Hanoi Round 1 - Vietnam
GOOD MORNING VIETNAMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!
Rocked up to our hostel at about 5.45pm after a very comfortable flight with 'Laos Airlines', flight was cheap but service and quality was not compromised! Very friendly staff and for a 45 minute flight we were given a snack box which had in it a lovely burger and a piece of cake with a refreshment of your choice! Unbelievable.
As we pulled up outside the hostel I sighed and said to Daniel 'uh look at this place, full of idiots!'.
As we were checking in a bong sounded and a guy on a mic announced 'OK guys, its that time again, FREE BEEEERRRR 6-7pm'
Suffice to say my mood quickly elevated! Tugging on Daniels arm 'Are we good? Grab some beer!!'
We dumped our bags at one of the tables and sat down with 2 free beers each!
( I was fast approaching being one those 'idiots'!!! )
We sat there enjoying free beers for a good three hours, still hadn't dropped our bags to our rooms!
Sat with three very excitable Americans! Sure it was gas craic!!
Finally dropped our bags up quick change and freshen up before ladies hour started; 241 cocktails!!
Aiden and Joanne were meeting us here and we were heading out for some grub!
I waited happily with 2 Espresso Martinis and Daniel with some local 'Hanoi' beer (delicious, reminded us of Hoegarden!)
After a bit of confusion with hostels (there were 2 with the same name) Aiden and Joanne rocked up. Fairly well on at this point they had no choice but to join in!
Didn't get dinner till about 10. Went to a great place called 'Chops'.
The waiter was loving us. We looked up after a few hours to an empty restaurant and all staff looking at us like 'Are ye done yet?' wasn't long before they were dancing with us and giving us free shots!
The Irish ladies were back in our hostel enjoying Robbie Williams and Blue being blasted!
As we arrived back to them they were up on the tables giving it socks!
Ita was dragging me to the bar for a 'Hand Grenade' but bar was closing (TG!!- HG is a mix of Sambuca and Jagerbomb!!!)
Before we knew it we were shoved in a taxi on a bar crawl!
Singing on the bus and dancing away in the bars.
We eventually made our way back through the alleys of Hanoi.
This was our welcome to Hanoi!! We loved it straight away.
Ended the night with a few cans sitting on some parked up Hondas!
Heads weren't the best the next day but a strong painkiller soon sorted me out!
Aiden and Joanne wanted to take us to this great place, only open till midday for some beef noodle soup.
It was a great lil spot. So understated, down an alley you wouldn't even notice. Only locals, getting their soup on their lunch or way to work. This is the most popular dish here.
We ordered 4. It did us all the power of good and we were fighting fit to stroll around the city.
Hanoi is such a high energy city you always need to be on the watch out for cars, bikes and scooters. They are everywhere and there doesn't seem to be a system. Trick is to walk slowly across the roads, panic and run and its dangerous!
What I love about it here is how all cafes/bars are seated outside on corners of streets on low seats so you can sit for hours and watch it all go by.
Its like a maze, and easy to get lost, which is great!
Every street seems to have a purpose. Streets with kids toys, coffee shops, bars, restaurants, local produce, fruit&veg, meat etc so once you get your bearings its easy enough to remember key places to make your way back.
We went from soup to try our first Egg Coffee........they whisk up egg like meringue and serve it sitting on the coffee which is sitting on condensed milk (they use Condensed milk with coffee and tea- so good!) you mix it all up and its very good, sweet, luscious and quite filling. Then on for another coffee! Sure why not. While we were sitting with our second coffee, a guy sitting next to us had what looked like a mini Didgeridoo made of bamboo, turns out its a devise for smoking opium and its very common here and so accessible that they just take it right there on the street. Due to my staring in amazement they were mad to get us over to try some. (spoiler: we didn't!!!)
Taking advise from Aiden and Joanne we decided to book ourselves in for a three day tour to Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island up north!
So up early tomorrow to head off.
A beautiful welcome to Vietnam in Hanoi International Airport
Backpackers Hostel where all the craic was had!
A taste of the crazy streets
Bamboo Ladders
These ladies work hard and carry a lot of weight on the back of their bikes through the crazy streets, massive respect. They are all so beautiful too.
