Pho, It's Not Just For Breakfast Anymore; Kristina & David in Vietnam 2009
Jul 23rd, 2009, 01:22 PM
#24
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Kathie-We kept meaning to try the wine but never got around to it. It was red and I think it just felt too hot to drink red wine.
lcuy-that's interesting. We had CNN in all the other hotels. Someone at the HE4 told us they had seen it on their TV a couple of days before, but then it had disappeared. Maybe it was just a cable company issue.
KSHofCA-I think we needed 110,000 miles per ticket. I'm wiped out now.
lcuy-that's interesting. We had CNN in all the other hotels. Someone at the HE4 told us they had seen it on their TV a couple of days before, but then it had disappeared. Maybe it was just a cable company issue.
KSHofCA-I think we needed 110,000 miles per ticket. I'm wiped out now.
Jul 23rd, 2009, 01:49 PM
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Kristina,
Vietanm is on our must see list. But we never get around to it. (Sigh, tmptlt: too many places too little time.) After reading your report, it's on our top list now.
Isn't it awfully hot and humid in July?
110,000 miles for business class and all those stops? That's a great deal! (We paid 70,000 mles for LA-HK-Bali round trip,and we didn't even get to see HK because we didn't have enough time. That wasn't wise at all.)
Love your links too and thanks for all the planning tips.
Vietanm is on our must see list. But we never get around to it. (Sigh, tmptlt: too many places too little time.) After reading your report, it's on our top list now.
Isn't it awfully hot and humid in July?
110,000 miles for business class and all those stops? That's a great deal! (We paid 70,000 mles for LA-HK-Bali round trip,and we didn't even get to see HK because we didn't have enough time. That wasn't wise at all.)
Love your links too and thanks for all the planning tips.
Jul 23rd, 2009, 02:14 PM
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wanderer-we're like that about Peru-keep meaning to go but never do.
Just to clarify; the FF tickets only covered LAX-Hanoi and BKK-LAX. We had to buy the internal tickets. I suppose we might have been able to book a layover in Tokyo, but like you, did not have time.
Yes, it's VERY hot and humid. Don't underestimate it. But it was the only time we could go.
Danmango-Rest? What's that? I'm either up until 3am or can't get to sleep until 3am. Been home 4 days now, and I think today is the worst. More on food coming soon...
Just to clarify; the FF tickets only covered LAX-Hanoi and BKK-LAX. We had to buy the internal tickets. I suppose we might have been able to book a layover in Tokyo, but like you, did not have time.
Yes, it's VERY hot and humid. Don't underestimate it. But it was the only time we could go.
Danmango-Rest? What's that? I'm either up until 3am or can't get to sleep until 3am. Been home 4 days now, and I think today is the worst. More on food coming soon...
Jul 23rd, 2009, 05:16 PM
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<b>David's Diary </b>
<i>(note; David used to write more for our website when we traveled. The last few years, he's taken a break. I'm happy he has felt the urge to contribute once again. His words below...) </i>
Landing in Hanoi is nothing like landing in Tokyo. One can immediately sense the modernization and development gap that exists between this Asian city and its neighbors like Tokyo, Bangkok, Hong Kong, etc.
We cruise through the airport customs and immigration lines, acquiring our e-visas without incident; there are some elements of the "modern" world which are clearly in evidence, thank goodness. There was no trouble with our pre-arranged visa (they were expecting us and had our passport stickers ready) but the vestiges of old world bureaucracy still exist. While we are the only people at the immigration booth, in addition to the four guards who staff the post, we must begin at one side and pay, then walk all the way around to the other side, where we show the same guy the receipt for payment he just gave us! Then, we give him our passports, and we must now return to the opposite side of the booth, so that the same officer can give us our passports back with the newly affixed visas. Why couldn't we have just done all this standing in one place? I'll never understand, but it makes me smile.
