Hanoi Randoms, Hanoi 2013

It's easy to see why Hanoi is such a popular destination for tourists all over the world. Good food, good people, good places. You really can't go wrong with this bustling neighbourhood of a city. I already can't wait to go back.

Right now, I am preparing to jump on another flight. This time to Hong Kong! I have been to Hong Kong before but the last time was only for a two-day layover and the time before that, I was seven years old! I am so excited to finally explore this city properly! I will be travelling with C, my partner-in-crime at Coffee Table People. You can be sure we will be hitting up cafes everyday, a cup of coffee or tea perpetually in our hands. Follow along with us on Instagram, we are @coffeetablepeople!

P/S: I had drafted this post before I left for Hong Kong. I actually just got back this morning! I am currently unpacking and sorting out my films, can't wait to see how they turn out!

Twilight in Hanoi, Hanoi 2013

After the heavy rains of the past few days, we were rewarded with a very golden hour in the Old Quarter on our last night.

Halong Bay Part 2, Hanoi 2013

A highlight of the Halong Bay cruise was a stop at Hang Sung Sot or Surprise Cave. The cave was discovered in 1901 by French explorers and discovered to contain many naturally-forming rock formations. Locals have identified forms such as a dragon, a Buddha and a tortoise.

The cave was much bigger than I thought. Following the defined path, it took us about 20 minutes to walk through the various caverns, eaves-dropping whenever possible on other tour groups (because we lost our own guide) for interesting snippets about the cave, and attempting to take photographs in the dark.

We emerged out of the caves into a Halong Bay caught in the midst of a thunderstorm. Tourists were huddled tightly together in what little shelter there was available. After being squished around and already more than half wet, we decided to brave the rain and run to the jetty. I will always remember that mad crazy run down the rough hewn steps and the flooded bridge-paths to the jetty. 

Halong Bay Part 1, Hanoi 2013

Halong Bay has been on my travel bucket list for a long time and I am so glad that I finally got to check off this amazing place this year. We booked a 2-day tour with the V'Spirit Cruise company. We had asked for recommendations from our hotel, and V'Spirit was the most affordable for our means (somewhere in between budget and luxurious).

V'Spirit was a great choice! The cruise ship was clean and one of the better looking boats out there, even when compared to other cruise companies with a similar range. We were also ever so lucky to be assigned a corner room with an outdoor deck! Our fellow passengers were so jealous when they found out!

We endured the entire gamut of different weather conditions. We started the cruise with blue skies but as we sailed deeper into the bay, it started to rain heavily, rendering the bay even more mysterious and eerie. We stayed wet the rest of the day, but it just made our experience even more special.

French Dinner & Egg Coffee, Hanoi 2013

Arriving back in the Old Quarter after our rainy adventure to the Perfume Pagoda, we headed out to DC Bistro Boutique, a French bistro recommended by a friend of mine. Why a French bistro when there are so many other Vietnamese food to try? Because they had a three-course set meal for only 7USD!

I selected the pate rillete for starters, seafood gratin for mains and the best chocolate mousse in the world for desserts. I admit I wasn't sure what I was going to get when I said I would have the rillete and I had to look it up later. I was rather relieved to find out it was just pork pate. Not pictured was the freshly baked bread and home-made butter, because it disappeared rather quickly between the two of us.

After dinner, we headed back to the Old Quarter, soaking up the lights and sounds. We were also intent on finding a cafe to try the infamous Vietnamese Egg Coffee or Ca Phe Trung. I had no idea what to expect with this variant of coffee, in my mind I expected a raw egg whisked in with black coffee. What we got was a creamy, sweet drink with no discernible traces of raw egg. Research later told me that preparations for Vietnamese Egg Coffee begin with the egg yolk being whisked with condensed milk and a little filtered coffee. The fluffy mixture is then poured on top of the coffee. If you are in Hanoi, make sure you give it a try!

Perfume Pagoda, Hanoi 2013

When we first read about the Perfume Pagoda in guidebooks, we immediately knew we wanted to go there. We booked a day trip on our first day in Hanoi for the next day. We booked through our hotel but travel agencies are everywhere in the Old Quarter. We were picked up early in the morning by our tour guide at our hotel, joining a small group of three other travellers for the trip. 

We drove for about 2 hours from Hanoi to a jetty on the Day River. From the bus, we transferred to a narrow metal rowboat, powered by one woman! Our new travel friends were all shocked at the size of the boat, one lady kept laughing in disbelief the first 10 minutes we were on it. I was a little more prepared because I had googled photographs of the trip but was still extremely skeptical how we could all fit. The ride was about 40 minutes to the temple, it was really peaceful watching the beautiful scenery go by and listening to the rhythm of the rowing. Since it was the off-season, there was only one or two other boats on the water the same time as us. It drizzled throughout the day, making it a rather damp and humid trip. We were lucky that the heavy rains only came down at the end of the day just as we boarded our bus back to Hanoi.

Alighting from the boat, we first encountered the Den Trinh (or Presentation Shrine) and Thien Tru Pagoda (Heaven Kitchen Pagoda). These two buildings were located at the foot of the hills and accessible by walking. We ate a simple lunch at the only restaurant in the complex. You can't go wrong with hot, freshly-cooked food.

After lunch, we made our way to Huong Tich, the sacred centre of the Perfume Pagoda complex, where thousands of Vietnamese flock every year for their annual pilgrimage. Most Vietnamese prefer to hike from Thien Tru Pagoda to pay their respects at other temples along the way but there is also a cable car to the top. Be warned that even with the cable car ride, there is still a lot of walking up stone-tiled slopes (not fun when the weather was so wet). 

The final descent to Huong Tich is 120-steps of rough hewn stones. From the top, the grotto looks like the inside of a dragon's mouth (Vietnamese revere the dragon!), and incense smoke perfumes the air. Within the grotto, there are many ancient carvings and stone formations that resemble Buddhist symbols. It was incredible! We made our way further inwards to pay our respects, giving thanks for our safe journey and praying for the future.