Craig & Jeane's Vietnam Trip Report 2009: Hanoi, Halong Bay and Sapa
Apr 27th, 2009, 02:39 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,897
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Craig & Jeane's Vietnam Trip Report 2009: Hanoi, Halong Bay and Sapa
By way of introduction, Jeane and I are fairly seasoned travelers to Asia. Since 2000, we have visited Thailand, Bali (Indonesia), India, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Typically we travel for 2 to 2-1/2 weeks once each year. When we travel, we try to plan enough time at each destination so that we don't feel rushed. Like most on this board, we avoid group tours whenever possible but we are not opposed to using locally based travel agencies to arrange hotels and transportation for our own private tour. We understand that guides are sometimes a necessary evil but would prefer to do without them.
With much help from the folks on this board we were able to craft a customized itinerary which would work well for our April timeframe. We planned 5 full days for Hanoi, 2 full days for the overnight trip to Halong Bay, 4 full days for the Sapa area (via overnight train both ways) and 2 full days (including travel time) for our home away from home, Bangkok, Thailand. We expected good weather in northern Vietnam as we would be there between the chilly, damp, overcast winter and the hot, humid, rainy summer.
Tonkin Travel, a Hanoi-based agency handled most of the arrangements for our Vietnam tour. Hien (pronounced HEE-en) was my e-mail contact there and she was wonderful. I first contacted Tonkin back in June just after we had set up our flights and exchanged many e-mails back and forth over the following 10 months. We did a bank transfer for a 20% deposit about 2 months prior to our trip and another transfer for the balance the week before we left.
The elimination of Thai Airways' direct New York to Bangkok flight due to high fuel costs was a huge disappointment. We had used this flight for our three previous trips to Asia. Business class ticket availability using United Mileage Plus ff miles was always pretty good and the flight reduced our overall travel time by several hours. We ended up flying to Hanoi from Hartford, Connecticut via Chicago, Tokyo and Seoul and returning to Hartford from Bangkok via Tokyo and Washington Dulles. Layovers were quite reasonable, ranging from 1-1/2 to 3 hours. The Hartford airport is only 20 minutes from our home, much better than the 2-1/2 hours it takes to get to JFK.
Our journey started when we left our home at 4:15 AM on the morning of Tuesday, April 7 to arrive at the airport 2 hours before our 6:41 AM United flight to Chicago. The flight arrived early so we had time to hit the Red Carpet lounge for a couple of hours. ANA's flight to Tokyo departs Chicago at 10:50 AM and arrives at Narita 13 hours later. We had not flown ANA before but I have to say it is the best airline I have ever flown – service, food, AVOD, lie-flat seats, cleanliness were all first rate. The plane however was about 20% full. We arrived at Narita with time to go through security and check out the ANA lounge. We had both slept a bit on the flight from Chicago so we were doing okay.
The next two flights were on Asiana and neither was anywhere near fully booked. This was also our first time on Asiana, which is the “other” Korean airline. The flight crews were really friendly to us. However we made such good use of the aircraft's lie-flat seats that we don't remember much else about the flights. From what I've heard the airline has a very good reputation. At Seoul, after going through security again(!), I stopped at one of several huge duty-free shops to pick up some booze while Jeane searched for a gift for her adopted niece who was born in South Korea. Liquor prices were about the same as home and there was also a selection of wines, which you don't usually find in duty-free shops. Jeane bought a very pretty business card case with a colorful enameled design on the cover. By the time we were done, our flight was boarding so we did not get a chance to use the Asiana lounge.
We arrived in Hanoi at 10 PM, a few minutes early. Immigration was quick and efficient. After a short wait for our bags, we were waved through customs, and met by our driver, arranged by Tonkin Travel. Before leaving, we went over to the bank of ATMs and withdrew some VN dong. After stopping at the currency exchange for some smaller bills, we were on our way.
As we drove to the Sofitel Metropole, I couldn't help but notice how dark it was – things just didn't seem to be as lit up as one would expect in a big city. We had reserved a room on the Club Floor of the Opera Wing of the Metropole. The driver dropped us off at the Classic Wing however so we had a long walk to our room for check-in. By this time it was nearing midnight (or 1 PM Connecticut time) so our time door-to-door time from home was just under 32 hours. We both took showers then lay down on our very comfortable king bed and slept on and off for about 5 hours.
We woke at about 6 AM, feeling refreshed in spite of it being a bit warm in our beds due to the thick duvets. We also hadn't figured out the thermostat yet. I took another quick shower (can't wake up without one) and headed to the Club Lounge to get on line and let our families know that we had arrived safely. Shortly thereafter, Jeane arrived and we settled down to the first of several excellent breakfasts at the Metropole. Breakfast at the Club Lounge is included the room rate and consists of a buffet of scrambled eggs, cheeses, pastries, breads, jams, a variety of cut fruit and a fruit salad(!), grilled tomatoes with mushrooms(!), smoked salmon, bacon, sausage etc. There is also a menu for eggs Benedict and other delights but there was always so much other food that we only ordered off of it once. The server brings your choice of strong delicious coffee, tea and a variety of juices when you place your order. I was also able to have a pot of coffee delivered to my room on one occasion (no charge) and one delivered to my seat at one of the Club Lounge computers before the breakfast service started (6:30 AM) on almost every day we were there.