As we exit the airport and forge our way through the sea of touts, searching for the one who has our name on his paper sign, my olfactory senses are assaulted by the smell of smoke. It is not the kind of smoke that signals danger, but one which is distinct to Asian countries which do not restrict the burning of trash or regulate open fires on the city streets. The smell is an odd mix of wood, paper, and incense, which is ubiquitous in our experiences in Indonesia, Cambodia, and parts of Thailand.
In stark contrast to my very first association with this smell, which harkens back 1998, when we left the more familiar surroundings of Australia, and landed in Kuta/ Denpassar, Indonesia, at an equally late hour, this time it is strangely comforting to me. The lack of ambient light and streetlights does not bother me. The obvious disregard for traffic laws does not make me nervous at all, and I chuckle to myself, thinking that I would be happier if we drove like this at home.
We are getting closer to the city center. I can tell because the streets are narrowing, and the immense tangle of power lines, phone cables, internet connections, and who knows what else is growing like dreadlocks on super-rogaine above us. It never ceases to amaze me how many wires can be suspended from one bamboo pole. It is as though each house, business, and street light (there are a few here and there) has its own cable running from the central power plant.
Unlike our power poles, which have hubs and transformers, and a limited number of cables, these networks of thousands of wires look impossibly confused and untraceable. How would anybody know which one was which? It reminds me a little of the mess under my computer desk at home, but augmented by an exponential power of thousands. The spaghetti bunches hang above every street, obscuring the views of the eclectic colonial architecture, and sometimes blocking out the sky from view on narrow streets. Random wires hang from poles, trees, and buildings, leaving one to wonder where they belong and if they might be live still! All part of the experience.
The ratio of scooters to cars is naturally high in all Asian countries, and the closer we get to the urban center, the more scooters we see. They move like oil through water around the cars, in and out of lanes whose dividing lines can only be seen by western eyes. Some are carrying loads far greater than they were designed for, but cleverly balanced so as not to impede the driver's ability to navigate the river of vehicular chaos.
<i>(note; David used to write more for our website when we traveled. The last few years, he's taken a break. I'm happy he has felt the urge to contribute once again. His words below...) </i>
Landing in Hanoi is nothing like landing in Tokyo. One can immediately sense the modernization and development gap that exists between this Asian city and its neighbors like Tokyo, Bangkok, Hong Kong, etc.
We cruise through the airport customs and immigration lines, acquiring our e-visas without incident; there are some elements of the "modern" world which are clearly in evidence, thank goodness. There was no trouble with our pre-arranged visa (they were expecting us and had our passport stickers ready) but the vestiges of old world bureaucracy still exist. While we are the only people at the immigration booth, in addition to the four guards who staff the post, we must begin at one side and pay, then walk all the way around to the other side, where we show the same guy the receipt for payment he just gave us! Then, we give him our passports, and we must now return to the opposite side of the booth, so that the same officer can give us our passports back with the newly affixed visas. Why couldn't we have just done all this standing in one place? I'll never understand, but it makes me smile.
As we exit the airport and forge our way through the sea of touts, searching for the one who has our name on his paper sign, my olfactory senses are assaulted by the smell of smoke. It is not the kind of smoke that signals danger, but one which is distinct to Asian countries which do not restrict the burning of trash or regulate open fires on the city streets. The smell is an odd mix of wood, paper, and incense, which is ubiquitous in our experiences in Indonesia, Cambodia, and parts of Thailand.
In stark contrast to my very first association with this smell, which harkens back 1998, when we left the more familiar surroundings of Australia, and landed in Kuta/ Denpassar, Indonesia, at an equally late hour, this time it is strangely comforting to me. The lack of ambient light and streetlights does not bother me. The obvious disregard for traffic laws does not make me nervous at all, and I chuckle to myself, thinking that I would be happier if we drove like this at home.
We are getting closer to the city center. I can tell because the streets are narrowing, and the immense tangle of power lines, phone cables, internet connections, and who knows what else is growing like dreadlocks on super-rogaine above us. It never ceases to amaze me how many wires can be suspended from one bamboo pole. It is as though each house, business, and street light (there are a few here and there) has its own cable running from the central power plant.
