The magnificent Halong Bay

When i suggested to Nico to go to Hanoi & Halong Bay for New Year 2013, he's a bit skeptical. Its not because he didn't want to go but because he have been to Vietnam. My bf is i-already-been-to-that-country
type of person while me is im-goin-to-see-that-100-must-see-places-before-you-die type of person. I had a challenging time trying to convinced him but thank god that i found super cheap ticket at Airasia and cheap voucher for our stay in Halong Bay from Groupon. So, Nico said yes and we off to Hanoi.

Besides Vietnam war and everything i saw on tv,  i pretty much didn't know anything about the country. Didn't know that it can be that cold in winter and didn't know that Vietnam already developed so much, pardon my arrogance. This is in fact my first visit to Vietnam and it always my dream to see Halong Bay. I come across to know Halong Bay when i try to find out if Vietnam up to my standard expectation for vacation since i have to be near water in order for it to be perfect. I spent lot of time checking you tube, website after website and tell myself that no matter what, i will see Halong Bay one day and my dream came true.

When we arrived at Halong Bay jetty, the place was crowded with tourist and there was boats everywhere. The painful 4 hours trip end in excitement to board the Chinese junk. This is my first time staying overnight on a junk boat and i was really looking forward for it. From the jetty itself you already can see the famous Halong Bay limestone as far as your eyes can see. Imagine those limestone you saw from your trip to Phuket, Halong Bay have so much more than that, so much more. We board a small boat which took us to the Chinese junk which parked in the deeper water. I was disappointed to see all the chinese junk painted in white and not as per advertised on their website but then we find out that it is  government requirement and nothing much they can do about it.

We've been seated in the restaurant with welcome drink in hand while our guide give us a key to our room for us to settle down and rest. I wish he can do it a bit fast since i really cant wait to check the room and sundeck. Once we get our key, we immediately go in and i was impressed. Its a small room but big enough for 2 person with attached bathroom. Its very clean, nicely decorated, stunning view from the window and very much make you feel like you are on your honeymoon trip. 

Once we settle down and our 2 days 1 night cruise officially started, our boat took us to the centre of Halong Bay. I grab my scarf and run to upper deck to see the view while our boat sail among st the natural rock formation of UNESCO world heritage seascape of Halong Bay and it was stunning. It was slightly fogging but enough to give magical touch to everything. I've been surrounded by dozen and dozen of limestone's and don't even realize that im freezing until my love one come up and hug me.  

We are first head out to Sung Sot Cave as our first activity in Halong. We are not really sure what we will see here and our tourist guide keep on saying that this cave also called surprising cave. Believe it or not. the stairs going up to this cave was flooded with tourist. Everybody patiently taking their steps and try to walk in a group so we wont lose each other. When we reach the entrance, we understood that everybody taking a picture which actually slowing down the process. Once inside, we indeed surprised. The cave was huge. This cave is one of the largest and most beautiful cave in Halong Bay with 3 main chamber covering an area over 10,000 sq.m. 

(view from sung sot cave)

Next is to do kayaking and swimming which is impossible since its winter. But since we already there we decided to at least do kayaking. It was freezing cold but we had fun kayaking to the floating village and see the house boat. It is also a nice experience to kayak in between rock formation but a bit scary when all big and small boats passing you. If you know how Vietnam traffic work, they also do the same at Halong. All the boats just honking to each other.

After getting back to our chinese junk, wet and cold, we having a tea break on the sun deck for sunset. Tea and coffee taste so good at this time since its so cold. Our boat moved slightly outside from center of Halong and finally anchored for the night. We had our dinner, they prepare karaoke for our entertainment and we also can do squid fishing. I tried squid fishing but unfortunately didn't catch any and also almost freeze from cold while the rest just stay inside and having their warm drink and singing. 

  

(all boat anchored here)

The next day we woke up early for breakfast and heading to Ba Hang cave. Again, no swimming..so all we can do is checking the area and monkey feeding. the place is really beautiful especially when you go thru the cave to get to the other side. 

Ba Hang cave is the last activity in our itinerary. We go back to our boat and feel sad that we finally have to leave Halong Bay. We captured a lot of picture from that trip but you have to see it with your own eyes to believe it. We definitely will come back to Halong Bay again but next time will go during summer and will take Nico and my parents to join us. 

