Showing posts with label Asia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Asia. Show all posts
click on the individual link below to view details
 |
| Our journey by countries |
 |
Our journey with full details. (country, city, hostel, transportation, cost)
|
click on the individual link below to view details
|
| Our journey by countries |
|
Our journey with full details. (country, city, hostel, transportation, cost)
|
First, we read this book, “Holy Cow” by Sarah MacDonald, and then we visited and saw holy shit.
Welcome to India.— Read the sign as we crossed the border from Nepal on a bicycle rickshaw. This is where we still had the chance to turn around and run, curiously we continued.
The smell filled our nostrils the minute we entered India. —What is that smell?— I almost puked. The smell nearly knocked us out unlike any other smell before. Decay and rotten garbage instantly put disgust on the face.
Presenting our passports to Indian “officials” was more primitive then any other checkpoint we have crossed yet, it took 5 officials who were occupied with cracking and eating peanuts, to give us a stamp, I don’t even think one of them looked at our visa.
Beeping cars, loud rickshaws, ringing bicycles, screaming people, slow cows, dying dogs, and ranging monkeys were all rolling and stepping in and over holy shit.
Completely disoriented we hopped on a local bus and continued our long journey to Varanasi. The bus was full of man staring at the two white toddies that just have been traveling for 10 hours from Pokhara in sweat, tired and in disbelief.
After 24 hours of traveling in the bus, on the bicycle rickshaw, and in the train we arrived to one of the most holly cities in India, Varanasi. It’s a city where the elderly come and await their turn to be burned and thrown into the holy river, Ganga. It’s a city where crowds of Hindus gather by Ghats and bath in Ganga for spiritual ceremonies.
We arrived in the morning, early morning 5am morning, and it took us 3 hours to find the guesthouse we were looking for. It took one taxi driver to continuously doge our request and brining us to different hotels and guesthouse so he can make commission. It took 5 people to point us to different direction and it took one homeless guy who walked with us to show us the way. Walking over 3 km with our backpacks, through chaotic streets of Varanasi, with the sun becoming strong we were done before we began.
Annoyed at the chaos we stayed in the guesthouse for few hours and reflected on what we just experienced. Bellies growling we ventured out into small alleys in the old town of Varanasi. The smell kept hiding us hard, cows were blocking our ways, and we kept turning and loosing our sense of direction. Garbage, millions of insects, cow shit, begging and praying people, running kids, dead people, motorbikes and dust were all on a move in the tightest alleys. Chai (tea) was served in every shop and curd (yogurt) was being made in quantities while the burning human smoke from the Ghats filled the hazy atmosphere.
Nothing, absolutely nothing can prepare you and make you strong enough for India. It was a culture shock. A shit shock we have not been ready for and a shock that left us with a distaste to explore more.
However, the toddies are strong, and we didn’t wanted to give up so easy, three days later and we hopped on a train going to Agra to see the magical Taj Mahal.
The train is the most convenient and cheapest way to travel in India, but tickets are almost impossible to get the day of traveling. In short notice we got lucky and got the regular sleeper class without Air Con. Again shocked at the condition of the sleeper class, over crowded, dirty, smelly and hot. We locked our backpacks to the seats and held our important documents close by.
A group of police man approached us and gave us and other foreigners a letter to read, which said not to accept anything from anybody, no cookies, no chai nothing. It’s common for the locals to drug people and steal all their belongings. In no time, one of the tourists seating next to us was offered a Chai from a local guy. — The train felt sketchy.
All night my eyes were closed yet the mind was opened, I was in and out of sleep, stuck to the plastic bed while vendors were screaming — Chai, chai water, somosas, chai!. At one point during the night the guy across from me was masturbating and staring at Iza, and I. I felt offended.
Arriving into Agra, with the sun rising behind giving an amazing view of Taj Mahal’s silhouette, a handful of people were squatting in the bushes. —What are these people doing?— Iza kept pointing to random people squatting in the bushes staring at the passing train. — They are taking a shit!— I laughed. But I was right; they were really taking a dump. I wonder if each and one of them use the same spot every time.
Speaking of which, we quickly found a moldy no window guesthouse, as our budget is getting low, and Iza locked her self in the bathroom. Aha, yep, “Delhi Belly” they call it, I think. This one was a serious pain belly, that postponed our Taj Mahal touring for the next day. Staying close to the toilet, I also started feeling the bug. Towards the afternoon, we both were screaming in the bathroom with agony, pain and hate for India. Next day’s touring got postponed to the following day as I was in full body pain and unable to keep anything in my system.
Few days passed and we saw the magic of Taj Mahal. In few words, despite the crowds It is all that! We went to see it at sunrise where crowds were at its minimum, it took our breath away, and any previous agony, pain and distaste disappeared in seconds. It’s one of those “you got to be there to feel it and believe it” things. Don’t miss this one if you are around. It touched us deep.
Shortly leaving Taj Mahal, shit hit the fan again and we were back in the chaos.
With no train tickets available, we were forced to take a local bus to Rishikes. An over night bus, after 10 hours of intense shakes, seriously foul smells and dusty inhales we finally made it to Rishikes, the yoga center of the world.
Tired, exhausted and in pain we found a guesthouse in Ram Juhla, and once again Iza locked her self in the bathroom.
Holy cow India.
First, we read this book, “Holy Cow” by Sarah MacDonald, and then we visited and saw holy shit.
