Blueyebabe @ Hanoi's Old Quarter

This time I have chosen Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. It was a 8D7N trip(Hanoi->Halong Bay->Sapa->Hanoi) and only cost less than RM1500 per person(everything included MAS flight ticket). If u decided to pay a visit to Hanoi, make sure u just book the accommodation only, others like tours, train tickets u can book later with the local hotel staff, and it will cost u 50% cheaper than u engage with a Malaysia travel agent for a Hanoi trip package.

The weather there was so nice, it was around 15ºC- 25ºC. Hanoi is an ancient city with beautiful scenery, slim pretty ladies, baguette, phở (Vietnamese noodle), dripping coffee......everything is just fine until I also found out that this city is quite noisy, messy and dusty! There is constant horn-blowing from morning until midnight; construction works everywhere and it is quite scary when u want to cross the road, there are motorcycles and cars come from all directions. All these is enough to cause u headache or migraine somehow~

Blueyebabe can't cross the road in Hanoi
see the traffic...oh gosh!

Typical Vietnamese lady who sell Bánh mì(Vietnamese baguette)

You can see Vietnam is not a well-developed country compare to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. However, to our surprise this city has a booth with touch screen map machine for tourist which we can't find in Asia. But somehow, the local people treat it as a rubbish dump booth during night time. Pity this high technology being ignore and misuse.

Blueyebabe is searching for interesting place to go
with the touch screen google map

The most well-known lake in Hanoi is Hoan Kiem Lake, meaning "Lake of the Returned Sword". According to the legend, emperor Le Loi handed a magic sword called Heaven's Will which brought him victory in his revolt against the Chinese Ming Dynasty back to the Golden Turtle God in the lake and hence gave it its present name. The turtle nowadays is still alive and some local peoples just saw it appeared at the surface of the water few days ago...

Turtle Tower at Hoan Kiem Lake(还剑湖)

Old couple, so romantic still..

The oldest pagoda in Hanoi located at the dazzling West Lake, named Tran Quoc Pagoda. Particularly, it is seated on an island linked by a bridge to the causeway between the two most romantic lakes of Hanoi: West Lake and Truc Bach Lake. I was fascinated with its special and intricate style of architecture dated centuries ago. The island and pagoda provide a beautiful backdrop, particularly when viewed at sunset. Standing at one end of Thanh Nien Road, one can see the towers of the pagoda rising above the lake’s surface.

Tran Quoc Pagoda(镇国寺)

Every tourist is going for the famous water puppet show (Múa rối nước) -> "puppets that dance on water", so are we. We are not interested with the show but since it is a unique variation on the ancient Asian puppet tradition, so mah give face go watch lor. The show is performed in Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre in Hanoi. There are singers who sing songs which tell the story being acted out by the puppets. Don't ask me how's the show, coz I was busy enjoying watching most foreigners 'fishing' rather than the puppets dancing... It was so boring bcoz the show is performing in Vietnamese language and we are unable to understand at all...... -_-"

Dance of the water fairies

Chả cá Lã Vọng is the specialty of Hanoi which u should try at least once before u die. The restaurant is located at No. 14, Cha Ca Street in Hanoi old quarter. It cost foreigner VND 120,000 per person (about RM20+). It is quite expensive as it is only small portion but worth for paying it and u'll definitely go back again...

Chả cá Lã Vọng -> jengs!
fish marinated, grilled over charcoal then pan fried in oil serve with
noodles, basil, coriander, peanuts and fish sauce

Traditional Vietnamese dripping coffee (Việt cà phê)
the coffee taste extremely kaw!
there are a few brand of coffee, Trung Nguyen is the most famous