Sitting on side of street DRANKIN!
Chops!
Rocked up to our hostel at about 5.45pm after a very comfortable flight with 'Laos Airlines', flight was cheap but service and quality was not compromised! Very friendly staff and for a 45 minute flight we were given a snack box which had in it a lovely burger and a piece of cake with a refreshment of your choice! Unbelievable.
As we pulled up outside the hostel I sighed and said to Daniel 'uh look at this place, full of idiots!'.
As we were checking in a bong sounded and a guy on a mic announced 'OK guys, its that time again, FREE BEEEERRRR 6-7pm'
Suffice to say my mood quickly elevated! Tugging on Daniels arm 'Are we good? Grab some beer!!'
We dumped our bags at one of the tables and sat down with 2 free beers each!
( I was fast approaching being one those 'idiots'!!! )
We sat there enjoying free beers for a good three hours, still hadn't dropped our bags to our rooms!
Sat with three very excitable Americans! Sure it was gas craic!!
Finally dropped our bags up quick change and freshen up before ladies hour started; 241 cocktails!!
Aiden and Joanne were meeting us here and we were heading out for some grub!
I waited happily with 2 Espresso Martinis and Daniel with some local 'Hanoi' beer (delicious, reminded us of Hoegarden!)
After a bit of confusion with hostels (there were 2 with the same name) Aiden and Joanne rocked up. Fairly well on at this point they had no choice but to join in!
Didn't get dinner till about 10. Went to a great place called 'Chops'.
The waiter was loving us. We looked up after a few hours to an empty restaurant and all staff looking at us like 'Are ye done yet?' wasn't long before they were dancing with us and giving us free shots!
The Irish ladies were back in our hostel enjoying Robbie Williams and Blue being blasted!
As we arrived back to them they were up on the tables giving it socks!
Ita was dragging me to the bar for a 'Hand Grenade' but bar was closing (TG!!- HG is a mix of Sambuca and Jagerbomb!!!)
Before we knew it we were shoved in a taxi on a bar crawl!
Singing on the bus and dancing away in the bars.
We eventually made our way back through the alleys of Hanoi.
This was our welcome to Hanoi!! We loved it straight away.
Ended the night with a few cans sitting on some parked up Hondas!
Heads weren't the best the next day but a strong painkiller soon sorted me out!
Aiden and Joanne wanted to take us to this great place, only open till midday for some beef noodle soup.
It was a great lil spot. So understated, down an alley you wouldn't even notice. Only locals, getting their soup on their lunch or way to work. This is the most popular dish here.
We ordered 4. It did us all the power of good and we were fighting fit to stroll around the city.
Hanoi is such a high energy city you always need to be on the watch out for cars, bikes and scooters. They are everywhere and there doesn't seem to be a system. Trick is to walk slowly across the roads, panic and run and its dangerous!
What I love about it here is how all cafes/bars are seated outside on corners of streets on low seats so you can sit for hours and watch it all go by.
Its like a maze, and easy to get lost, which is great!
Every street seems to have a purpose. Streets with kids toys, coffee shops, bars, restaurants, local produce, fruit&veg, meat etc so once you get your bearings its easy enough to remember key places to make your way back.
We went from soup to try our first Egg Coffee........they whisk up egg like meringue and serve it sitting on the coffee which is sitting on condensed milk (they use Condensed milk with coffee and tea- so good!) you mix it all up and its very good, sweet, luscious and quite filling. Then on for another coffee! Sure why not. While we were sitting with our second coffee, a guy sitting next to us had what looked like a mini Didgeridoo made of bamboo, turns out its a devise for smoking opium and its very common here and so accessible that they just take it right there on the street. Due to my staring in amazement they were mad to get us over to try some. (spoiler: we didn't!!!)
Taking advise from Aiden and Joanne we decided to book ourselves in for a three day tour to Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island up north!
So up early tomorrow to head off.
Backpackers Hostel where all the craic was had!
Bamboo Ladders
These ladies work hard and carry a lot of weight on the back of their bikes through the crazy streets, massive respect. They are all so beautiful too. Sitting on side of street DRANKIN!
Chops!
Now THEY...are ladders ;)
ReplyDeleteEXCELLENT 👍❤💙
ReplyDelete