Welcome to India.— Read the sign as we crossed the border from Nepal on a bicycle rickshaw. This is where we still had the chance to turn around and run, curiously we continued.
The smell filled our nostrils the minute we entered India. —What is that smell?— I almost puked. The smell nearly knocked us out unlike any other smell before. Decay and rotten garbage instantly put disgust on the face.
Presenting our passports to Indian “officials” was more primitive then any other checkpoint we have crossed yet, it took 5 officials who were occupied with cracking and eating peanuts, to give us a stamp, I don’t even think one of them looked at our visa.
Beeping cars, loud rickshaws, ringing bicycles, screaming people, slow cows, dying dogs, and ranging monkeys were all rolling and stepping in and over holy shit.
Completely disoriented we hopped on a local bus and continued our long journey to Varanasi. The bus was full of man staring at the two white toddies that just have been traveling for 10 hours from Pokhara in sweat, tired and in disbelief.
After 24 hours of traveling in the bus, on the bicycle rickshaw, and in the train we arrived to one of the most holly cities in India, Varanasi. It’s a city where the elderly come and await their turn to be burned and thrown into the holy river, Ganga. It’s a city where crowds of Hindus gather by Ghats and bath in Ganga for spiritual ceremonies.
We arrived in the morning, early morning 5am morning, and it took us 3 hours to find the guesthouse we were looking for. It took one taxi driver to continuously doge our request and brining us to different hotels and guesthouse so he can make commission. It took 5 people to point us to different direction and it took one homeless guy who walked with us to show us the way. Walking over 3 km with our backpacks, through chaotic streets of Varanasi, with the sun becoming strong we were done before we began.
Annoyed at the chaos we stayed in the guesthouse for few hours and reflected on what we just experienced. Bellies growling we ventured out into small alleys in the old town of Varanasi. The smell kept hiding us hard, cows were blocking our ways, and we kept turning and loosing our sense of direction. Garbage, millions of insects, cow shit, begging and praying people, running kids, dead people, motorbikes and dust were all on a move in the tightest alleys. Chai (tea) was served in every shop and curd (yogurt) was being made in quantities while the burning human smoke from the Ghats filled the hazy atmosphere.
Nothing, absolutely nothing can prepare you and make you strong enough for India. It was a culture shock. A shit shock we have not been ready for and a shock that left us with a distaste to explore more.
However, the toddies are strong, and we didn’t wanted to give up so easy, three days later and we hopped on a train going to Agra to see the magical Taj Mahal.
The train is the most convenient and cheapest way to travel in India, but tickets are almost impossible to get the day of traveling. In short notice we got lucky and got the regular sleeper class without Air Con. Again shocked at the condition of the sleeper class, over crowded, dirty, smelly and hot. We locked our backpacks to the seats and held our important documents close by.
A group of police man approached us and gave us and other foreigners a letter to read, which said not to accept anything from anybody, no cookies, no chai nothing. It’s common for the locals to drug people and steal all their belongings. In no time, one of the tourists seating next to us was offered a Chai from a local guy. — The train felt sketchy.
All night my eyes were closed yet the mind was opened, I was in and out of sleep, stuck to the plastic bed while vendors were screaming — Chai, chai water, somosas, chai!. At one point during the night the guy across from me was masturbating and staring at Iza, and I. I felt offended.
Arriving into Agra, with the sun rising behind giving an amazing view of Taj Mahal’s silhouette, a handful of people were squatting in the bushes. —What are these people doing?— Iza kept pointing to random people squatting in the bushes staring at the passing train. — They are taking a shit!— I laughed. But I was right; they were really taking a dump. I wonder if each and one of them use the same spot every time.
Speaking of which, we quickly found a moldy no window guesthouse, as our budget is getting low, and Iza locked her self in the bathroom. Aha, yep, “Delhi Belly” they call it, I think. This one was a serious pain belly, that postponed our Taj Mahal touring for the next day. Staying close to the toilet, I also started feeling the bug. Towards the afternoon, we both were screaming in the bathroom with agony, pain and hate for India. Next day’s touring got postponed to the following day as I was in full body pain and unable to keep anything in my system.
Few days passed and we saw the magic of Taj Mahal. In few words, despite the crowds It is all that! We went to see it at sunrise where crowds were at its minimum, it took our breath away, and any previous agony, pain and distaste disappeared in seconds. It’s one of those “you got to be there to feel it and believe it” things. Don’t miss this one if you are around. It touched us deep.
Shortly leaving Taj Mahal, shit hit the fan again and we were back in the chaos.
With no train tickets available, we were forced to take a local bus to Rishikes. An over night bus, after 10 hours of intense shakes, seriously foul smells and dusty inhales we finally made it to Rishikes, the yoga center of the world.
Tired, exhausted and in pain we found a guesthouse in Ram Juhla, and once again Iza locked her self in the bathroom.
Holy cow India.
I woke up “Hangover in Beijing” I feel like some one just knocked me the F@*k out. My jaw hurts. —What the… why my two front teeth are chipped?— I ask myself looking at the mirror and feeling high. —Keith, did you knocked me out last night? What happened? — I don’t feel hangover, I think I am still drunk. I got ready; I have to meet Iza and Cédric at 2pm next to the Hammer statues in Tian’an Men Square. Quickly I get dress and I get caught looking for my shoes. —Where the F@*k are my shoes??? Frustrated I grab the Havaianas instead and run to the “office” (back yard with internet) I inform the two that I am running 1hr late. Belly feeling empty I grabbed the green-been ice cream from the fridge and started licking.