The weather in Hanoi for our first two days was sometimes overcast, sometimes partly sunny. Temperatures were in the 70's or 80's, depending on whether the sun was shining or not.
After breakfast, we took some time to do some organizing and to get ready for our tour with Hanoikids. Hanoikids is a free service offered by Hanoian university students to improve their language skills and to promote the city of Hanoi. We headed down to the Classic Wing lobby as we had not informed the Hanoikids where in the hotel we were staying. After inquiring around, we finally met up with our tour guides, “Autumn” and Gaubong. After introductions, we reviewed our plan for the morning which was basically to tour around the Ho Chi Minh complex and then visit the Vietnam Military History Museum. We all piled into a taxi and 10 minutes later we arrived at the complex.
The first stop was the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where Uncle Ho's embalmed body has been on display since 1975 (he died in 1969). The students helped us check our cameras and other belongings before going in. While the experience was not particularly moving for us, it was interesting none-the-less to watch the other people, especially the Vietnamese as they slowly filed past the body. The corpse is enclosed in glass and the room where it is displayed is kept cool and comfortable. As we exited the Mausoleum and retrieved our cameras, we could see Ba Dinh Square where Uncle Ho read out the Declaration of Independence in 1945. From there, we walked past the magnificent Presidential Palace, built by the French in the yellow Colonial style that is still used today for government buildings in Vietnam. Further on were Ho Chi Minh's two modest residences: House #54 and the “Stilt House”. The final stop at the complex was the famous “One Pillar Pagoda” where we had a brief discussion of religion in Vietnam noting that while the majority of Vietnamese are Buddhist, they are not as active practitioners as those in other Asian countries.
One of our guides called for a taxi on her cell phone. I should mention that transportation with the Hanoikids is either by foot or by taxi and that the “customer” picks up the tab for taxis, museum admissions and meals. It was nice to have the guides call for the taxis to assure that we wouldn't get one with a rigged meter (or worse). Soon, a car showed up and we were whisked away to the Military History Museum. Unfortunately when we arrived, we were told it would be closing for lunch in 10 minutes. Our guides suggested we go grab a bite to eat and return after lunch. I could see that our “morning” tour was going to run a bit overtime – no problem though, these girls were fun to be with. For an idea of some of the conversations we had with them go here:
http://www.hanoikidsclub.org/compone...4159/catid,68/
Note that the “wine bottle” Autumn refers to is actually a water bottle from the hotel. Because of their interesting shape (octagonal instead of round), the Metropole bottles attracted the attention of more than one Vietnamese. The Metropole provided 4 bottles of water in our room and replaced them twice daily – we never needed to purchase bottled water in Hanoi.
The Hanoikids asked whether we wanted to go to a popular but crowded restaurant or someplace more intimate and traditional. We opted for the later so another taxi was hailed and we headed for the New Day Restaurant, a two-story hole-in-the-wall on some side street in the Old Quarter (don't ask me where). We were shown to a private room on the 2nd floor. After we had removed our shoes, we were seated on cushions on the floor by a low table. The girls asked us if we wanted to order “family style” and we told them that would be fine. Several tasty dishes were brought out and we shared not only the tasty meal but great conversation as well. One of the questions that Autumn asked me was how much a room cost at the Metropole – I hesitated for a moment and then I told her: $200 and up. I think she was a bit floored by that and I explained that it was “tourist pricing”. Toward the end of the meal, Jeane and I were really stuffed. However, the girls kept on eating. They explained to us that lunch was the big meal of the day in Vietnam. The tab was ridiculously small – maybe the equivalent of $10US.
We headed back to the Military History Museum. Inside we viewed a couple of short films about successful Vietnamese military conquests which were pretty heavy on the propaganda. There was a pretty interesting assortment of weaponry on display and lots of photos showing the Vietnamese resourcefulness in combat. Behind the museum was a collection of assorted wrecked US B-52's which we photographed from the top of a tall flag tower. It was a bit of a climb but worth it as it also offered great views of the city. During our time at the museum, Autumn asked me how I felt about the war. I shared with her my mixed feelings. We also discussed the draft – she was surprised to learn that while Vietnamese men all have to serve their country for three years, the USA no longer requires National service.
By the time we got back to the Metropole it was almost 3 PM. Our guides came into the lobby with us and sat down. It was obvious that they were enjoying their surroundings. While it was tempting to sit and chat some more, we really wanted to get some shopping in before dinner. So we said our goodbyes. We loved our time with Autumn and Gaubong. The experience with the Hanoikids was exactly what I expected it to be and more. Having guides to help us get going on our very first day in Hanoi was invaluable.
After a quick trip to the room, we headed out of the hotel and up the east side of Lake Hoan Kiem. This was our first experience with crossing streets on our own and we quickly got the hang of it. While just walking into heavy motorbike traffic would have been dangerous, there was always the occasional break where we could start crossing, moving at a steady pace so that the bikes would go around us. To help make our Hanoi shopping more efficient, I had made a list of shops, their locations and what they carried. This is not the way Jeane likes to shop (she likes to go into each and every store) but we only had so much time in Hanoi and I have only so much patience. We were mostly interested in paintings, silks and handicrafts. On this first day we planned more to look than to buy, spending most of our time walking from side to side on Hang Gai and Hang Bong streets. We hit most of the shops on my list but we knew we would definitely return to Khai Silk and to Thang Long Gallery (thanks, Patricia). I had set a two hour time limit on shopping so we returned to the Metropole via the west side of the lake.