 (isn't that beautiful?)

Hanoi i'm in love.

I didn't expect so much when we make a plan to go to Hanoi for new year holiday, all i know i want to see Halong Bay so bad. Since they suffered from a war, i thought Hanoi more or less will be similar to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. Poor and still struggling to build up the country. To my surprised, it wasn't that bad at all. The city is big, clean, famous for their crazy traffic and of course a very good food.

It was winter when we arrived in Hanoi, another thing that i only know few days before we fly. I packed 2 sweaters and few long pants as a precaution, I've been telling myself, how cold it can be isnt it? To my surprise, the weather was between 15-10 degree Celsius  which is freezing cold for a light sweater. I indulge myself with a super quick shopping for one thick coat and a scarf to add on to my layer of clothes.

We took hotel package with An Hung hotel which include trip to Halong bay and Hoa lu for 5D4N. Our hotel located at old quarter which is so close to hanoi night market and shopping area. Night market in hanoi open every friday to sunday from 8pm to midnight. Most people sell clothes here but you also can find pirated DVD, shoes, soft toys, costume jewelery, phone casing and souvenir. Hanoi provide extensive shopping choice in every corner and every street BUT i found it a bit pricey and a bit difficult to bargain since they didn't speak english so well.

 (Look like china women, but it warm me..)

(Nice, cozy and clean)

I really love food in Hanoi, especially their spring rolls. During new year eve dinner, new friends that we met on-board of halong bay cruise suggest we meet up and have dinner together at Hanoi garden restaurant and this is the night where i ate the best fried seafood spring rolls in my life. The taste was so well balanced and juicy without me reaching for chili sauce or mayonnaise. In my opinion, as a muslim i didn't worry about food at all since there's a lot of seafood in Hanoi.

(Spring Rolls)

 (Squid in spicy sauce)

(Lemongrass Prawn)

Our trip to Hanoi already shorten by 2 days tour to halong bay and 1 day to Hoa Lu. We only have one day to see the city since we leave Hanoi at 9am on our last day. After take a short rest upon arriving in the hotel, we decided to see the city on foot. We went to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature and Museum of Ethnology. 

 (One pillar pagoda)

Nothing much here except this remaining structure which survived vietnam war. 

 (Entrance to Temple of Literature) 

 (Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum) 

Heard this place is actually tomb and only open from 7.30am to 10.30am

The place where you can learn about vietnamese people. There's 50 different tribe in Vietnam. Its really interesting here since you also can see more than 10 replica of different type of tribe house. 

Walking around hanoi city is really interesting. You can see there's a lot of street vendor selling various food. From seafood, grill chicken leg, noodles soup, sandwich, baguette etc. Typical hanoi house consist of narrow but 3 to 4 storey house. We've been told that its because land in hanoi is very expensive. Traffic in Hanoi is chaos, people honking all the time.

 (Typical house and shop)

(Traffic)

TIPS

~ We've been told that there's a lot of snatch thief. Avoid to use your cell phone on the street. Use sling bag instead of handbag and have it in front of you all the time. 

~ Average traffic speed in hanoi is 14km/h which give them ample time to break. Traffic will come from all around you. All you can do is stop panicking, stay calm n cross the road when you think possible and stop(even in the middle of the road) when you cannot. People will honk all the time so be aware since this signal for you to move from their way. Never run on the busy road since you might not know what coming from right, left, in front and behind of you. 

~ Don't forget your travel adaptor. Hanoi use european adaptor since its colonize by the french. 

~ You can use US dollar here but its easier if you have Vietnamese Dong since its most preferred. 

Je m'appelle Ivy....

I took french class 3 years ago when i work and live in Singapore. However, i forgot almost everything from lack of practice. At first, it was only for fun since i get bored with work and feel like i don't have life outside of it. I really interested to learn french and it will be something new for me and at the same time can change my boring routine. 