Sharp pain pierst through my right side. —What happened last night? — I try to dig deeper into the black-out memory due to drinking 5 shots of absinthe and countless gulps of the best Guyanese rum found in Beijing. We were celebrating our big night with Keith and Cédric, one and a half year of travel.
I was relieved when I learned that the two lovebirds (Iza and Cédric ) are also feeling same and postponing the meeting to later hours.
—Keith, hi, how are you? Sorry about last night, I don’t remember what happened but can you please ask your boss for the nearest dentist. I really need to get these teeth fixed — I write him an email, while looking at my two chipped front teeth in the bathroom mirror.
—Ha ha ha ha and 是这个直 — is the only thing I heard while looking at the Chinese dentist from below, who didn’t’ speak a word of English and asked all the working assistance to look at my teeth while he was applying the fill in. Scary shit.
Now, my teeth are fixed, but my jaw sure still hurts!
— Lets grab dumplings. Keith showed me the best and tastiest spot to have dumplings. — I sold the idea to Cédric and Iza after we finally reunited. We order a variety of dumplings and discuss the prior night’s events. I took a bite, and once again I felt this instance sharp pain.
— These dumplings taste goooo….— I felt hot flashes, I put my head on the table, I was feeling weird. I felt wet, my head felt heavy, my arms were wobbling, my feet started to shake and I tried to keep my eyes open. —AGA!!— Iza scream. My eyes opened a bit and I wanted to tell her to tell my mother that I love her, I wanted to tell her to take everything we did in the past year and a half and share it with the world, I wanted her to let all the people we know what we have experience and to tell them that life is amazing and not to take it for granted in any form. But I couldn’t, I was speechless, I saw flashes of my childhood, I saw myself playing in the forest and making potatoes in the fire. — OMG she is turning green— Iza continue to scream. — I felt my body sinking deep into the red zone a physical action of emotions I’ve never experiences before, not even on ayahouaska. If this is what dying is, then I felt it. I consciously, went to another world of decay and lost my soul. I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t move, I was dead/ fresh meat for the cannibals. All I though of was mom.
An ambulance was being called and the entire restaurant was curious and looking at the white girl turning green.
Five minutes in and strong vibes kicked in and helped me grant a second chance. I bounced back; covered in sweat feeling weak I became once again mobile and conscious.
—OMG, guys what the f@*k happened? I though I was dying. I felt my soul leaving my body, I saw you and I heard you but I couldn’t talk to you.— I was talking in shock and confusion — I feel better, no really I am good. Can you please bring me something wet and cold to put on my head.— I was in fear of loosing it again. — Did I almost die?
Sitting in one of Beijing’s dumpling house flashing through my life I had a wake up call. I was granted a second chance, a chance of realization that no matter how strong I feel I am still just a fragile human being with a quick snap I can be gone.
Few hours and days prior.
This place looks like Gothem City.— Said Cédric after coming to Keith’s place on his last day. Well said, I agree an apartment complex for the upper class with a twist where the retirement lives on along with Keith. Marble floors, fancy trimmings, internal AC rooms and creative lighting are just few of his habitat’s powers. Keith, the American Batman who flew from Austin, Texas to make some moves in his life. He left everything behind for a new life and opportunity to become a war journalist, just like his grandfather that captured the real black and white during the Vietnam War.
What are we doing here? Or, what am I doing here? For the first time the two Hot Toddies are separated. Iza is spending a week with Cédric, a backpacker who she met in Vietnam, fooled around on the train and changed our travel plans to come and meet him in Beijing for a week. — I think she likes him. — Leaving me, to fetch around and find my own way. So I found a new friend, Keith, a younger body with a grown up mentality, who hosts on Couch Surfing. He is the Batman on crack, which can’t say no to anything and surely has the energy to create a serious story.
I walk through 798 an art district in Beijing, where endless art galleries overflow my image of reality. It’s a place of concept and design just like my journey. I walk, think, imagine and observe. The chic, the modern UCCA (Ullens Center for Contemporary Art) and other facny galleries, plus the crowd surrounded is looking modish. 798 has style and a different vibe from the rest of Beijing, located north-east from city center. Old factories converted to modern galleries, a surreal life for the Beijinger they are creative and curious, tha browse through the streets in exploration and inspiration. I focused on street art and the abstract architecture. Countless galleries made me dizzy with creative overflow, I couldn’t distinguish what was creative. I need one hit at a time and then I can originate. Alone I cruised, though of my changing perspective, and smiled at the expansion of life’s moving images.
I can't believe that I made it to China. Just yesterday I was trekking the Great Wall of China, a men’s creation that can be seen from space. F@*king crazy shit! I was in total disbelieve. — WOW. Iza we are walking on the Great Wall of China! — I always thought of it as being so far away and unreachable it always felt so distant, abstract and beyond my reach. Now, I am living this reach, and to tell you the truth, for the past week I can only feel that I belong here. I feel like I live here. Perhaps it has something to do with cursing through this advance world of digital and seamless movement alone.
