Hanoi - Day 1

Our journey to Hanoi started when we reach Noi Bai International Airport around 9am local time. Mr Pham our tour guide is already expected our arrival outside the airport.  Without wasting any time, he fetch us to enjoy the usual breakfast that normally Vietnamese, Pho Ga or better known as chicken noodle shop at Pho 24 - fast food concept of food like KFC and McDonalds.

Busy street at Old Quarter

1st May a public holiday for Vietnam better known as May Day

More and more Vietnam flag. Somehow I feel Vietnamese are more patriotic than us Malaysian.

Soon after finish our breakfast, he fetch us back to the hotel where we will stay our 4 nights in Hanoi. The journey from air port to our hotel is around 40km and soon after we step inside the car, the thrill of excitement begin. The traffic at Hanoi is so terrible until you constantly can hear horn everywhere you are heading. The road is so muddy until almost all the motorists are wearing surgery mask. Somehow the traffic in Hanoi make me think back what my manager ever said before about the traffic in India and somehow you need to have 3 good to survive. Good Brake, Good Horn and Good Luck!!!

Along the Hoan Kiem Lake

The red bridge to the temple of the Return Sword Lake

The red bridge that lead to the temple

We stay at Hoabinh Palace Hotel located at the middle of Old Quarter along the Hang Be road. The room was very clean, convenient and comfortable for the entire stay in that hotel. Old Quarter lies between the Return Sword Lake or better known as Hoan Kiem Lake to the South and the Long Bien Bridge to the North and the spans of 2000 years of history.

The bridge always pack with people especially during weekend.

An artist trying to earn decent money around the lake by drawing for tourist

Master of engineering... Telekom can't fight at all..

Till today, you can still see the original architecture of old Hanoi and the original street layout. What so special about Old Quarter is that the city consists of 36 streets and each streets represent an unique merchants and households specialization in silks, coffees, blacksmiths, incense, tombstone and many mores.

Cyclos or trishaw waiting to fetch anyone who like to discover the street of Old Quater. If I am not mistaken, USD 5 for an hours trip around the Old Quarter

The temple of Return Sword Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake

Our first day at Hanoi just simply hanging around the streets looking at the uniqueness and also the culture and people around the busy street of Hanoi. We even took cyclos or trishaw to circle around the Old Quarter and it is the best mode of transportation if you want to enjoy all the streets around Old Quarter. The weather during that time is around 25 celcius making it a nice weather for us to enjoy coffee under the tree with a nice view of the Hoan Kiem Lake. The night view of Hoan Kiem Lake is a place not to be missed. The chilling wind breeze through us is simply make it so so nice.