My basic french class was taken at Cambridge Language School located at Peninsula Plaza. If i'm not mistaken, my teacher name was Damien,il est tres sympa. Their text book honestly was very thin but full with the information needed. I even use this book until today whenever i need to do revision or to check on my basic. I learned mostly on vocabulary, some verbs and how to conjugated verbs. 

I continued my french lesson with alliance francaise singapore because of their reputable status and since they are a french school. I sit for placement test and get into beginner 2 class. I manage to skip one level which i think its good enough for me. The school is nice, they have library, cafeteria and walking distance to mrt. 

Now 3 years later, i work with french company here in KL and also have a french boyfriend. My french is almost zero and i only can understand few words and making conversation is absolutely pas possible.  

3 months ago i decided to take up french class again but this time with Alliance francaise KL. I come to this decisions since my bf didn't teach me anything and i also prefer to go to class. I was frustrated when i cannot   make any conversation with his family and friends because of my limited vocabulary and terrible grammar  when i was in France. Being able to say bonjour, merci, oui, non, sil vous plait, bonne chance,au revoir doesnt mean you speak french. :p

I hope my second try to learn french will be working out well since i really want to be able to speak this languange. It will be nice if i can manage to do some conversation for our next trip to France this coming spring. 

Je m'applle Ivy.  Je suis ingenieur et je suis trente et un ans. J'habite et travail a kl maintenant. Dans ma famille il y a trois personnes. Mon pere s'applle shaari et ma mere s'appelle Junaidah. J'aime beaucoup la danse, la musique et je vais souvent le cinema. Mon petit ami s'apple Nicolas. Il est francais et il a vingt quarte ans. Il aime le sport, le cinema.

What to do In Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is dusty, dirty and only local can understand their traffic system. If its raining heavily you definitely cant walk on the street since they don't have drainage and its flooded the road. Their street were numbered which i find out easy to follow moreover we almost walking to everywhere in Phnom Penh. All the places of interest are within 1-2km radius from the city centre. 

In my opinion, nothing much you can do in Phnom Penh since all the temples concentrated in Siem Reap. We've been visiting:

1. Independent Monument

2. Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda

~ When we reach there, we've been told that we can only visit silver pagoda since royal palace closed and only re-open next year. They didn't stated the reason why. Visitor are required to wear proper clothes to enter. 

 (Royal Palace taken from outside)

(Royal palace at night)

 (inside silver pagoda)

3. National Museum

~ If you first touch down in Phnom Penh and heading to Siem Reap next, national museum is a good start. It served as introductory to Cambodian temples. If you coming from siem reap, skip this since you already see's all. 

(love the architecture,pic are allowed in this area but not inside museum)

4. Genocide Museum

~ This is by far the most interesting eerie place i have been to in my life. This school turn prison during khmer rouge regime and now museum for us all to see what they did to khmer people. I got goose bump the whole time im in there and still have it every time i think about it. My prayers goes to all the victim of khmer rouge. 

 (picture of every suspect taken)

 (bed where they've been tortured)

 (wooden cell)

(brick cell)

 (after the died from torture)

(survivor)

(the bad guys)

5. Killing field 

~ This where the mass grave have been found. 

(killing tools)

After my visit to both genocide and killing field, i stop by to street vendor selling books and grab this 2 books which claim to be famous. Its a story by khmer victims itselves. 

6. Riverfront

~ If you looking for proper and happening place to eat, riverfront is the place. They have lot of bars and few clubs here. We have our dinner almost every night at this area and it was quite good. 

 (My bf love the Khmer curry which is a little too sweet for me)

(Amok)

7. Market

~ Phnom Penh have a lot of market and we manage to check few of them. Russian market sells clothes, shoes, bags and souvenirs. As a tourist i like this place better than other market because of the souvenir. Central market sells everyday need, from clothes, raw material, fishes etc but not so much souvenir. There's a lot of fake designer clothes and bags sold here. Olympic market is more like a wholesaler market, focusing on clothes. 

8. Silk Island

~ Small weaving village with nothing much to do. This place can be interesting if you never experience SE Asia country life. For me its look similar to my hometown where i grew up. We took ferry which the villagers use to travel from the island to mainland before heading to Phnom Penh. 

 (Patricia learn to weave)

 (so pretty)

 (similar to malay house)

(beach near village)