Unlike our power poles, which have hubs and transformers, and a limited number of cables, these networks of thousands of wires look impossibly confused and untraceable. How would anybody know which one was which? It reminds me a little of the mess under my computer desk at home, but augmented by an exponential power of thousands. The spaghetti bunches hang above every street, obscuring the views of the eclectic colonial architecture, and sometimes blocking out the sky from view on narrow streets. Random wires hang from poles, trees, and buildings, leaving one to wonder where they belong and if they might be live still! All part of the experience.
The ratio of scooters to cars is naturally high in all Asian countries, and the closer we get to the urban center, the more scooters we see. They move like oil through water around the cars, in and out of lanes whose dividing lines can only be seen by western eyes. Some are carrying loads far greater than they were designed for, but cleverly balanced so as not to impede the driver's ability to navigate the river of vehicular chaos.
Jul 23rd, 2009, 06:30 PM
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what makes you think that anyone knows what those wires are for or where they go??....everything has been wireless in hanoi since 1967 and they just keep those wires there so that dumb tourists can take pictures and show them at home to prove how advanced we are in the west...its tourism 101...give them what they want...
Jul 23rd, 2009, 08:51 PM
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KrisMom says to Crusinred: she has made a believer out of me, and now, the "heaviest packer in the world" can go for 2 weeks with carry-on. Anyone can travel with carryon, but it does take planning, and the idea of using those sizes at home for 2 weeks is a good one...
K: I am quite stunned about the food revelation on the plane---I have would have alerted the newspapers but they are still reeling from the goat penis scare.
K: I am quite stunned about the food revelation on the plane---I have would have alerted the newspapers but they are still reeling from the goat penis scare.
Jul 24th, 2009, 07:28 AM
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Thanks Kristina and David, for your informative and interesting account of your trip. Kristina, I got sick in Spain with something like you had. The last year I have battled with my digestive system and wound up going to a Gastroentronologist. Said it was Colitis. I find eating yogurt and avoiding alot of raw foods helps me. I was never sick on my 3 trips to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos.
Hanoi is one of my favorite cities in Asia. I don't think I would ever get accustomed to the traffic completely.
Keep Traveling and writing.
Hanoi is one of my favorite cities in Asia. I don't think I would ever get accustomed to the traffic completely.
Keep Traveling and writing.
Jul 24th, 2009, 12:04 PM
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Kris,
Many Asian countries served cold noodle dishes.
I think that's because the weather is so hot there; no one wants to eat "steaming" soup.
I tried Korean version before; it even has "ice cubes" on top of the noodles. 0) Interesting, huh?
Many Asian countries served cold noodle dishes.
I think that's because the weather is so hot there; no one wants to eat "steaming" soup.
I tried Korean version before; it even has "ice cubes" on top of the noodles. 0) Interesting, huh?
Jul 24th, 2009, 03:37 PM
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I've got a few photos from our travel day and of the room at the hotel Elegance if anyone is interested:
http://www.wired2theworld.com/vietnam2009flightday.html
http://www.wired2theworld.com/vietnam2009flightday.html
Jul 26th, 2009, 07:39 AM
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Note, I added a photo of the tangle of electrical wires to the link above.
<b>Day 1
Hanoi, Vietnam
July 4, 2009</b>
Of course, we wake up extra early, around 4am. And of course breakfast does not start until 6:30 am. Fortunately, the wifi works well, as does the TV, so we are amused for a few hours before being the first ones downstairs in the breakfast room.
Breakfast here is basic, no buffet but cooked to order and included in the room rate. I order what will become my daily choice; omlette with cheese, mushrooms and bacon, coffee, "lemon juice" (more like a limeade), toast, and yogurt. They always bring a plate of fresh sliced fruit as well.