The people? They spit, push but occasionally smile and are happy to help. Kids run around dipper less and man roll-up their shirts to cool of their bellies and show the manliness “if you don’t have a belly, you are not a man” type of phenomenon. The youngsters? Oh, they have style; I love the funky shoes they rock. It’s a different fashion not the western kind. "Excuse me? It's my daughters first time visiting Beijing can we take a picture with you?" A random woman asked when Iza, Cédric and I were visiting the Bird’s Nest stadium, a stadium where the 2008 Olympics were held. "Of course." We replied and I gave her the warmest hug while they snapped away, she was so happy and so was I. "Can you send this to my facebook?" I wanted to ask, but China prohibits Facebook like all the other social networking sites coming from outside the country. They have their own network of sites including a Chinese version of Facebook. The people in China are blocked; they are not allowed to spill their freedom beans. It’s a controlled export of words that are censored through higher technologies. Nothing works, no Google, no Blogger, no Facebook. They have their own feed of spinning word that shoot out supervised messages. Of course there is a way around it, buying a VPN, at https://surfrescue.me/.
Leading to the Forbidden City which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. The name as the residence of the terrestrial emperor, was its earthly counterpart. Jin, or "Forbidden", referred to the fact that no-one could enter or leave the palace without the emperor's permission. The controlled personality continues into their culture. Now the Forbidden City serves as a Palace Museum where hundredths of people cramp and tramp through this magnificent wonderland of Chinese architecture and culture, definitely the heart of Beijing. Honestly, a bit too much for me, the tourists are like flies that found the best shit in town. Pushing, buzzing, flying and annoying.
Back to the future.
So Keith? Please tell me that you know where my shoes are. My Birks that I bought in Singapore, overpaid, but it’s ok as they seen South East Asia with me and supported me through the rough roads. — Sorry, I don’t remember you having your shoes when I was dragging you out of the cab. Your, shoes along with my umbrella fell into a mystery.— he replied. I wanted to cry, — No not my Birks.
Keith’s side of the story.
With heavy eyes and a splitting headache I stumbled into work. My boss had big news for me and wanted to take me out for lunch. I moved to Beijing 3 month’s ago looking to gain some experience within the production field, unaware of the opportunities that would present themselves. The big day had finally come and all I could think about was the night before.
Prior to this day I had met two girls through a website called couch surfing and agreed to host them at my place in Beijing. It is a wonderful service that allows you to reach out to travelers and provide a place to stay and share experiences. Little did I know, these two would provide a night I will never forget.
Sunday evening came around and my boss had made it pretty clear that Monday morning he would be offering me a position with his production company. It was a big night for Aga, Iza, and Cedric. Cedric was going home after a year of travels and Aga and Iza were looking to celebrate a year and a half of travels. I was easily convinced it would be a mellow night with great food and amazing company. The evening seemed perfect and the booze began to flow. Dinner was coming to an end and my appetite for alcohol was beginning to grow. Somehow Absinthe became the topic of conversation and Cedric was determined to show us the Swiss make it right. Lucky for us a little bar down the street carried all the winning potions. The Swiss Absinthe was out of our price range and we quickly settled for one that was much cheaper. Three shots deep and no one was feeling anything. Some obnoxious asshole stumbled up in awe that we just powered through three shots. Two more quickly followed and the drunken guy began to brag about special Rum he had from back home. The night was still young and Aga and I were dead set on making it into a party.
We jumped into a cab and zipped off to retrieve the rum and keep the night alive. Cedric and Iza were supposed to wait for us back at the bar. When we got back they were nowhere to be found. Motherfuckers left us with this obnoxious asshole that claimed he was the next big photographer. The bar was closing down and all signs were telling us to go home. After a few swigs I realized Aga was gone. She had made her way into the store across the street and was now sitting behind the desk using the stores computer. She came back a little distraught that we had been left and took full force of the bottle. A Chinese guy decided to join our little party and seemed nice enough. I went to take a piss and returned to Aga passed out in the lap of a guy we just met minutes before. He began to touch her inappropriately and I quickly told him to get lost.
A storm moved in and the two of us were completely stranded. Everyone was gone and no cabs were to be found. I was now growing a bit frustrated with the situation. Aga was swaying madly back and fourth across the road and cabs refused to pick a couple of drunks up regardless of the rain. I finally secured us a cab and placed Aga in the front seat. The entire way home was spent with the cab driver yelling in Chinese that he was going to drop us off if I couldn’t get Aga under control. The alcohol had hit her and everything seemed to be a joke. When we finally arrived back at my place Aga was coming in and out of consciousness. She was dead weight as I scrambled to retrieve her from the cab. The sky had fallen and the streets were flooded. The rain brought her back as we made our way pass the guards. I was exhausted and happy to see she could walk on her own. Two doors and an elevator were the last obstacles standing in our way. As we made our way through the first door I was scared to have her take the stairs up one floor. I placed her up against a wall and turned to hit the button for the elevator. When I turned around my stomach sank.
Her body was out of my reach and her face was headed straight for the marble floor. A loud crack and Aga was now completely unconscious. I had no fucking idea what to do. I couldn’t get her to wake up and tried to lift her lifeless body from the floor. Fear surged throughout my body as blood now poured from her head. I had no idea where the blood was coming from and was too scared to find out if she was even still alive. I ran to the front door and hit the panic button. Two guards with black rain suits appeared through the rain. They looked like grime reapers coming to collect the lifeless body. They turned the corner and started to panic. She was lying in a pool of blood and the guards were too scared to help me lift her. I talked one of them into helping me get her up to my place as she slowly began to come back. The cut was from her chin and she seemed to be getting better. I placed her on the couch and cleaned the blood from her face. I watched her for the next few hours before deciding she would be ok.
