Started out early today… didn’t want to crawl out of bed at 7.30am though…
got the plan sorted out for the next couple of days! Khanh was a dream! Made things really easy for us while we went trudging about Hanoi =)
breakfast = Pho Bo + fruits + tea
It was yummy enough for me!
first stop was the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum… I had my bimbotic moment … I asked whose tomb it was… some king? *lol*
I’m no history nut!
it’s Uncle Ho’s… oops… I meant General Ho Chi Minh, the guy who chased away the foreigners during the infamous Vietnam war… it was grand, huge… n certainly well-protected… definitely could tell his people hold him in the highest esteem =)
So I’ve seen Uncle Ho and his wise looks =) also saw the presidential palace, his living quarters and bomb shelter and pomelo n ginseng plants in his garden… bet you couldn’t tell a ginseng plant from another if you couldn’t check out the roots! His cars were also a pretty sight : a Peugeot, Soviet and Chinese car… ranked from the lowest to the tallest. He used the lowest when he was older. I absolutely loved his house on stilts! If I ever have a chance, I’d fashion my house after his! lovely!
the one pillar pagoda in his residence was pretty though I must say I’m more amused with the Ang Mohs around =)
Next stop : a 1000 yr old Confucian temple with 83 steles and beautiful tortoises inscribed with the names of top scholars of the country, who studied the works of Confucius and were talent-scouted for their braininess to work for their country.
Confucius got to my stomach and I had to go grab some food! Stir fried noodles with beef and fried rice with beef and salted vegetables at a roadside stall! Yummy!!! Koro, recommended by Khanh just couldn’t make the cut…
3rd stop : hoay Kiem lake … it’s alright… the lake was a lake but the people around the lake were just nice to watch. Wedding couples, kids, tv crew etc…
4th stop : French Quarter… We paid £10 for Red Cross regular toothpicks! *smack forehead* the girl was reaaallly nice and she had the credentials etc… buttttt…. ah well! I feel good *sings the tune*
Saw the Opera House and the atas shopping lane with the Burberrys, LVs, Estee Lauder etc.
5th stop : Dong Xun Market with Phy leading the way!! yay! we HAD to stop at a Bia Hoi for 3000VD beer! that’s $0.30 beer, mind you! seated facing the street full of honking motorbikes and taxis… that’s the life!
After walking for about 8hours, we crashed at the hotel… bushed! ankles aching, calves complaining…
Dinner at My May Street again but this time it’s duck pho! then to cheap bia hoi again! yummy yummy yummy! cute Ang moh and Asian guy and nice Ang moh girl =)
had to use the toilet badly n there wasn’t one nearby so we made a mad dash for the hotel!
gotta go meet Uncle Chow now… tomorow to My Cho and homestay =) Yay!!