The first order of the day is to get some money. Fortunately, there is an ATM right around the corner from the hotel. I get 2 million Vietnamese Dong with my credit union ATM card. This costs me $1 from the credit union, 20,000 VND from the HSBC bank, and gives me the equivalent to US$113.77 in VND. So, $1=17,600 VND. The rate only varies by a few VND throughout the whole trip.
On our short walk over to the ATM we get a brief chance to look at the surrounding neighborhood. We are at the edge of the Old Quarter and the Cathedral District. The streets are narrow and crammed with people, cars, bicycles and motorbikes. The "street" the hotel is on is not wide enough for car traffic, but motorbikes whiz up and down it constantly.
Last night, we arrived in the dark and it was relatively quiet. Now it is buzzing with activity; locals on their way to work, women in conical hats selling vegetables from the backs of bicycles, shopkeepers setting up for the day, kids on their way to school and tourists heading out to see the sights. I can't wait to see it all later, but now, we have an appointment to keep.
The only other thing we have planned for today is meeting someone from Hanoi Kids to show us around. They show up in the lobby promptly at 9am, two young women, both University students, named Thin and Van, one in her 3rd year and the other in her 1st yr. They are both sweet, inquisitive and chatty. The point of Hanoi Kids is for the students to get to practice their English by showing tourists around their city. Both of them hoped to work in tourism or hospitality someday. The deal with Hanoi Kids is that their services are free and the tourist pays taxi fare, any entrance fees and buys them lunch.
We really had no plans as to where we wanted to go so they suggested we start with Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. They called for taxi which they would do each time we needed one. They said it was safer than hailing one on the street where you run the risk of getting one with a rigged meter. The taxi ride costs 27,000 VND.
<b>Day 1
Hanoi, Vietnam
July 4, 2009</b>
Of course, we wake up extra early, around 4am. And of course breakfast does not start until 6:30 am. Fortunately, the wifi works well, as does the TV, so we are amused for a few hours before being the first ones downstairs in the breakfast room.
Breakfast here is basic, no buffet but cooked to order and included in the room rate. I order what will become my daily choice; omlette with cheese, mushrooms and bacon, coffee, "lemon juice" (more like a limeade), toast, and yogurt. They always bring a plate of fresh sliced fruit as well.
The first order of the day is to get some money. Fortunately, there is an ATM right around the corner from the hotel. I get 2 million Vietnamese Dong with my credit union ATM card. This costs me $1 from the credit union, 20,000 VND from the HSBC bank, and gives me the equivalent to US$113.77 in VND. So, $1=17,600 VND. The rate only varies by a few VND throughout the whole trip.
On our short walk over to the ATM we get a brief chance to look at the surrounding neighborhood. We are at the edge of the Old Quarter and the Cathedral District. The streets are narrow and crammed with people, cars, bicycles and motorbikes. The "street" the hotel is on is not wide enough for car traffic, but motorbikes whiz up and down it constantly.
Last night, we arrived in the dark and it was relatively quiet. Now it is buzzing with activity; locals on their way to work, women in conical hats selling vegetables from the backs of bicycles, shopkeepers setting up for the day, kids on their way to school and tourists heading out to see the sights. I can't wait to see it all later, but now, we have an appointment to keep.
The only other thing we have planned for today is meeting someone from Hanoi Kids to show us around. They show up in the lobby promptly at 9am, two young women, both University students, named Thin and Van, one in her 3rd year and the other in her 1st yr. They are both sweet, inquisitive and chatty. The point of Hanoi Kids is for the students to get to practice their English by showing tourists around their city. Both of them hoped to work in tourism or hospitality someday. The deal with Hanoi Kids is that their services are free and the tourist pays taxi fare, any entrance fees and buys them lunch.
We really had no plans as to where we wanted to go so they suggested we start with Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. They called for taxi which they would do each time we needed one. They said it was safer than hailing one on the street where you run the risk of getting one with a rigged meter. The taxi ride costs 27,000 VND.
