Arrived in Hanoi from the Philippines around midday, and we didn’t waste a moment, we headed straight out to explore.
But first … lunch of course. We had authentic Bánh Mì from a small spot right in front of our hotel. There was a bit of a queue, so we figured it had to be good. The meat was alright but the French Bread was extraordinarily yum.
Then we headed to Hoàn Kiếm Lake, just a short five-minute walk away.
And right there, framed by nature, in the middle of the city is the red bridge which quietly stretches across still waters.
There was so much to take in while walking…people quietly sitting, vibrant street art from the recent Chinese New Year (Year of the Fire Horse), bikers, tuktuks, and colourful fruit and vegetable vendors lining the streets.
One of the most exciting things we did was simply crossing the street. It may not sound like much, but in Hanoi, it’s a truly mind-blowing experience. And mind you, it was not easy. You have to gather your courage, take a deep breath, and just keep walking
I noticed a small gallery and we decided to step in. Inside, there was an exhibit of horses. Perfectly fitting, since I had already mentioned earlier what Zodiac year it is.
Just opposite is The Note Coffee and I instantly fell in love with it. It is literally a whole building with every wall, every corner, even the tables were covered in colourful sticky notes left by visitors from all over the world. I took my time reading a few with little messages of love, dreams, and memories. Then I added one of my own. It felt like leaving a tiny piece of myself behind. And mind you, their Egg Coffee is amazing!
We didn’t have a definite itinerary for the day, except for a booking at a Michelin-star restaurant for dinner. So we decided to just go with the flow and hired a tuktuk, complete with a friendly driver who made the ride even more enjoyable.
After the ride we went for a walk around town.
Loved seeing all the tiny alleyways.
Walked past varied doors of temples, restaurants and Vietnamese homes.
I also noticed so many tiny chairs along the streets. I honestly don’t know how people sit on them comfortably. Just to see how small they really were, I asked Jack to stand beside one for comparison. Surprisingly, these little stools are what people normally sit on, and they seem perfectly at ease.
It was only 6 pm and still very early for our 7 pm booking at Tam Vi Hanoi. But they were kind enough to squeeze us in (since maybe because it was just the two of us). Food was amazing. 3 big meals that we almost couldn’t finish plus drinks all for a total of A$28 …what a bargain!
So that was our first day in Hanoi…truly memorable.
I am linking this to Jo’s Monday Walk
Such a colourful, exotic place, Teresa. Maybe safer riding than walking! Love that red bridge. Fabulous start, and thank you! xx
You got it right, I felt safe with the driver though he went zigzag much too often. But if I were given more than 2 weeks I would’ve mastered the art of crossing the street. Thanks Jo.
Excellent post – my wife has just returned from a two-week trip to Vietnam, and so some of the sights from Hanoi are familiar to me. Great pictures and some interesting doors.
Glad your wife went. I bet she loved the food.
She certainly did.
Wow! A wonderful assault (in a good way) on all the senses. How exhilarating.
Yes so true Margaret. It was very vibrant.
Thanks so much for letting us travel with you through your wonderful photos. 😊
Happy to take you along Pepper.
Thanks for sharing the lovely pictures, Teresa. You captured some amazing sights and some great doors. The food in the first few photos looks delicious.
Yes Dan, the food in Vietnam is amazing. Glad you liked those doors.
What a fantastic first day in this vibrant city! I loved your photos of the temples and that red bridge in particular 🙂 I know what you mean about crossing the road there (and in other Vietnamese cities). The trick is to keep moving at a steady pace so the drivers can predict where you’ll be and can avoid you. If you stop or speed up they are more likely to hit you as you’ll be in a spot they didn’t anticipate!
True Sarah, I learned that trick of crossing the street after the first few days. Haha one just has to build up the courage to try. Thanks for your comment.
Sounds like a wonderful first day!
Yes Darlene, had a great day indeed.
lovely images Teresa….I popped over to see the doors which are amazing, but couldn’t tear my eyes from the red bridge…..loved it!
Thanks Cath. I think the red bridge and the moody weather worked well.
What a lovely day you had – I’m actually envious! We’d just one full day in the city(bad planning on our part). We’d a city tour booked but it wasn’t great – just concentrated on monuments and we never got to see the old town in daylight – next morning we were moving on… It’s a place I’d really love to go back to…
Lucky that our hotel was just near the main part of town so we were able to go easilly. Better plan a return to the place soon haha