good to go. When no one from Tonkin showed showed up, the concierge called them, someone apologized but showed no interest in rescheduling. Unfortunately, despite our failure to rendezvous, the charges showed up on our credit card.
Our second meeting of the morning proceeded as scheduled. Two absolutely charming <b>Hanoi Kids</b>, www.hanoikids.org, were waiting for us in the lobby at 11:30. Thanks to all here who recommended them! They were an absolute delight and the highlight of our stay in Hanoi. Hanoi Kids is a free guiding service provided by university students who want to practice English. They are forbidden from accepting money. You just feed them and pay for taxis.
We chose our meeting time so we could start with lunch at <b>Quan An Ngon</b>, the "safe" street food restaurant. We sat at one of the long communal tables and asked the Kids to order for us. They asked if it was OK to order some of the more pricey meat dishes (maybe $3) and we encouraged them to order without financial constraint. In Hanoi, at this restaurant, we felt as flush as Bill Gates. (That feeling rapidly evaporated when we entered the confines of the Metropole with its $20 cocktails!)
The Kids made excellent selections and tutored us in the art of wrapping pancakes and herbs in rice paper, as well as in other nuances of Vietnamese table manners. No one left hungry. This was a great place to have local supervision since there were so many menu items and the protocol for ordering, eating and paying wasn't completely obvious. Although it looks like a food court, you sit down and wait for someone to take your order.
After lunch we went to the Ho Chi Minh complex which, except for the one legged pagoda, was pretty much closed. Having little choice, we left Uncle Ho to continue his rest and walked to the Temple of Literature. The Kids said it was not far but a wrong turn entered the picture and it took close to an hour. We encouraged them to give us an abbreviated tour, since it was getting late. One of the rules of the Kids is that they have to return you to where they found you, so we all took a cab back to the hotel, chatted a while longer, took photos and parted. (Thanks to Craig for the suggestion to bring something from home for the Kids since they can accept small gifts.)
Our afternoon with Hanoi Kids, aka The Little Ambassadors of Hanoi was most enjoyable. We didn't view them as tour guides. Instead they provided a unique glimpse into student life. They discussed their majors and classes, their families and apartments, the structure of their organization and the difficulties they encounter. The sights of Hanoi just provided a backdrop to our conversations. Of course, it's possible that not all Kids are willing or able to open up to strangers.
For dinner we confidently walked over to the<b> Ly Club</b>, www.lyclub.vn/hanoi, dodging all obstacles in our path. (The major obstacle was not motorcycles but torn up sidewalks.) Like Green Tangerine the Ly Club is in a beautiful converted old mansion. We selected the degustation menu which was good, but not noteworthy. After the tragic wine of the previous night we stuck to beer and cocktails.
Mar 20th, 2013, 06:08 AM
#53
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On our second morning in Hanoi, after breakfast of course, we again took a taxi to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum which on Saturday is open only in the morning. (We always asked the doorman to tell the cab driver our destination and carried a hotel card to show for the return.) Remembering the snaking lines in Beijing to view Mao, we agreed that we would not wait in line for more than half an hour. (We wait longer only for pizza in Naples!)
To our surprise there was no line and, despite signs to the contrary, no need to check bags and cameras, though we did go through a scanner. The guards didn't rush us so we admired the excellent embalming job as we slowly walked past. Ho Chi Minh looked just like his photos! Amazing! I've read that there's a lot of expense and expertise involved in keeping HCM looking good. Unlike the Venezuelans who waited too long with Chavez, the Vietnamese didn't dally in preserving HCM and it may be that with proper care he'll last forever.
Next up was the nearby Ho Chi Minh museum. I loved it. It was what I think a museum should be---lots and lots of disjointed stuff, of every size and type, displayed in random groupings. There were huge plastic fruit displays, signs with wise sayings, war plans, clothes, dishes, numerous statues and photos of HCM, and so much more. Don't miss it if you like museums that show their wares without harnessing a gazillion computers to try to make it interesting and educational. ( This represents only my views not those of my museum employed DH.)
