Sinjao ... Hanoi

February 11-14, o6 - Hanoi, Vietnam.

It happened when one of my friends asked me "Do you want to go to vietnam during valentine's weekend?". I thought just a minute, no boyfriend to hang out with at that time, don't want to be home alone on that weekend so i said yes so easy. She asked the same thing to the other friends too and they all said yes then this trip i had 7 companions, all are women, very noisy trip!!! Haha!

We went to Hanoi, a capital city of vietnam. 

My friend's sister used to work in Hanoi so she told her friend to take care of us, a guy. A guy??? wow wow wow!!!  Hahaha. For this "single" group, would be great to have a man to take care of us!!! But when we met him at Phur restaurant, awww ... broken heart.

He can be our father!!! Hahaha :)

Hanoi is nice but busy and crazy!! Remind me of bangkok around Sampeng and Yaowarat Road. I heard a sound of horns every second as they said Hellooo. Just 2 minutes that i was drinking Hanoi beer at the corner, i saw 6 motorcycles crashed.  They don't care the others. So everytime i heard a sound of a horn, soon became a sound of car crash.

I think Hanoi got an influence from china a lot. A feeling when i was there was like when i was in China. People don't smile. Talk loud. .... but shopping in Hanoi is not bad, cheap. I bargained a lot. 

First day, we went to Jor Ngoun temple. It's the first college in Hanoi. Long time ago it was a temple and school of noblemen (in chinese called Jor-Ngoun). After they graduated, their name were inscribed on stones.

It wasn't an general stone but it's a turtle sculpture which made by stone. Each turtle for one person.

After that we went to 2 places of Art museums. There has many painting from many artists around the world, no photos, they don't allow. Then my friends wanted to see 'Water puppets show' (only one in the world).  I was so tired that day, really wanted  to sleep after walked walked walked to many places but all of my friends wanted to see it so i should join them unless i'd be sorry later if it was a great show. 
This show was about a history of Vietnam, their culture, the way of life. Even though you don't understand vietnamese language, but you'll understand an action. I like those puppets, they're carved and painted wooden puppets held on sticks by people standing in a pool of water hidden behind the screen.

I know this is a show that i shouldn't miss. I know it's not a show that i can see anywhere else, it's only in Hanoi, i know. I tried to opened my eyes but since the show started, i slept. A first song was like a lullaby song!!!! I missed it. My friends woke me up before the end so i got a chance to watch it for 5 minutes!! (ahh, i slept about an hour!!???) Wondered if i snored???? ...

We had 4 days in Hanoi, got a cheap hostel in the center of the town (6$ per room per night). It was comfortable, don't have to switch on air-con because it was veryyyy cold in February.

Second day, we woke up since 6am (school camping trip? I wondered!!). Very early because we had to go to Halongbay which is far away from Hanoi about 3-4 hours. Most of people stay overnight in Halongbay but we don't want to.

We booked a tour for one day trip which got a bus, driver, boat to halongbay, guide and lunch. A friend who had been there suggested us to go to somewhere else instead of Halongbay cos it has nothing. He said if you guys want to see a beautiful view, I can tell that our beaches (in thailand) are more beautiful. But we wanted to see with our own eyes, if it has nothing as he said, let us prove it by ourselves.

The bus picked us up at 7am to the Halongbay pier. A guide doesn't speak english well so he can't explain much. (How come he became a guide!!!) We had to use body-language sometimes lol They took us to the cave. Favorite cave for tourists. We got in and out so fast, it's like many caves in nothern Thailand but not beautiful as i have seen. We wanted to go to the others island in halong bay but we don't have time so we had to came back to Hanoi.

I don't like Halongbay but it's not that bad as my friend said, it can't compare with beautiful beaches in other countries but it has a hidden beautiful in itself. If someone asked me that should I go to Halongbay?, i would say 'go go go' to know that you like it or not , to see it by your own eyes. 

Last day, we went to Hojimihn cemetary, the body is inside, had 5 minutes in there because many people came so we had to move fast and got not over than one minute to look at him. (p.s. it's close on Monday and Friday)

What i like in Hanoi?
*Hanoi beer, of course!!!!
  Only 5 Baht per glass.
  There has 4 shops on the corner of crossroad near my hostel.It's not a bar/pub but it's a shop which sell grocery in the morning and sell beer at night.

We chose the third one because the others were full. I like     that feeling, drinking around sidewalk and watching people come and go. While we were enjoy drinking, the owner shouted "check, check and go go go" and she took the chairs from us.  I was wondering what happened? Quickly paid for beers and crossed the road to see what was happened from there. Then i heard the siren. I see. Police came. Actually the shops should have been close at 11pm but at that time was midnight. Polices came to check. We don't go back yet, the others too. We waited until the polices had gone then the shops opened again. Came back to the hostel 2 hours later.
* Kebab
   Yummmmm!!!!! It's not Hanoi food but it's yum!!! At night market which only has on weekend. This market sell many stuff, ; clothes , food, toys. I found one kebub boot. Was very yummy.
* Hanoi Seafood at sidewalk
   Near the market, yummmy!!!
* Phur (noodle with meat) is ok too but i don't like vietnam food much.
* No fast Food as McDonald, KFC, Burgerking, etc. or even 7-11 in Hanoi!! Great!!!

What i don't like?
* Horns
* Hanoian don't smile :-(

Hanoi is a busy town. If i had a chance, would try Weh and Danang.

**sinjao = hello :-)