I closed my eyes for about an hour before she awoke. She came in still drunk and unaware of what had happened. From the bathroom I heard her yelling she had chipped her teeth. I couldn’t make out if she was joking and was too tired to care. I was happy she had made it through the night. Everything I had worked towards for the past two months was finally paying off as I sat through this meeting with my boss. My soul was tired and all I could think about was the night before.
How do I feel?
I feel good, to know that my teeth were fixed and this journey is only making me feel that I can belong anywhere in the world. I don’t feel good spending $700 on ER (Emergency Room), the dentist and the Ear specialist. I don’t feel good when I eat and my jaw hurts. However, I feel good to know that I am safe and just need time to recover. One thing we have in common being human; we breathe, we eat, we shit, we fuck and do stupid shit but most important we also know how to bounce back. It’s my turn to balance and bounce back to safe reality.
I woke up “Hangover in Beijing” I feel like some one just knocked me the F@*k out. My jaw hurts. —What the… why my two front teeth are chipped?— I ask myself looking at the mirror and feeling high. —Keith, did you knocked me out last night? What happened? — I don’t feel hangover, I think I am still drunk. I got ready; I have to meet Iza and Cédric at 2pm next to the Hammer statues in Tian’an Men Square. Quickly I get dress and I get caught looking for my shoes. —Where the F@*k are my shoes??? Frustrated I grab the Havaianas instead and run to the “office” (back yard with internet) I inform the two that I am running 1hr late. Belly feeling empty I grabbed the green-been ice cream from the fridge and started licking.
Sharp pain pierst through my right side. —What happened last night? — I try to dig deeper into the black-out memory due to drinking 5 shots of absinthe and countless gulps of the best Guyanese rum found in Beijing. We were celebrating our big night with Keith and Cédric, one and a half year of travel.
I was relieved when I learned that the two lovebirds (Iza and Cédric ) are also feeling same and postponing the meeting to later hours.
—Keith, hi, how are you? Sorry about last night, I don’t remember what happened but can you please ask your boss for the nearest dentist. I really need to get these teeth fixed — I write him an email, while looking at my two chipped front teeth in the bathroom mirror.
—Ha ha ha ha and 是这个直 — is the only thing I heard while looking at the Chinese dentist from below, who didn’t’ speak a word of English and asked all the working assistance to look at my teeth while he was applying the fill in. Scary shit.
Now, my teeth are fixed, but my jaw sure still hurts!
— Lets grab dumplings. Keith showed me the best and tastiest spot to have dumplings. — I sold the idea to Cédric and Iza after we finally reunited. We order a variety of dumplings and discuss the prior night’s events. I took a bite, and once again I felt this instance sharp pain.
— These dumplings taste goooo….— I felt hot flashes, I put my head on the table, I was feeling weird. I felt wet, my head felt heavy, my arms were wobbling, my feet started to shake and I tried to keep my eyes open. —AGA!!— Iza scream. My eyes opened a bit and I wanted to tell her to tell my mother that I love her, I wanted to tell her to take everything we did in the past year and a half and share it with the world, I wanted her to let all the people we know what we have experience and to tell them that life is amazing and not to take it for granted in any form. But I couldn’t, I was speechless, I saw flashes of my childhood, I saw myself playing in the forest and making potatoes in the fire. — OMG she is turning green— Iza continue to scream. — I felt my body sinking deep into the red zone a physical action of emotions I’ve never experiences before, not even on ayahouaska. If this is what dying is, then I felt it. I consciously, went to another world of decay and lost my soul. I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t move, I was dead/ fresh meat for the cannibals. All I though of was mom.
An ambulance was being called and the entire restaurant was curious and looking at the white girl turning green.
Five minutes in and strong vibes kicked in and helped me grant a second chance. I bounced back; covered in sweat feeling weak I became once again mobile and conscious.
—OMG, guys what the f@*k happened? I though I was dying. I felt my soul leaving my body, I saw you and I heard you but I couldn’t talk to you.— I was talking in shock and confusion — I feel better, no really I am good. Can you please bring me something wet and cold to put on my head.— I was in fear of loosing it again. — Did I almost die?
Sitting in one of Beijing’s dumpling house flashing through my life I had a wake up call. I was granted a second chance, a chance of realization that no matter how strong I feel I am still just a fragile human being with a quick snap I can be gone.
Few hours and days prior.
This place looks like Gothem City.— Said Cédric after coming to Keith’s place on his last day. Well said, I agree an apartment complex for the upper class with a twist where the retirement lives on along with Keith. Marble floors, fancy trimmings, internal AC rooms and creative lighting are just few of his habitat’s powers. Keith, the American Batman who flew from Austin, Texas to make some moves in his life. He left everything behind for a new life and opportunity to become a war journalist, just like his grandfather that captured the real black and white during the Vietnam War.
What are we doing here? Or, what am I doing here? For the first time the two Hot Toddies are separated. Iza is spending a week with Cédric, a backpacker who she met in Vietnam, fooled around on the train and changed our travel plans to come and meet him in Beijing for a week. — I think she likes him. — Leaving me, to fetch around and find my own way. So I found a new friend, Keith, a younger body with a grown up mentality, who hosts on Couch Surfing. He is the Batman on crack, which can’t say no to anything and surely has the energy to create a serious story.