From the HCM museum we made our way to the famous Hỏa Lò Prison aka Hanoi Hilton where American prisoners of war, including John McCain, were held. It was originally built by the French to house their political prisoners. Although most of the prison prison was demolished, the gatehouse remains with depressing exhibits and dark rooms with gruesome pasts. Much of the museum recounts the torture of Vietnamese by the French. It wasn't pleasant but we wanted to see the remnants of the prison that we'd heard so much about so many years ago.
To lift our spirits our thoughts turned to lunch and we headed to <b>Madame Hien</b> . We both ordered bun cha, since the waiter claimed one order would not suffice
http://www.verticale-hanoi.com/madam...e-hen-why.html
Again this was a restaurant in a restored French mansion but this time we really enjoyed our meal. Lunch service ends at 2:00 PM and several unhappy groups were turned away. Bruce returned to the hotel in a cab while I explored the surrounding streets of Hanoi on foot.
Dinner was at <b>La Badiane</b>, www.labadiane-hanoi.com, a French restaurant in yet another restored mansion. For our main courses, Bruce ordered lamb shanks with harissa, I had ravioli with shrimp in mushroom sauces. Both were excellent. The soups and molten chocolate cake and crème brûlée desserts were also tasty. We regretted not ordering a bottle of wine but we were still concerned that wine is somehow imperiled on its long journey to Hanoi.(We did see Vietnamese wine in the Delta, though we didn't see any on offer in restaurants.)
On our last full day in Hanoi we took a tuk tuk through the 36 streets of the old city. Although I had covered part of the area on foot, the tuk tuk gave a different perspective since I no longer had to watch where I was stepping. Our driver was skillfully dodging motorcycles, bikes, cars, pedestrians, and animals, leaving us free to focus on the streetside action. And there was plenty of that. I don't think we covered all of the streets but we certainly saw a good number. Since Tet was approaching there was an entire street devoted to necessary items, including supplies for the dead. Everywhere we went we saw Tet preparations. In Huế even the bottoms of trees were being painted.
For lunch we went to Quan An Ngon again but we didn't order as well as the Kids did. The highlight of the meal was a dessert of banana coconut soup. Sticking to the war theme our next stop was the Vietnam Military Museum which Bruce wanted to see--lots of big war making equipment outside and dull displays inside. Hope he liked it.
In late afternoon we walked over to the water puppet show which was not compelling but certainly amusing. The concierge got us front row tickets for $5 or so. I found it much more enjoyable than the War Museum. After the hour long show we headed back to the hotel and dinner at <b>Club Opera</b> across the street from the Metropole. Maybe if there had been more than four people in the restaurant, and cleaning supplies weren't on a cart next to our table, it wouldn't have struck me as so musty, dark and dreary. I wanted to leave but nothing stands in the way of Bruce and his dinner. From the ragged menu I ordered an appetizer which I thought was terrible, so I didn't order anything else. Bruce ordered a fish dish which he described as OK. Definitely do not recommend this place.
Our flight from Hanoi to Hue was at 11:30 and our pickup at the hotel was supposed to be at 9:30, so all we really had time for was breakfast and checking out. I paid the bill and went to the Citibank next door while Bruce kept the packed luggage company. The hotel was incredibly crowded and busy since the president of Argentina was staying there. There was even a scanner set up in the lobby and police and security were everywhere.
Once I returned to the room I packed a couple of stray items and then went to share the dong I had pulled from the ATM with Bruce. My wallet was not in my purse. I unpacked the luggage hoping I had absentmindedly packed it with the toiletries. No such luck. I searched the room. I went to the reception desk and Citibank. No one had seen it. Fortunately our passports and most credit cards were in a wallet which I had chained to the inside of my purse so only the dong and ATM card had vanished. There was nothing else we could do so we hurried downstairs to wait for our driver. I again mentioned my loss to the front desk and they assured me they would send someone up to our room to look for the wallet.
The driver was quite late, since he couldn't get to the hotel because of all of the security. He drove like a man possessed and we checked in for our flight to Hue barely five minutes before the counter closed. I was still obsessing over the fate of the missing wallet and hoped that it was just naughtily hiding in the luggage, especially since the hotel manager called to say housekeeping couldn't find it either. It had to be somewhere.
