tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-134047912011-04-22T05:45:45.710+08:00Bron-Yr-Aur is the small welsh cottage where Led Zeppelin recorded their third album. And Viet-Yr-Aur Stomp is the memory lane where Richard and I spent 8 days and 7 nights in Vietnam, Hanoi. It was a romantic, fruitful and magnificent trip that we will never forget.Annanoreply@blogger.comBlogger71100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13404791.post-1117902195993790872005-06-04T23:47:00.006+08:002009-02-02T01:57:56.296+08:00I'm glad that we chose to visit Hanoi over Ho Chi Minh's City.<br />Crazy traffic, beautiful & dirty walls etc etc...<br /><br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17097516_fe4a08ad35_m.jpg"><br />One of the government buildings located in the city.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos14.flickr.com/17086436_5eb93d76a3_m.jpg"><br />I have an affinity for dirty walls.....<br /><br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17071553_13ecf73567_m.jpg"><br />Another evidence to prove that point<br /><br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17071549_357847a09a_m.jpg"><br />This hat is very popular in Hanoi<br /><br /><img src="http://photos14.flickr.com/17086441_e3360f3c2d_m.jpg"> <img src="http://photos12.flickr.com/17085372_528a16d8e6_m.jpg"><br />Trying to be artistic with my shots. <br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17072736_dec279e540_m.jpg"><br />Chess is a popular game, and probably the only entertainment amongst the elderly.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos9.flickr.com/17086437_b119169db6_m.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://photos12.flickr.com/17086438_66b5fa2ae8_m.jpg"><br />Casket flowers for the dead<br /><br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17090774_9f73163090_m.jpg"><br />A railway track right at your door step<br /><br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17089652_9eee3c3945_m.jpg"><br />Flimsy protection but I'm sure it's defensive enough for unwanted guests.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17089647_5fc91b1f2d_m.jpg"> <img src="http://photos14.flickr.com/17374887_42e916bde1_m.jpg"><br />Propaganda Poster is a way of life in Hanoi.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17374885_7486488932_m.jpg"><br />Parking lot?<br /><br /><img src="http://photos9.flickr.com/17405901_81cdf59b80_m.jpg"><br />They wear hats but not helmets while riding on a motorbike! <br />You have to be seriously gutsy in order to walk straight across the road with the crazy traffic.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17087935_dfe61f71ff_m.jpg"><br />The best way to know your neighbour's name?<br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17090777_22bd468e6b_m.jpg"> <img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17083564_dd9402f665_m.jpg"><br />Another "trying to shoot artistic shots series..."<br /><br /><img src="http://photos12.flickr.com/17083561_2edee101a5_m.jpg"><br />In need of anything?<br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17083565_4a1da713e7_m.jpg"><br />Barrows for rubbish, you could tell the Vietnamese were trying to keep their streets clean.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17085370_2d868531af_m.jpg"><br />Smiling face has never looked better than this...<br /><br /><img src="http://photos14.flickr.com/17085373_c79dbdca4e_m.jpg"><br />D.I.Y signage. Good graphic usage of scissors.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos14.flickr.com/17089648_8ba9b6bc66_m.jpg"><br />Broken, but still in use.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17085369_6f36f61dd5_m.jpg"><br />We were at the pharmaceutical street where the air was <br />filled with strange & pungent medicine smell :(<br /><br /><img src="http://photos12.flickr.com/17082509_43cbc7fe38_m.jpg"><br />Mobile vegetable seller. A typical sight on the street. <br />I was literally chasing after her for this particular shot.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos9.flickr.com/17087936_da058f6fd4_m.jpg"><br />Sweet pastries left by the French.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos12.flickr.com/17082511_f663511f27_m.jpg"><br />We did quite alot of walking when we were at Hanoi <br />with our not-so-helpful map, but we had good fun getting lost nevertheless.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/13404791-111790219599379087?l=vietyraurstomp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Annanoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13404791.post-1117897952331775042005-06-04T22:54:00.002+08:002009-01-02T17:37:37.191+08:00Richard and I stayed in Ang Dao Hotel at Ma May street,<br />located in The Old Quarters.