I walk through 798 an art district in Beijing, where endless art galleries overflow my image of reality. It’s a place of concept and design just like my journey. I walk, think, imagine and observe. The chic, the modern UCCA (Ullens Center for Contemporary Art) and other facny galleries, plus the crowd surrounded is looking modish. 798 has style and a different vibe from the rest of Beijing, located north-east from city center. Old factories converted to modern galleries, a surreal life for the Beijinger they are creative and curious, tha browse through the streets in exploration and inspiration. I focused on street art and the abstract architecture. Countless galleries made me dizzy with creative overflow, I couldn’t distinguish what was creative. I need one hit at a time and then I can originate. Alone I cruised, though of my changing perspective, and smiled at the expansion of life’s moving images.
I can't believe that I made it to China. Just yesterday I was trekking the Great Wall of China, a men’s creation that can be seen from space. F@*king crazy shit! I was in total disbelieve. — WOW. Iza we are walking on the Great Wall of China! — I always thought of it as being so far away and unreachable it always felt so distant, abstract and beyond my reach. Now, I am living this reach, and to tell you the truth, for the past week I can only feel that I belong here. I feel like I live here. Perhaps it has something to do with cursing through this advance world of digital and seamless movement alone.
The people? They spit, push but occasionally smile and are happy to help. Kids run around dipper less and man roll-up their shirts to cool of their bellies and show the manliness “if you don’t have a belly, you are not a man” type of phenomenon. The youngsters? Oh, they have style; I love the funky shoes they rock. It’s a different fashion not the western kind. "Excuse me? It's my daughters first time visiting Beijing can we take a picture with you?" A random woman asked when Iza, Cédric and I were visiting the Bird’s Nest stadium, a stadium where the 2008 Olympics were held. "Of course." We replied and I gave her the warmest hug while they snapped away, she was so happy and so was I. "Can you send this to my facebook?" I wanted to ask, but China prohibits Facebook like all the other social networking sites coming from outside the country. They have their own network of sites including a Chinese version of Facebook. The people in China are blocked; they are not allowed to spill their freedom beans. It’s a controlled export of words that are censored through higher technologies. Nothing works, no Google, no Blogger, no Facebook. They have their own feed of spinning word that shoot out supervised messages. Of course there is a way around it, buying a VPN, at https://surfrescue.me/.
Leading to the Forbidden City which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. The name as the residence of the terrestrial emperor, was its earthly counterpart. Jin, or "Forbidden", referred to the fact that no-one could enter or leave the palace without the emperor's permission. The controlled personality continues into their culture. Now the Forbidden City serves as a Palace Museum where hundredths of people cramp and tramp through this magnificent wonderland of Chinese architecture and culture, definitely the heart of Beijing. Honestly, a bit too much for me, the tourists are like flies that found the best shit in town. Pushing, buzzing, flying and annoying.
Back to the future.
So Keith? Please tell me that you know where my shoes are. My Birks that I bought in Singapore, overpaid, but it’s ok as they seen South East Asia with me and supported me through the rough roads. — Sorry, I don’t remember you having your shoes when I was dragging you out of the cab. Your, shoes along with my umbrella fell into a mystery.— he replied. I wanted to cry, — No not my Birks.
Keith’s side of the story.
With heavy eyes and a splitting headache I stumbled into work. My boss had big news for me and wanted to take me out for lunch. I moved to Beijing 3 month’s ago looking to gain some experience within the production field, unaware of the opportunities that would present themselves. The big day had finally come and all I could think about was the night before.
Prior to this day I had met two girls through a website called couch surfing and agreed to host them at my place in Beijing. It is a wonderful service that allows you to reach out to travelers and provide a place to stay and share experiences. Little did I know, these two would provide a night I will never forget.
Sunday evening came around and my boss had made it pretty clear that Monday morning he would be offering me a position with his production company. It was a big night for Aga, Iza, and Cedric. Cedric was going home after a year of travels and Aga and Iza were looking to celebrate a year and a half of travels. I was easily convinced it would be a mellow night with great food and amazing company. The evening seemed perfect and the booze began to flow. Dinner was coming to an end and my appetite for alcohol was beginning to grow. Somehow Absinthe became the topic of conversation and Cedric was determined to show us the Swiss make it right. Lucky for us a little bar down the street carried all the winning potions. The Swiss Absinthe was out of our price range and we quickly settled for one that was much cheaper. Three shots deep and no one was feeling anything. Some obnoxious asshole stumbled up in awe that we just powered through three shots. Two more quickly followed and the drunken guy began to brag about special Rum he had from back home. The night was still young and Aga and I were dead set on making it into a party.
We jumped into a cab and zipped off to retrieve the rum and keep the night alive. Cedric and Iza were supposed to wait for us back at the bar. When we got back they were nowhere to be found. Motherfuckers left us with this obnoxious asshole that claimed he was the next big photographer. The bar was closing down and all signs were telling us to go home. After a few swigs I realized Aga was gone. She had made her way into the store across the street and was now sitting behind the desk using the stores computer. She came back a little distraught that we had been left and took full force of the bottle. A Chinese guy decided to join our little party and seemed nice enough. I went to take a piss and returned to Aga passed out in the lap of a guy we just met minutes before. He began to touch her inappropriately and I quickly told him to get lost.