After a stop at the room, we headed over to the Club Lounge. After the huge lunch, we weren't particularly hungry but the lure of free cocktails was definitely a draw. I settled in with a Macallen (single malt scotch whiskey) and Jeane with a non-alcoholic fruity drink. We decided to check out the hors d'oeuvres selection – it was awesome, lots of variety – western and Vietnamese, and some veggies , unlike many places we have been. We decided that this would be our dinner. Back to the room for a little TV and to sleep.
More to come...
With much help from the folks on this board we were able to craft a customized itinerary which would work well for our April timeframe. We planned 5 full days for Hanoi, 2 full days for the overnight trip to Halong Bay, 4 full days for the Sapa area (via overnight train both ways) and 2 full days (including travel time) for our home away from home, Bangkok, Thailand. We expected good weather in northern Vietnam as we would be there between the chilly, damp, overcast winter and the hot, humid, rainy summer.
Tonkin Travel, a Hanoi-based agency handled most of the arrangements for our Vietnam tour. Hien (pronounced HEE-en) was my e-mail contact there and she was wonderful. I first contacted Tonkin back in June just after we had set up our flights and exchanged many e-mails back and forth over the following 10 months. We did a bank transfer for a 20% deposit about 2 months prior to our trip and another transfer for the balance the week before we left.
The elimination of Thai Airways' direct New York to Bangkok flight due to high fuel costs was a huge disappointment. We had used this flight for our three previous trips to Asia. Business class ticket availability using United Mileage Plus ff miles was always pretty good and the flight reduced our overall travel time by several hours. We ended up flying to Hanoi from Hartford, Connecticut via Chicago, Tokyo and Seoul and returning to Hartford from Bangkok via Tokyo and Washington Dulles. Layovers were quite reasonable, ranging from 1-1/2 to 3 hours. The Hartford airport is only 20 minutes from our home, much better than the 2-1/2 hours it takes to get to JFK.
Our journey started when we left our home at 4:15 AM on the morning of Tuesday, April 7 to arrive at the airport 2 hours before our 6:41 AM United flight to Chicago. The flight arrived early so we had time to hit the Red Carpet lounge for a couple of hours. ANA's flight to Tokyo departs Chicago at 10:50 AM and arrives at Narita 13 hours later. We had not flown ANA before but I have to say it is the best airline I have ever flown – service, food, AVOD, lie-flat seats, cleanliness were all first rate. The plane however was about 20% full. We arrived at Narita with time to go through security and check out the ANA lounge. We had both slept a bit on the flight from Chicago so we were doing okay.
The next two flights were on Asiana and neither was anywhere near fully booked. This was also our first time on Asiana, which is the “other” Korean airline. The flight crews were really friendly to us. However we made such good use of the aircraft's lie-flat seats that we don't remember much else about the flights. From what I've heard the airline has a very good reputation. At Seoul, after going through security again(!), I stopped at one of several huge duty-free shops to pick up some booze while Jeane searched for a gift for her adopted niece who was born in South Korea. Liquor prices were about the same as home and there was also a selection of wines, which you don't usually find in duty-free shops. Jeane bought a very pretty business card case with a colorful enameled design on the cover. By the time we were done, our flight was boarding so we did not get a chance to use the Asiana lounge.
We arrived in Hanoi at 10 PM, a few minutes early. Immigration was quick and efficient. After a short wait for our bags, we were waved through customs, and met by our driver, arranged by Tonkin Travel. Before leaving, we went over to the bank of ATMs and withdrew some VN dong. After stopping at the currency exchange for some smaller bills, we were on our way.
As we drove to the Sofitel Metropole, I couldn't help but notice how dark it was – things just didn't seem to be as lit up as one would expect in a big city. We had reserved a room on the Club Floor of the Opera Wing of the Metropole. The driver dropped us off at the Classic Wing however so we had a long walk to our room for check-in. By this time it was nearing midnight (or 1 PM Connecticut time) so our time door-to-door time from home was just under 32 hours. We both took showers then lay down on our very comfortable king bed and slept on and off for about 5 hours.
We woke at about 6 AM, feeling refreshed in spite of it being a bit warm in our beds due to the thick duvets. We also hadn't figured out the thermostat yet. I took another quick shower (can't wake up without one) and headed to the Club Lounge to get on line and let our families know that we had arrived safely. Shortly thereafter, Jeane arrived and we settled down to the first of several excellent breakfasts at the Metropole. Breakfast at the Club Lounge is included the room rate and consists of a buffet of scrambled eggs, cheeses, pastries, breads, jams, a variety of cut fruit and a fruit salad(!), grilled tomatoes with mushrooms(!), smoked salmon, bacon, sausage etc. There is also a menu for eggs Benedict and other delights but there was always so much other food that we only ordered off of it once. The server brings your choice of strong delicious coffee, tea and a variety of juices when you place your order. I was also able to have a pot of coffee delivered to my room on one occasion (no charge) and one delivered to my seat at one of the Club Lounge computers before the breakfast service started (6:30 AM) on almost every day we were there.
The weather in Hanoi for our first two days was sometimes overcast, sometimes partly sunny. Temperatures were in the 70's or 80's, depending on whether the sun was shining or not.
