Back from Hanoi, my 3rd overseas trip this year.
Well, am attempting a different blogging style (haha). Not going to overload my blog with all my travel photos or the detailed itinerary. Just wanted to share some of the pictures and to note down the moment/feeling when these photos were taken.
Sunset at Long Bien Bridge, 2/10/18.
Had a hard time trying to find the exact address of this bridge so we can take a Grab to the bridge. So we asked this shop owner who we bought straw bags from (lol) for the exact address and she told us to walk there instead. Glad we walked there, because how could you stop in the middle of this bridge when motorcycles rumble past?
Fun fact: This bridge is built by the French architects and had been bombed several times (due to its critical position). Because of how the Vietnamese tried to keep this bridge open, this bridge is a symbol of resilience I guess?
A cup of Vietnamese filtered coffee to warm oneself
After travelling in a sleeper bus (this is legit quite comfortable on a sidenote) for around 6 hours and facing cold winds, this and a bowl of pho is heaven (haha). And also, the hospitality of our trekking agency (Sapa Original Trek) is heart-warming, be it the quick response to our queries, rushing us from the Sapa office to the bus station, giving us free water or buying the stainless steel coffee filter cup on my behalf (around SGD1 for one each cup wheee) so I won't be ripped off.
And there is also something so heartwarming about this family running a business together. 💓 Oh yeah, sidenote dinosaur was from the child of the family (where we took the opportunity to play with him and his many dinosaur toys wow).
Livelihood; taken outside Hanoi Prime Center Hotel
To travel to Hanoi Prime Center Hotel, we had to travel ~1.5 km and nope, not going to walk with our luggage so we decided to use a Grab again (the Grab there is very cheap by SG's standards).
Little did we know that many of the roads were closed from Friday evening for weekend market and the Grab driver had to take many detours and asked locals for directions multiple times before we could get to our hotel. And because he couldn't drive into the narrow alley leading to our hotel, he ran to the hotel to ask the hotel staff to help us with our luggage. I got to say, I am impressed and touched by the locals' helpfulness?
Oh ya, said driver said Ho Chi Minh is more exciting. Okay, time to go there just for Saigon beer? (Sidenote, Saigon beer > Hanoi beer imo)
Buzz in the local flower market
Watching the locals do their thang, taking in all the sights while thinking about how life might not be need to be so complicated.
Till the next time.