A storm moved in and the two of us were completely stranded. Everyone was gone and no cabs were to be found. I was now growing a bit frustrated with the situation. Aga was swaying madly back and fourth across the road and cabs refused to pick a couple of drunks up regardless of the rain. I finally secured us a cab and placed Aga in the front seat. The entire way home was spent with the cab driver yelling in Chinese that he was going to drop us off if I couldn’t get Aga under control. The alcohol had hit her and everything seemed to be a joke. When we finally arrived back at my place Aga was coming in and out of consciousness. She was dead weight as I scrambled to retrieve her from the cab. The sky had fallen and the streets were flooded. The rain brought her back as we made our way pass the guards. I was exhausted and happy to see she could walk on her own. Two doors and an elevator were the last obstacles standing in our way. As we made our way through the first door I was scared to have her take the stairs up one floor. I placed her up against a wall and turned to hit the button for the elevator. When I turned around my stomach sank.
Her body was out of my reach and her face was headed straight for the marble floor. A loud crack and Aga was now completely unconscious. I had no fucking idea what to do. I couldn’t get her to wake up and tried to lift her lifeless body from the floor. Fear surged throughout my body as blood now poured from her head. I had no idea where the blood was coming from and was too scared to find out if she was even still alive. I ran to the front door and hit the panic button. Two guards with black rain suits appeared through the rain. They looked like grime reapers coming to collect the lifeless body. They turned the corner and started to panic. She was lying in a pool of blood and the guards were too scared to help me lift her. I talked one of them into helping me get her up to my place as she slowly began to come back. The cut was from her chin and she seemed to be getting better. I placed her on the couch and cleaned the blood from her face. I watched her for the next few hours before deciding she would be ok.
I closed my eyes for about an hour before she awoke. She came in still drunk and unaware of what had happened. From the bathroom I heard her yelling she had chipped her teeth. I couldn’t make out if she was joking and was too tired to care. I was happy she had made it through the night. Everything I had worked towards for the past two months was finally paying off as I sat through this meeting with my boss. My soul was tired and all I could think about was the night before.
How do I feel?
I feel good, to know that my teeth were fixed and this journey is only making me feel that I can belong anywhere in the world. I don’t feel good spending $700 on ER (Emergency Room), the dentist and the Ear specialist. I don’t feel good when I eat and my jaw hurts. However, I feel good to know that I am safe and just need time to recover. One thing we have in common being human; we breathe, we eat, we shit, we fuck and do stupid shit but most important we also know how to bounce back. It’s my turn to balance and bounce back to safe reality.
Did we mention that Hanoi is officially our top 10 cities we recommend you must visit? It’s a city full of busting, beeping, loud, rapid moving people, scooters, bikers, taxis and food stalls that crowd the streets to a full swing of life. It’s the Paris of France with Asian mentality. Zoom, beep, zoom, beep, beep! It’s a city you love or hate, but I guarantee you if you stay for more then a week you will fall into the madness and discover the flavor and taste for energy.
— Have you tried the Bún chả? — Asked Marine, a girl
who we met during a couch surfing event and who was ordering it at a local restaurant.
Have we? That is one of our favorite dishes in Vietnam and is the talk of all tourists in Hanoi.
But wait before I go ahead and spill the best beans and dishes to sample in Hanoi let me throw some facts about Vietnamese cuisine. I am far from an expert but some basics I think I learned.
Vietnamese cuisine is more complex than you might think. Just because most of Hanoians dine out on the streets doesn’t mean that each dish is not created with the love, thought and basic principle of Ying and Yang. Did I say Ying and Yang? Yes, like other Asian cultures Vietnamese cuisine is influence by the principles of Ying and Yang as well as the five flavors (sweet, salty, bitter, sour and spicy). The “heating” and “cooling” of ingredients and the contrasting flavors and textures result in a well-balanced and beneficial diet for the body. For example during the summer is uncommon to eat chicken as it’s considered hot. Chicken is mainly enjoyed during winter days to balance the hot and cold.
Vietnamese method of cooking is considered and recently voted as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. The use of fresh herbs, including lemongrass, mint, long coriander and Thai basil leaves adds to the health benefits and distinct flavor. The key element in all Vietnamese kitchens is the fresh ingredients, which allow for our healthiness. Not to mention fish sauce, soy sauce, chilies and rice, the essence of all meals.
Our Ying Yang? Was the freshness against the fried. I kid you not, the entire time moving around Hanoi, I felt like I had a big fried duck stock in my belly. Maybe, that had something to do with us eating meat again or maybe it was the fried goodies like Bánh Cuốn that are irresistible to pass on while tramping though the Old Quarter of Hanoi.
Overall food plays a major role in Vietnamese culture and everyday life. Both the preparation and consumption of meals is serious business, and often connected to a long tradition of recipes that have been handed down through the generations.1
On that note let me dig into some of our favorite dishes we have tried in Hanoi. They are in no particular order so get ready to drool and follow the Hot Toddies food extravaganza. Close your eyes, oh no wait open them back up, you have to read this but imagine yourself sitting down on a small plastic chair surrounded by chatting locals with bouncing feet and moving chopsticks. It’s not fancy, no candle lights, just a hole in a wall that specializes in one dish, a damn good, tasty dish.