After breakfast, we took some time to do some organizing and to get ready for our tour with Hanoikids. Hanoikids is a free service offered by Hanoian university students to improve their language skills and to promote the city of Hanoi. We headed down to the Classic Wing lobby as we had not informed the Hanoikids where in the hotel we were staying. After inquiring around, we finally met up with our tour guides, “Autumn” and Gaubong. After introductions, we reviewed our plan for the morning which was basically to tour around the Ho Chi Minh complex and then visit the Vietnam Military History Museum. We all piled into a taxi and 10 minutes later we arrived at the complex.
The first stop was the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where Uncle Ho's embalmed body has been on display since 1975 (he died in 1969). The students helped us check our cameras and other belongings before going in. While the experience was not particularly moving for us, it was interesting none-the-less to watch the other people, especially the Vietnamese as they slowly filed past the body. The corpse is enclosed in glass and the room where it is displayed is kept cool and comfortable. As we exited the Mausoleum and retrieved our cameras, we could see Ba Dinh Square where Uncle Ho read out the Declaration of Independence in 1945. From there, we walked past the magnificent Presidential Palace, built by the French in the yellow Colonial style that is still used today for government buildings in Vietnam. Further on were Ho Chi Minh's two modest residences: House #54 and the “Stilt House”. The final stop at the complex was the famous “One Pillar Pagoda” where we had a brief discussion of religion in Vietnam noting that while the majority of Vietnamese are Buddhist, they are not as active practitioners as those in other Asian countries.
One of our guides called for a taxi on her cell phone. I should mention that transportation with the Hanoikids is either by foot or by taxi and that the “customer” picks up the tab for taxis, museum admissions and meals. It was nice to have the guides call for the taxis to assure that we wouldn't get one with a rigged meter (or worse). Soon, a car showed up and we were whisked away to the Military History Museum. Unfortunately when we arrived, we were told it would be closing for lunch in 10 minutes. Our guides suggested we go grab a bite to eat and return after lunch. I could see that our “morning” tour was going to run a bit overtime – no problem though, these girls were fun to be with. For an idea of some of the conversations we had with them go here:
http://www.hanoikidsclub.org/compone...4159/catid,68/
Note that the “wine bottle” Autumn refers to is actually a water bottle from the hotel. Because of their interesting shape (octagonal instead of round), the Metropole bottles attracted the attention of more than one Vietnamese. The Metropole provided 4 bottles of water in our room and replaced them twice daily – we never needed to purchase bottled water in Hanoi.
The Hanoikids asked whether we wanted to go to a popular but crowded restaurant or someplace more intimate and traditional. We opted for the later so another taxi was hailed and we headed for the New Day Restaurant, a two-story hole-in-the-wall on some side street in the Old Quarter (don't ask me where). We were shown to a private room on the 2nd floor. After we had removed our shoes, we were seated on cushions on the floor by a low table. The girls asked us if we wanted to order “family style” and we told them that would be fine. Several tasty dishes were brought out and we shared not only the tasty meal but great conversation as well. One of the questions that Autumn asked me was how much a room cost at the Metropole – I hesitated for a moment and then I told her: $200 and up. I think she was a bit floored by that and I explained that it was “tourist pricing”. Toward the end of the meal, Jeane and I were really stuffed. However, the girls kept on eating. They explained to us that lunch was the big meal of the day in Vietnam. The tab was ridiculously small – maybe the equivalent of $10US.
We headed back to the Military History Museum. Inside we viewed a couple of short films about successful Vietnamese military conquests which were pretty heavy on the propaganda. There was a pretty interesting assortment of weaponry on display and lots of photos showing the Vietnamese resourcefulness in combat. Behind the museum was a collection of assorted wrecked US B-52's which we photographed from the top of a tall flag tower. It was a bit of a climb but worth it as it also offered great views of the city. During our time at the museum, Autumn asked me how I felt about the war. I shared with her my mixed feelings. We also discussed the draft – she was surprised to learn that while Vietnamese men all have to serve their country for three years, the USA no longer requires National service.
By the time we got back to the Metropole it was almost 3 PM. Our guides came into the lobby with us and sat down. It was obvious that they were enjoying their surroundings. While it was tempting to sit and chat some more, we really wanted to get some shopping in before dinner. So we said our goodbyes. We loved our time with Autumn and Gaubong. The experience with the Hanoikids was exactly what I expected it to be and more. Having guides to help us get going on our very first day in Hanoi was invaluable.
After a quick trip to the room, we headed out of the hotel and up the east side of Lake Hoan Kiem. This was our first experience with crossing streets on our own and we quickly got the hang of it. While just walking into heavy motorbike traffic would have been dangerous, there was always the occasional break where we could start crossing, moving at a steady pace so that the bikes would go around us. To help make our Hanoi shopping more efficient, I had made a list of shops, their locations and what they carried. This is not the way Jeane likes to shop (she likes to go into each and every store) but we only had so much time in Hanoi and I have only so much patience. We were mostly interested in paintings, silks and handicrafts. On this first day we planned more to look than to buy, spending most of our time walking from side to side on Hang Gai and Hang Bong streets. We hit most of the shops on my list but we knew we would definitely return to Khai Silk and to Thang Long Gallery (thanks, Patricia). I had set a two hour time limit on shopping so we returned to the Metropole via the west side of the lake.
