Hanoi and Halong Bay
We got to Hanoi on April 20, but only spent 1 full day there before heading out to Halong Bay.
The night before we left for Halong Bay, we ate at what is supposedly Vietnam's Oldest Restaurant - Cha Ca La Vong. They serve only one dish, called Cha Ca, which is described as 'snake fish'. The snake fish is really nice, you get a charcoal brazier on your table, which has a pan on it with cubes of fish. You add herbs (dill, mint, schallots and corriander) and cook it yourself.
We finished dinner with icecream by the lake. Em played it safe with coconut, but Gwil tried Taro icecream, which was bright purple!
The lake in Hanoi is really pretty at night, but it turns into a complete couples area! All the benches are covered in couples, both young and old, staring out over the water.
Halong Bay was also great. It is thousands of little islands, only a few hours from Hanoi.
We went on a 3 day/2 night cruise on a boat that was just like a floating hotel! We had a room with a private bathroom, air con, a double bed, and food was incredible - crab, prawns and fish for lunch and dinner every day! We kayaked around the bay, and went on a private boat to visit Cat Ba Island so that we could go for a trek, in the hope of seeing monkeys... Unfortunately, I think Gwil's pace was too much for our guide, and he was ready to go home about one hour into it! So we didn't see any monkeys, but we got a great work out!
We are now back in Hanoi again, and will stay here for a few more days before flying back to Saigon and then on to Finland.
posted by Emily @ 11:00 pm
6 comments
6 Comments:
What a thrill it is to read your blog.....the photos are superb and you are both looking very relaxed, tanned and healthy. I am very envious of the seafood delicacies you are having on a daily basis...if only we could get that quality and variety over here...I guess we'll have to hop over to Vietnam very soon.
I have just had a look at Flikr..you make very attractive banana sellers....and after searching over here, I now have a source for my feather duster!!!
But the big question is, is the food as good as Phuong???
Who are you anonymous...?
We've been on a search for the best fresh spring rolls in Vietnam, and Phoung still wins hands down! But I think the sizzling beef over here that comes with a flaming bucket of coals to your table wins for being more theatrical!
Purple ice cream hey...they don't have that at Phuong!
Have they got any karaoke Em?
Missed you guys on Anzac day but I am sure you were doing something a little bit more exotic than chucking coins up in the air and drinking beers from plastic cups :)
Keep up the blogging. Miss you.
Em x
Theatrical? Are you trying to say that a waiter who tries to carry the dirty dishes of no less than eight diners all at once and then spectacularly smashes them into the kitchen isn't theatrical? But the sizzling beef does sound good... mmmm, beef, yum.
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