<br />Our first impression was the whole place <br />was a claustrophobic zone!!!<br />The streets were dirty in a beautiful way.<br />There are so many streets within the area. I don't <br />know all the street names...<br />however, you can know the difference by the items <br />that the street shops are selling.<br />That's how I identify them. Shoes' Street. Toys' Street. <br />Specs' Street. Buttons' Street. Books' street.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos12.flickr.com/17375172_be6ecc64d3_m.jpg"><br />At Ma May street.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17090775_6133a6e4e6_m.jpg"><br />Getting into the swing.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17075307_b62b17718e_m.jpg"> <img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17075306_42fb42a830_m.jpg"><br />At the open air market. Sometimes you may find a motorbike<br />riding just right behind your back. <br /><br /><img src="http://photos14.flickr.com/17210339_0a716ac8dc_m.jpg"><br />Baguettes and chatty women. <br /><br /><img src="http://photos9.flickr.com/17086440_32d772fac5_m.jpg"><br />Dark corridors are very common in The Old Quarters.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/13404791-111789795233177504?l=vietyraurstomp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Annanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13404791.post-1117896298024400762005-06-04T22:22:00.002+08:002009-01-02T17:40:44.701+08:00Richard and I took a boat to this particular village on <br />one of the islands at Halong Bay.<br />We were on our way to hike another 2km mountain.<br />It was a physical and mental challenge for both of us. <br />However, it was really fun and the view from the top was breathtaking.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17080376_29b9c01c60_m.jpg"><br />One of the many mountains on the island. <br /><br /><img src="http://photos12.flickr.com/17079260_faa735cb78_m.jpg"><br />It was about 20 mins walk from the pier to the village.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17079261_c3253bf6fd_m.jpg"><br />The very first house that caught my attention.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17079263_d897a8d1e9_m.jpg"><br />The VILLAGE<br /><br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17374884_c0d4fff0df_m.jpg"><br />Wishing well?<br /><br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17079264_098dbeea7f_m.jpg"> <img src="http://photos14.flickr.com/17079262_50aca10ff6_m.jpg"><br />One of the more "modernised" houses in the village<br /><br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17080372_60f675de7c_m.jpg"><br />This old Aussie man was teaching western culinary <br /> to young Vietnamese villagers.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos14.flickr.com/17080374_76ce0a0ea2_m.jpg"><br />This view was worth all the effort, panting and perspiration.<br />On top of it, my endless whining, poor Richard had to put up with me<br />with kind encouragement. =)<br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17080373_96b809122f_m.jpg"><br />A view of the village from where we were....<br /><br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17080375_e3788118db_m.jpg"><br />Tida made her way to the top of the mountain too!!! <br />Of course, with the help of her bohemian folks.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/13404791-111789629802440076?l=vietyraurstomp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Annanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13404791.post-1117893556106592242005-06-04T21:14:00.000+08:002005-06-07T15:18:49.966+08:00Ho Chi Minh married nationalism to communism and <br />perfected the deadly art of guerrilla warfare.<br />Affectionately known as Uncle Ho.<br />The dude who drove the French away and fought with the Americans.<br />The Vietnamese adored him with deep respect<br />and renamed the capital-Saigon to his name: Ho Chin Minh City.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17071040_9615b46c45_m.jpg"><br />Say hi to Uncle Ho!!!!<br /><br /><img src="http://photos14.flickr.com/17070464_2adead7830_m.jpg"><br />Ho Chi Minh's testament<br /><br />Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum. <br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17071550_40dcf25bcd_m.jpg"><img src="http://photos14.flickr.com/17071551_89e7a310fa_m.jpg"><br />Ironically, he didn't want his dead body to be embalmed.