After a stop at the room, we headed over to the Club Lounge. After the huge lunch, we weren't particularly hungry but the lure of free cocktails was definitely a draw. I settled in with a Macallen (single malt scotch whiskey) and Jeane with a non-alcoholic fruity drink. We decided to check out the hors d'oeuvres selection – it was awesome, lots of variety – western and Vietnamese, and some veggies , unlike many places we have been. We decided that this would be our dinner. Back to the room for a little TV and to sleep.
More to come...
Apr 27th, 2009, 02:56 AM
#2
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 6,664
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How come it's always Craig and Jeane and never Jeane and Craig? I'm surprised you had the nerve to post after the disgraceful showing of the Bronx Bozos this weekend. Mariano blows a save, Burnett can't hang on to a 6 run lead and Petite lets Ellsbury steal home. Very nice.
The start of your report is great. I really like the Hanoi Kids adventure. Sounds super. As always, a timely report and no penalty applies. Rooting for the Yankees is penalty enough.
The start of your report is great. I really like the Hanoi Kids adventure. Sounds super. As always, a timely report and no penalty applies. Rooting for the Yankees is penalty enough.
Apr 27th, 2009, 04:23 AM
#4
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,072
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Always love reading these post as I have been to Hanoi 2 different times. First time I had a private guide-I was not aware of the student guides. The 2nd time I was able to go around on my own except my first guide sent someone to meet me at the airport, and then he took me to eat pizza riding behid him on his motor scooter. He also helped me with a trip to Halong Bay thru Handspan and obtained the puppet theater tickets for me Also invited me to dinner with him and his tour group one evening. It was nice to make a friend who was so helpful to me on that 2nd trip.
Hanoi is my favorite Vietnamese city,
I am glad you enjoyed your trip. I feel about Vietnam as many of you feel about Thailand, and the reason is the friends I made in Vietnam.
Hanoi is my favorite Vietnamese city,
I am glad you enjoyed your trip. I feel about Vietnam as many of you feel about Thailand, and the reason is the friends I made in Vietnam.
Apr 27th, 2009, 06:38 AM
#6
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,466
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fantastic start and I am reading avidly as we will be going to Hanoi and Ha Long in November (as well as HCMC nad Mue nei). The above has convinced me to book Hanoi Kids. I also sent a request to Tonkin Travel yesterday after you mentioned it on your last thread so will be interested to see what they come up with!
Apr 27th, 2009, 10:33 AM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,408
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Craig-Great job so far! Looking forward to more...
Question: You had to leave you camera when visiting the HCM Mausoleum? Did it seem safe?
I'm quite attached to my Nikon DSLR and hate to check it anywhere, but also don't want to leave it behind in the hotel when we go out.
Do they search your bags when you go in or do you have to leave everything behind (like they do at the Borghese museum in Rome-not even purses can be brought in).
Question: You had to leave you camera when visiting the HCM Mausoleum? Did it seem safe?
I'm quite attached to my Nikon DSLR and hate to check it anywhere, but also don't want to leave it behind in the hotel when we go out.
Do they search your bags when you go in or do you have to leave everything behind (like they do at the Borghese museum in Rome-not even purses can be brought in).
Apr 27th, 2009, 10:41 AM
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,897
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kristina - your camera will be safe and is checked separately from your personal items. You can hold onto your purse/wallet. We were not searched. It was nice to have the Hanoikids walk us through the process.
Apr 27th, 2009, 04:02 PM
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,897
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks Gpanda (note that the season lasts for 162 games for a reason), Rob, Maryanne, Kathie, Smeagol, HT, Bob/Karen, Kristina and Mary.
Here's the next installment:
Up early Friday, April 10. Computer, coffee then another great Metropole breakfast with Jeane. Hanoikid shows up at 9 AM – she had a Vietnamese name which I forget but she told us that in English her name was Autumn (like the girl yesterday). She told us that the other Hanoikid would meet us at the Hoa Lo Museum (Hanoi Hilton). She reviewed the plan: Hanoi Hilton, Temple of Literature and the Fine Arts Museum. This time we walked. By the time we got there, it seemed that it would have been more sensible to take a taxi as it had taken us 20 minutes to get there. We met up with the other Hanoiguide, Dung. Autumn and Dung were first year university students, while the previous day's guides were juniors. We could immediately sense the difference in their maturity and language skills. While it was apparent that they took some time to prepare for our tour, we felt our guides were providing us with almost too much information. I think we could have done the Hanoi Hilton more easily on our own. We were surprised that the museum was dedicated much more to the French imprisonment of the Vietnamese than to the Vietnamese imprisonment of the Americans. However, there was a section dedicated to John McCain.
We headed to the Temple of Literature by taxi. We struggled to understand what our guides were saying but managed to get the gist of what this beautiful complex was all about. We posed for some photos at various points. On to the Fine Arts Museum – we walked again, a short distance. We were kind of taken aback that Autumn would touch the works of art while describing them. Much of the art was historical and war-oriented. The constant propaganda which appeared in the art and our guides' descriptions was starting to wear on us. This museum like all of the others was not air conditioned, so it wasn't particularly comfortable.
After an hour or so in the museum, we were all pretty tired. We wanted to go the Craft Link shop which was close by and I told our guides that we needed to go there. However, it was almost 1:30 PM by that time so it was also time to eat. After a bit of debate, we decided to stick close by – Koto, a teaching restaurant for the disadvantaged, turned out to be a good choice. We were all really hot so when the server offered to put us in a small room with a/c, we were thrilled. We had a nice meal and good conversation with our guides, the highlight of a somewhat disappointing day. Meal cost was $20 this time – still quite cheap.