Hanoi is a fascinating city and four nights was much too short of a stay. I regret that we ate too timidly. I had the information for the local hole-in-the-wall places to eat but we were too afraid of Hanoi Belly. Maybe next time we'll be more daring.
To our surprise there was no line and, despite signs to the contrary, no need to check bags and cameras, though we did go through a scanner. The guards didn't rush us so we admired the excellent embalming job as we slowly walked past. Ho Chi Minh looked just like his photos! Amazing! I've read that there's a lot of expense and expertise involved in keeping HCM looking good. Unlike the Venezuelans who waited too long with Chavez, the Vietnamese didn't dally in preserving HCM and it may be that with proper care he'll last forever.
Next up was the nearby Ho Chi Minh museum. I loved it. It was what I think a museum should be---lots and lots of disjointed stuff, of every size and type, displayed in random groupings. There were huge plastic fruit displays, signs with wise sayings, war plans, clothes, dishes, numerous statues and photos of HCM, and so much more. Don't miss it if you like museums that show their wares without harnessing a gazillion computers to try to make it interesting and educational. ( This represents only my views not those of my museum employed DH.)
From the HCM museum we made our way to the famous Hỏa Lò Prison aka Hanoi Hilton where American prisoners of war, including John McCain, were held. It was originally built by the French to house their political prisoners. Although most of the prison prison was demolished, the gatehouse remains with depressing exhibits and dark rooms with gruesome pasts. Much of the museum recounts the torture of Vietnamese by the French. It wasn't pleasant but we wanted to see the remnants of the prison that we'd heard so much about so many years ago.
To lift our spirits our thoughts turned to lunch and we headed to <b>Madame Hien</b> . We both ordered bun cha, since the waiter claimed one order would not suffice
http://www.verticale-hanoi.com/madam...e-hen-why.html
Again this was a restaurant in a restored French mansion but this time we really enjoyed our meal. Lunch service ends at 2:00 PM and several unhappy groups were turned away. Bruce returned to the hotel in a cab while I explored the surrounding streets of Hanoi on foot.
Dinner was at <b>La Badiane</b>, www.labadiane-hanoi.com, a French restaurant in yet another restored mansion. For our main courses, Bruce ordered lamb shanks with harissa, I had ravioli with shrimp in mushroom sauces. Both were excellent. The soups and molten chocolate cake and crème brûlée desserts were also tasty. We regretted not ordering a bottle of wine but we were still concerned that wine is somehow imperiled on its long journey to Hanoi.(We did see Vietnamese wine in the Delta, though we didn't see any on offer in restaurants.)
On our last full day in Hanoi we took a tuk tuk through the 36 streets of the old city. Although I had covered part of the area on foot, the tuk tuk gave a different perspective since I no longer had to watch where I was stepping. Our driver was skillfully dodging motorcycles, bikes, cars, pedestrians, and animals, leaving us free to focus on the streetside action. And there was plenty of that. I don't think we covered all of the streets but we certainly saw a good number. Since Tet was approaching there was an entire street devoted to necessary items, including supplies for the dead. Everywhere we went we saw Tet preparations. In Huế even the bottoms of trees were being painted.
For lunch we went to Quan An Ngon again but we didn't order as well as the Kids did. The highlight of the meal was a dessert of banana coconut soup. Sticking to the war theme our next stop was the Vietnam Military Museum which Bruce wanted to see--lots of big war making equipment outside and dull displays inside. Hope he liked it.
In late afternoon we walked over to the water puppet show which was not compelling but certainly amusing. The concierge got us front row tickets for $5 or so. I found it much more enjoyable than the War Museum. After the hour long show we headed back to the hotel and dinner at <b>Club Opera</b> across the street from the Metropole. Maybe if there had been more than four people in the restaurant, and cleaning supplies weren't on a cart next to our table, it wouldn't have struck me as so musty, dark and dreary. I wanted to leave but nothing stands in the way of Bruce and his dinner. From the ragged menu I ordered an appetizer which I thought was terrible, so I didn't order anything else. Bruce ordered a fish dish which he described as OK. Definitely do not recommend this place.