<br />In his will he specified that his ashes be buried in urns on <br />three hilltops in Vietnam, saying, "Not only is cremation good <br />from the point of view of hygiene, but it also saves farmland."<br /><br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17380807_f8b50ef93f_m.jpg"><br />He was actually quite good looking, huh?<br /><br /><img src="http://photos12.flickr.com/17380806_fa126f62bd_m.jpg"><br />A walk through in Vietnamese history at the Revolution Museum.<br />Very enriching experience despite the bad lightings and the old<br />display cases. <br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17380808_3846c46bd0_m.jpg"><br />Think about it, Vietnam flag is quite cool.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17380809_c039d9ca9d_m.jpg"><br />Uncle Ho's inspiring words...<br /><br /><img src="http://photos12.flickr.com/17380810_6da53b379d_m.jpg"><br />I think it was about the Vietnam war... <br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17382621_671d1eb246_m.jpg"><br />The power of visual overrides any languages.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/13404791-111789355610659224?l=vietyraurstomp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Annanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13404791.post-1117890741963114072005-06-04T21:00:00.002+08:002009-01-02T17:21:24.748+08:00We spent one night at Halong Bay on the boat and <br />another night at Ca Ba island which was a horrendous<br />island filled with hotels and tourists.<br /><br />Part of Halong Bay. <br />Mr Ha otherwise known as Anal & trying so hard<br />to be funny tourguide claimed that there are 3000 <br />limestone mountains at Halong Bay. <br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17077607_7c6b2bd89b_m.jpg"><br /><br />Awesome formation of limestones in one of the caves<br /><img src="http://photos9.flickr.com/17077605_f6a6786a7d_m.jpg"><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17076549_385744de6c_m.jpg"><br /><br />Provision shop on a sampan<br /><img src="http://photos9.flickr.com/17077609_54d87ce501_m.jpg"><br /><br />Our cabin room on board. There's a toilet attached to every cabin.<br />So it was actually quite convenient.<br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17077608_0dc96ff1cb_m.jpg"><br /><br />On the boat...we can't wait to hike again.. were we? hahaha<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/32638792@N00/17082506/" title="me and richard by Through The Hosiery, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/14/17082506_49ba91f430_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="me and richard" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/13404791-111789074196311407?l=vietyraurstomp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Annanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13404791.post-1117889423757218302005-06-04T19:56:00.001+08:002009-01-02T17:51:27.233+08:00It was our first holiday trip together as a couple. <br />Everything turned out beautiful and smooth...<br />at least, we weren't up at each other's throats.<br /><br />1. Soaking, dozing off, reading & having great lengthy <br />conversations in the bathtub together. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/32638792@N00/17092025/" title="Smoking in the bathtub.. by Through The Hosiery, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/13/17092025_098727e51d_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Smoking in the bathtub.." /></a><br /><br />2. Spending the romantic night at the upper deck of the boat<br />with a bottle of red wine and awful Vietnamese cigarettes.<br /><br />3. Richard's blabbering on German Combat Boots &<br />making fun of that irritating & talkative Costa Rican/German couple<br /><br />4. Delicious Bun Cha<br /> <img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17210341_dd358060df_m.jpg"><br />Richard's demonstration of eating Bun Cha in the right way.<br /><br />5. Enjoying the breeze at Halong Bay<br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17081331_16a2b0ef36_m.jpg"><br /><br />6. Dinner time :) *Only time we actually enjoyed the food*<br /><br />7. Visits to the museums.<br /><br />8. The sight of Tida and her laughter<br /> <img src="http://photos9.flickr.com/17077610_40680356e7_m.jpg"><br /><br />9. Watching Samurai Jack/news in German & Japanese/<br />Star wars in Russian<br /><br />10. Hiking! Maybe not.. hmm yeah Hiking. <br /><br />11. Getting lost at The Old Quarters<br /><br />12. Favourite transportation: On a bike<br />Fast and cheap. <br /><br />13. Kayaking at Halong Bay, we felt like we were in <br />Lord of the Rings<br /><br />14. Mark aka The Canadian Guy's dry humour jokes<br /><br />15. Smoking in the bathtub<br /><br />16. Hiking. The view from the top was breathtaking.