Toward the end of the meal, we realized that Dund had to get to her 3 PM class, so we sent her on her way. After we settled our bill, Jeane and I headed a few doors down to Craft Link with Autumn. Craft Link is a non-profit shop that sells high quality handicrafts all made by ethnic minorities in Vietnam. There was some sort of parade going on outside and Autumn explained that it was a funeral procession. She offered to take my camera and go out and take photos. I let her go. When she returned we discussed the differences between the Christian concept of everlasting life and the Vietnamese belief that when life ends, it's over and how Christian funeral hymns are more upbeat than the sad Vietnamese funeral dirges.
Jeane saw some things that she liked but did not make any purchases. As we exited the shop, Autumn called for a taxi. The taxi arrived but Jeane remembered that there was an additional Craft Link shop a few doors down. Because the taxi was waiting, she only had a chance to peek inside – this one seemed to specialize in weavings while the other was more oriented towards home furnishings. We would have to come back another time. Jeane and I were dropped off at our hotel and we said our goodbyes. Autumn asked for our e-mail address and I gave mine to her.
It was about 4 PM – I was pretty beat and needed to chill for a while – perhaps it was jet lag catching up with me. I went to the lounge and did internet while Jeane explored the shops on the streets surrounding the Metropole. Jeane returned an hour or so later and because of our big lunch, we decided that dining on the Metropole's hors d'oeuvres (and free drinks) again would be just fine. There was a completely different selection of food in the lounge from the night before. Because our transfer to Halong Bay was expected to arrive early the next day, we returned to our room to reorganize, packing just a couple of small bags for the trip and leaving the rest of our stuff at the Metropole.
more later...
Here's the next installment:
Up early Friday, April 10. Computer, coffee then another great Metropole breakfast with Jeane. Hanoikid shows up at 9 AM – she had a Vietnamese name which I forget but she told us that in English her name was Autumn (like the girl yesterday). She told us that the other Hanoikid would meet us at the Hoa Lo Museum (Hanoi Hilton). She reviewed the plan: Hanoi Hilton, Temple of Literature and the Fine Arts Museum. This time we walked. By the time we got there, it seemed that it would have been more sensible to take a taxi as it had taken us 20 minutes to get there. We met up with the other Hanoiguide, Dung. Autumn and Dung were first year university students, while the previous day's guides were juniors. We could immediately sense the difference in their maturity and language skills. While it was apparent that they took some time to prepare for our tour, we felt our guides were providing us with almost too much information. I think we could have done the Hanoi Hilton more easily on our own. We were surprised that the museum was dedicated much more to the French imprisonment of the Vietnamese than to the Vietnamese imprisonment of the Americans. However, there was a section dedicated to John McCain.
We headed to the Temple of Literature by taxi. We struggled to understand what our guides were saying but managed to get the gist of what this beautiful complex was all about. We posed for some photos at various points. On to the Fine Arts Museum – we walked again, a short distance. We were kind of taken aback that Autumn would touch the works of art while describing them. Much of the art was historical and war-oriented. The constant propaganda which appeared in the art and our guides' descriptions was starting to wear on us. This museum like all of the others was not air conditioned, so it wasn't particularly comfortable.
After an hour or so in the museum, we were all pretty tired. We wanted to go the Craft Link shop which was close by and I told our guides that we needed to go there. However, it was almost 1:30 PM by that time so it was also time to eat. After a bit of debate, we decided to stick close by – Koto, a teaching restaurant for the disadvantaged, turned out to be a good choice. We were all really hot so when the server offered to put us in a small room with a/c, we were thrilled. We had a nice meal and good conversation with our guides, the highlight of a somewhat disappointing day. Meal cost was $20 this time – still quite cheap.
Toward the end of the meal, we realized that Dund had to get to her 3 PM class, so we sent her on her way. After we settled our bill, Jeane and I headed a few doors down to Craft Link with Autumn. Craft Link is a non-profit shop that sells high quality handicrafts all made by ethnic minorities in Vietnam. There was some sort of parade going on outside and Autumn explained that it was a funeral procession. She offered to take my camera and go out and take photos. I let her go. When she returned we discussed the differences between the Christian concept of everlasting life and the Vietnamese belief that when life ends, it's over and how Christian funeral hymns are more upbeat than the sad Vietnamese funeral dirges.
Jeane saw some things that she liked but did not make any purchases. As we exited the shop, Autumn called for a taxi. The taxi arrived but Jeane remembered that there was an additional Craft Link shop a few doors down. Because the taxi was waiting, she only had a chance to peek inside – this one seemed to specialize in weavings while the other was more oriented towards home furnishings. We would have to come back another time. Jeane and I were dropped off at our hotel and we said our goodbyes. Autumn asked for our e-mail address and I gave mine to her.
It was about 4 PM – I was pretty beat and needed to chill for a while – perhaps it was jet lag catching up with me. I went to the lounge and did internet while Jeane explored the shops on the streets surrounding the Metropole. Jeane returned an hour or so later and because of our big lunch, we decided that dining on the Metropole's hors d'oeuvres (and free drinks) again would be just fine. There was a completely different selection of food in the lounge from the night before. Because our transfer to Halong Bay was expected to arrive early the next day, we returned to our room to reorganize, packing just a couple of small bags for the trip and leaving the rest of our stuff at the Metropole.
more later...