Our flight from Hanoi to Hue was at 11:30 and our pickup at the hotel was supposed to be at 9:30, so all we really had time for was breakfast and checking out. I paid the bill and went to the Citibank next door while Bruce kept the packed luggage company. The hotel was incredibly crowded and busy since the president of Argentina was staying there. There was even a scanner set up in the lobby and police and security were everywhere.
Once I returned to the room I packed a couple of stray items and then went to share the dong I had pulled from the ATM with Bruce. My wallet was not in my purse. I unpacked the luggage hoping I had absentmindedly packed it with the toiletries. No such luck. I searched the room. I went to the reception desk and Citibank. No one had seen it. Fortunately our passports and most credit cards were in a wallet which I had chained to the inside of my purse so only the dong and ATM card had vanished. There was nothing else we could do so we hurried downstairs to wait for our driver. I again mentioned my loss to the front desk and they assured me they would send someone up to our room to look for the wallet.
The driver was quite late, since he couldn't get to the hotel because of all of the security. He drove like a man possessed and we checked in for our flight to Hue barely five minutes before the counter closed. I was still obsessing over the fate of the missing wallet and hoped that it was just naughtily hiding in the luggage, especially since the hotel manager called to say housekeeping couldn't find it either. It had to be somewhere.
Hanoi is a fascinating city and four nights was much too short of a stay. I regret that we ate too timidly. I had the information for the local hole-in-the-wall places to eat but we were too afraid of Hanoi Belly. Maybe next time we'll be more daring.
Mar 20th, 2013, 08:54 AM
#55
Love the way you write and enjoying reading your TR. So many of your days were identical to ours. Like you I absolutely loved the Ho Chi Minh museum. I thought it was fascinating & amusing at times. Did u get to the Women's Museum in Hanoi?
Too bad you didn't try the local hole in the wall places -- next time. I still remember the Bun Cha and I think it was Bun Thit Nuong--delicious.
Bummer about your wallet. Interesting it would happen with all the extra security no less.
Too bad you didn't try the local hole in the wall places -- next time. I still remember the Bun Cha and I think it was Bun Thit Nuong--delicious.
Bummer about your wallet. Interesting it would happen with all the extra security no less.
Mar 20th, 2013, 03:26 PM
#57
I am enjoying your report on Hanoi and am so sorry for the theft of your wallet. We've had that happen in Italy and it's so much trouble to cancel credit cards and replace them from so far away.
Perhaps the reason that Father Ho looked so good is that when we were in Hanoi in October 2011, his embalmed body was in Russia for it's "annual restoration."
I also enjoyed the museum there and visiting his home.
We love Vietnamese food and enjoyed some of the same restaurants as you two.
Perhaps the reason that Father Ho looked so good is that when we were in Hanoi in October 2011, his embalmed body was in Russia for it's "annual restoration."
I also enjoyed the museum there and visiting his home.
We love Vietnamese food and enjoyed some of the same restaurants as you two.
Mar 22nd, 2013, 06:18 PM
#58
Thanks for writing such an interesting report...so sorry to hear about the wallet.
We went to La Badiane for my birthday, but the night before we'd been to Green Tangerine and I think I got a mild case of food poisoning there (despite loving the food)....so had no appetite and barely could eat a few bites at La Badiane...such a waste!
We went to La Badiane for my birthday, but the night before we'd been to Green Tangerine and I think I got a mild case of food poisoning there (despite loving the food)....so had no appetite and barely could eat a few bites at La Badiane...such a waste!
Apr 2nd, 2013, 10:29 PM
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"confused by the currency--there were no recognizable numbers on the bills. Turns out that one side of the bill is only in Lao, the other side features Arabic numerals --quite a relief not to have to master Laotian numbers!"
Interesting! You must have used a different Lao currency to the one I use every day. I just pulled out a 1000, 2000, 5000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 from my wallet. ALL bar the 1000 have the numbers printed on both sides!
Interesting! You must have used a different Lao currency to the one I use every day. I just pulled out a 1000, 2000, 5000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 from my wallet. ALL bar the 1000 have the numbers printed on both sides!