<br />Very tiring. I can't believe that I wore a dress for the hiking trip.<br /><br />17. Propaganda Posters<br /> <img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17081336_2276ee6a4e_m.jpg"><br /><br />18. Sitting on cyclo.<br />Our favourite cyclist because he was less pushy...<br /> <img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17375169_4eb8925270_m.jpg"><br /><br />19. Walking up this flight of stairs. <br />Can't wait to get back to our air conditioned room!<br /> <img src="http://photos9.flickr.com/17090778_c9a74da54f_m.jpg"><br /><br />20. Waking up next to each other :)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/13404791-111788942375721830?l=vietyraurstomp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Annanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13404791.post-1117854299439142922005-06-04T10:22:00.001+08:002009-01-02T17:47:51.129+08:00We didn't venture much into Vietnamese food. <br />Most of the street hawkers don't speak English.<br />We needed someone to converse in English when comes to food. <br /><br /><br /><img src="http://photos14.flickr.com/17097512_179d1c4514_m.jpg"><br />We had our first meal and last dinner at this restaurant. <br />It had fulfilled our starving desire for mashed potatoes :D<br />Superb and friendly service. The staff spoke understandable English. <br />We loved the food!!!! Highly recommended.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17079259_0502e0b07a_m.jpg"><br />Awful yellow margarine was served during breakfast on the boat. <br />For breakfast at Hanoi, we usually had bread, butter and eggs.<br />It was not a big deal for Richard and me because <br />we don't eat that much in the morning.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17090776_e35d52a297_m.jpg"><br />Ridiculously low stools are common on the streets. <br />Snapped this picture at the open air market in the Old Quarters.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17072738_ddab373b9b_m.jpg"><br />Vietnamese cook and eat anywhere, anytime...<br />very portable, indeed.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17075308_86d51c353e_m.jpg"><br />Glass noodles with god knows what chewy and tasty meat :P<br />It costs 10,000 dong. (15,800 dong = USD$1)<br /><br /><img src="http://photos13.flickr.com/17075309_a2473e3880_m.jpg"><br />A quick bite before watching Water puppets performance.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17083559_95d631556f_m.jpg"><br />This is considered as the Up-market street hawker area.<br />We didn't have our meals there though. I know they serve fried maggots!!!<br /><br /><img src="http://photos12.flickr.com/17210344_bfd5086300_m.jpg"><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17087934_e31bce4d60_m.jpg"><br />Our favourite Vietnamese food: Bun Cha. <br />Consists of light noodles, tasty meatballs or pork and bamboo shoots.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17210342_fa0eabfe93_m.jpg"><br />This type of noodles is commonly served in Vietnamese dishes.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos11.flickr.com/17081333_42687d9779_m.jpg"><br />Richard and I had candlelight dinner, thanks to the sudden blackout. <br />We had the most candid and animated conversation with the<br />smiling waiter.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos12.flickr.com/17076548_d32c425eba_m.jpg"><br />We had Italian food and a talkative waiter who was trying to <br />impress me with his broken mandarin. Aha!<br /><br /><img src="http://photos9.flickr.com/17072732_2ac8662149_m.jpg"><br />I had this bowl of tasteless beef noodles at Brother's cafe.<br />Very very swanky restaurant with exploitated "fake" street<br />hawkers as props to enhance their Vietnamese authenticity.<br /><br /><img src="http://photos10.flickr.com/17071554_5bd7ae334e_m.jpg"><br />We had our lemon tea in these lovely decorated glasses...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/32638792@N00/17072733/" title="Me at a swanky open air restaurant by Through The Hosiery, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/14/17072733_b82f433792_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Me at a swanky open air restaurant" /></a><br />Yours truly, one of the few pictures of me taken in Hanoi.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/13404791-111785429943914292?l=vietyraurstomp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Annanoreply@blogger.com3