Apr 27th, 2009, 06:20 PM
#15
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Your report helps me relive lunch at Koto, CraftLink, Temple of Lit, Hanoi Hilton, etc.and other fond memories. So glad you're having a great time ....and as always, great planning. The opportunity with Hanoikids sounds priceless and a great win win.
Apr 27th, 2009, 10:59 PM
#16
AS usual, this is a great report. Love all the details.
I also love Autumn's tour report. Who knew that all it takes to be the "ideal Husband" is cooking spring rolls and washing the dishes?? So cute!
I also love Autumn's tour report. Who knew that all it takes to be the "ideal Husband" is cooking spring rolls and washing the dishes?? So cute!
Apr 28th, 2009, 02:38 AM
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,897
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We slept okay but not great – the time difference was stil making sleeping through the night difficult. Up at 5 AM – plenty of time for pushups, shower, internet, breakfast and check-out. While we were ready for our driver at 8 AM, we weren't sure which side of the hotel he would come to. As it turned out, he came to the Classic Wing 20 minutes late, but we were traveling light so no big deal. What was a big deal was that I had reserved a 7-seat SUV for all of our travels and while the car that showed up was spacious, it was not what we had paid for. We did not have enough time to organize a switch but I did ask our driver to get in touch with Tonkin so that we would be assured of having a large vehicle for the rough roads in the Sapa area a few days later. After a few calls back and forth, the driver handed me his cell so I could speak with Hien at Tonkin Travel who apologized for the confusion and told me that everything was all set for Sapa.
The driver made one stop along the way at a big souvenir emporium for tourists. We appreciated the bathroom break and Jeane browsed quickly. She saw a small red lacquerware vase that she really liked and I told her to buy it, since she might not see it again. Good call. 15 minutes later we were moving again. We arrived at the cruise waiting area just shortly before noon. I neglected to mention that we were originally booked in the single suite on the Valentine, a small ship with only 5 rooms, including the suite. Unfortunately, I had received an e-mail from Tonkin two days prior saying it was not to be and that Indochina Sails had offered an alternative, a suite on the brand new (but larger) Indochina Sails III. Tonkin felt that I should go for it only if we could do it at half price to compensate and I agreed. Indochina Sails also arranged for a bottle of Chilean Red in our suite for our troubles.
From the waiting area there is a shuttle boat to take passengers to the ship. We departed just before 12:30. After boarding the ship, orientation and check-in were relatively quick and painless. While the ship was bigger than we would have liked, our a/c suite was very nice – king size bed, rain forest shower, plus a jacuzzi bath and a small private deck. There was also a safe and a minibar in the room. Lunch was the first activity of the cruise and it was an international/Vietnamese set menu, not a buffet. Very nice. The price of the cruise was all inclusive, except for drinks and kayaking. Wine by the bottle was pricey but normal drinks and wine by the glass were reasonable.
There were two afternoon activities – first, a trip to Titop Island, named after a Soviet astronaut who visited there with Ho Chi Minh and second, kayaking at the Hang Doi Bat Cave area. It was pretty overcast with a few rain drops as we climbed the several hundred steps to the top of the mountain on Titop Island. In spite of the haze, the views were pretty good so we took some photos. The late afternoon kayaking was better – the ship's guide was helpful, we were in a good group and the skies had cleared somewhat. The lagoon and surrounding waters are very quiet – it was nice to get away from it all as Halong Bay had been very busy. Our guide took some great photos of Jeane and I in our kayak. Kayaking cost $10US extra per person.
Back on the ship, we relaxed with our own cocktails in the room as we cruised toward our anchoring destination for the night. Afterward, we enjoyed a food carving demonstration, followed by a nice buffet dinner. We skipped the movie afterward, "The Quiet American" (I have it on DVD at home) and turned in early.
We awoke at about 5:30 the next morning (Sunday, 4/12), showered and got ready for the day. The ship pulled up its anchor shortly thereafter and we headed towards our next destination, a small fishing village and the Surprise Cave. Coffee and pastries were put out at 6:45. Jeane and I entertained ourselves by photographing the fishing village while we waited for the 8 AM transfer to the Cave. We spent about an hour at the cave, which is actually a series of 3 large caves with the “surprise” being the size and scope of it all. The caves were enhanced with artificial lighting. Steps and handrails were in place where it was necessary to climb. The ship's guide gave us some history of the caves and pointed out the various formations inside.
We returned to the ship for our final meal, a buffet breakfast which included omelets made to order – not as good as the Metropole's buffet but fine none-the-less. The ship's crew requested that we put out our larger bags before breakfast for transfer to the pier. After breakfast we returned to our room to find that housekeeping was already starting to clean it. We used the public facilities instead and retired to the sundeck to relax and settle our bill while we approached the pier.
Our driver was waiting for us at the pier and the ship's guide helped us with our bags. I gave him a tip and bid him farewell. The one-night, two day cruise had been just perfect. We would not have wanted to stay an additional night. The return drive was fairly quick and uneventful. We made the obligatory stop at the overpriced souvenir place but did not linger. I think Jeane would have liked to have spent more time there but I just don't care for these places on principle.
At the Metropole, the staff at the Club Floor desk welcomed us back. Our bags were retrieved from storage and waiting for us in our room when we arrived. I asked our butler to make a 6 PM dinner reservation for us at Wild Lotus. We spent the remainder of the afternoon settling in, doing internet and enjoying cocktails in the Club Lounge. Wild Lotus was great. We enjoyed Chili Shrimp Cakes, Seafood Salad with Pineapple and Crab Meat Soup in a beautiful setting. The tab with two beers and a bottle of water came to $22US. We asked the restaurant call us a taxi and returned to the hotel for the evening.
The driver made one stop along the way at a big souvenir emporium for tourists. We appreciated the bathroom break and Jeane browsed quickly. She saw a small red lacquerware vase that she really liked and I told her to buy it, since she might not see it again. Good call. 15 minutes later we were moving again. We arrived at the cruise waiting area just shortly before noon. I neglected to mention that we were originally booked in the single suite on the Valentine, a small ship with only 5 rooms, including the suite. Unfortunately, I had received an e-mail from Tonkin two days prior saying it was not to be and that Indochina Sails had offered an alternative, a suite on the brand new (but larger) Indochina Sails III. Tonkin felt that I should go for it only if we could do it at half price to compensate and I agreed. Indochina Sails also arranged for a bottle of Chilean Red in our suite for our troubles.
From the waiting area there is a shuttle boat to take passengers to the ship. We departed just before 12:30. After boarding the ship, orientation and check-in were relatively quick and painless. While the ship was bigger than we would have liked, our a/c suite was very nice – king size bed, rain forest shower, plus a jacuzzi bath and a small private deck. There was also a safe and a minibar in the room. Lunch was the first activity of the cruise and it was an international/Vietnamese set menu, not a buffet. Very nice. The price of the cruise was all inclusive, except for drinks and kayaking. Wine by the bottle was pricey but normal drinks and wine by the glass were reasonable.
There were two afternoon activities – first, a trip to Titop Island, named after a Soviet astronaut who visited there with Ho Chi Minh and second, kayaking at the Hang Doi Bat Cave area. It was pretty overcast with a few rain drops as we climbed the several hundred steps to the top of the mountain on Titop Island. In spite of the haze, the views were pretty good so we took some photos. The late afternoon kayaking was better – the ship's guide was helpful, we were in a good group and the skies had cleared somewhat. The lagoon and surrounding waters are very quiet – it was nice to get away from it all as Halong Bay had been very busy. Our guide took some great photos of Jeane and I in our kayak. Kayaking cost $10US extra per person.
Back on the ship, we relaxed with our own cocktails in the room as we cruised toward our anchoring destination for the night. Afterward, we enjoyed a food carving demonstration, followed by a nice buffet dinner. We skipped the movie afterward, "The Quiet American" (I have it on DVD at home) and turned in early.
We awoke at about 5:30 the next morning (Sunday, 4/12), showered and got ready for the day. The ship pulled up its anchor shortly thereafter and we headed towards our next destination, a small fishing village and the Surprise Cave. Coffee and pastries were put out at 6:45. Jeane and I entertained ourselves by photographing the fishing village while we waited for the 8 AM transfer to the Cave. We spent about an hour at the cave, which is actually a series of 3 large caves with the “surprise” being the size and scope of it all. The caves were enhanced with artificial lighting. Steps and handrails were in place where it was necessary to climb. The ship's guide gave us some history of the caves and pointed out the various formations inside.
We returned to the ship for our final meal, a buffet breakfast which included omelets made to order – not as good as the Metropole's buffet but fine none-the-less. The ship's crew requested that we put out our larger bags before breakfast for transfer to the pier. After breakfast we returned to our room to find that housekeeping was already starting to clean it. We used the public facilities instead and retired to the sundeck to relax and settle our bill while we approached the pier.
Our driver was waiting for us at the pier and the ship's guide helped us with our bags. I gave him a tip and bid him farewell. The one-night, two day cruise had been just perfect. We would not have wanted to stay an additional night. The return drive was fairly quick and uneventful. We made the obligatory stop at the overpriced souvenir place but did not linger. I think Jeane would have liked to have spent more time there but I just don't care for these places on principle.
At the Metropole, the staff at the Club Floor desk welcomed us back. Our bags were retrieved from storage and waiting for us in our room when we arrived. I asked our butler to make a 6 PM dinner reservation for us at Wild Lotus. We spent the remainder of the afternoon settling in, doing internet and enjoying cocktails in the Club Lounge. Wild Lotus was great. We enjoyed Chili Shrimp Cakes, Seafood Salad with Pineapple and Crab Meat Soup in a beautiful setting. The tab with two beers and a bottle of water came to $22US. We asked the restaurant call us a taxi and returned to the hotel for the evening.
Apr 28th, 2009, 03:07 AM
#20
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,466
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Craig
I love the details and am interested in why the trip on Valetine was cancelled, as i was looking at that too last night. I am torn bewteen Ginger, Bhaya, Valentine and have also been recommended one of the indochine sails (am getting myself confused)
I will see what Tonkin come back with too?
I love the details and am interested in why the trip on Valetine was cancelled, as i was looking at that too last night. I am torn bewteen Ginger, Bhaya, Valentine and have also been recommended one of the indochine sails (am getting myself confused)
I will see what Tonkin come back with too?