Since I mentioned it earlier lets start with Bún chả.
http://www.flightcentre.com.au/flights/product/vietnam
Bún chả is a thin white round noodles served on a separate plate in a bowl with grilled pork, lettuce, herbs accompanied with a tub of raw garlic and chili on the side. The bowl with pork has broth in it and you add the noodles and herbs/lettuce to it. It’s usually served with deep fried crab spring rolls (Nem Rua). Yum Yum I tell ya, this is one of our favorites. Iza and I order a portion each the first time, way too much. Unless you are a monster and gobble huge portion then go for it. Perhaps a normal portion for middle America, either way just be aware it’s plenty of food. Come hungry to Nem Restaurant at No. 1, Hàng Mành Street. 55,000 VND, plus spring rolls 30,000 VND.
Phở - There is no morning movement without a phở in sight. It’s the official staple of Vietnamese breakfast a simple core noodle soup with either Ga (chicken) or Bo (beef). If you have been to Vietnam or planning to go this is one dish that will not escape you. It’s served all over; they take their Phở seriously. Typically eaten for breakfast but it’s served all day as lunch or dinner. Phở varies from place to place; our favorite is Phở 10 on 10 Ly Quoc Su north of cathedral. From 35,000 VND.
Bánh mì a Vietnamese baguette or French bread containing pâté, Vietnamese mayonnaise, different selections of Vietnamese cold cuts (of which there is a large variety, most commonly ham, cheese, and a Vietnamese bologna), pickled daikon, pickled carrot, and cucumber slices. To any westerner this sounds like the norm and a typical lunch take-away during office hours. For the Hot Toddies this was a treat we have been craving for a while. Polish pork cold cuts are the freaking best and we surely crave them, having a taste of the Hanoi style cold cuts definitely activated some longed taste buds. Our favorite spot? Nguyễn Sinh, an old school Hanoi restaurant with a reputation built on a Hanoi-style execution of French dishes. We had a mix dish with liver goose pate (foie gras), pork, rabbit cold cuts, baguette and cucumber, tomato salad for 170.000 VND for two. But just as good are the take-away Sandwiches for 50,000 VND. Nguyễn Sinh located on 17-19 Ly Quoc Su Street.
Bánh cuốn (literally "rolled cake”) It is a crepe like roll made from a thin, wide sheet of rice flour filled with ground pork, minced wood ear mushrooms, and other ingredients. Sides for this dish usually consist of Vietnamese pork sausage and bean sprouts, with the dipping sauce called nước mắm (mixed fish sauce). Sometimes it contains a drop of cà cuống, which is the essence of a giant water bug. This dish is usually eaten for breakfast but great for any time of the day. It’s a healthy choice with a small portion to nib on. After 1 hour of trying to find a recommended place by Google we stumbled upon a spot that was on Hang Ga a small hole in a wall with two ladies making the Bánh cuốn outside. Four tables inside makes it a cozy little place allows for the local atmosphere. Based on the posters inside it looks like they were featured in food magazine and are well know. This was a good find and a toothsome spot. 35,000 VDN.
Bún bò Nam Bộ a big bowl with noodles, a tiny bit of broth, fried beef, shallots, herbs, peanuts, bean sprouts and other stuff. You add chili sauce and soya sauce to it for an extra tasty meal. We have shared this flavorful bite with Christy and a bunch of other couch surfers that tagged along for the food extravaganza. This meal goes perfect with a beer. We only had one chance to try this dish but it was a damn good time. A good place to try Bún bò Nam Bộn is on 76 Hang Dieu. 40,000 VDN.
Chả Cá Lã Vọng Fish. Alright, let me make some things clear, this is NOT a fish soup! When reading about this dish many sites referred to it as a fish soup. Actually it’s simmered fish with herbs and pan fried on hot heat, eaten with bún noodles, peanuts and sauce. It’s super popular and the Chả Cá Lã Vọng restaurant at No. 14, Chả Cá Street is the spot to try it. It’s the original birth of the dish. A bit pricier for what we are used to paying on the street but a good alternative to Vietnamese food testing. 150,000 VND per person.
Ahh the fried goodies that spread the aroma all over the streets
Bánh gối a stuffed moon pillow shape fried pastry, which resembles empanadas. This magic moon goodie is usually stuffed with minced pork, clear noodles and mushrooms. It’s served with slightly spicy sauce and vegetables. Usually in the same spot you can get Bánh rán crisp, brown, fried glutinous rice balls in the shape of a large egg. The savory kind is stuffed with glass noodles, mushrooms and minced meat bits (bánh rán mặn) while the sweet ones are stuffed with mung bean paste (bánh rán ngọt) and sometimes, shredded coconut. The sweet fried balls are usually sprinkled with sesame. From 4,000 VDN to 9,000 VDN per piece. 52 Ly Quoc Su Street.
Banh My a Vietnamese Doner Kebab sandwich stuffed with pork, red cabbage, sweet slaw, cilantro, tomatoes, and cucumber, shit load of mayonnaise and red chili sauce. Delicious option for the after hour and perfect with a Hanoi beer its a street guru for the tipsy. 25,000 VDN. On the corner of Hang Bac and Hang Dau.
Bánh bao (literally "covering cake") is a ball-shaped dumpling with pork or chicken meat, onions, eggs, mushroom and vegetables inside. The steamed bun often has ground pork or chicken. This delicacy originated with the baozi from China. Bánh bao are generally smaller than baozi, and are filled with savory fillings, the most popular of which is seasoned ground pork. Iza had the pleasure to try this fluffy ball, which we bought from an lady selling it on Hang Can Street. 20,000 VDN.
Cháo plain rice porridge quite common among Buddhist monks, nuns and lay people, it can be a simple breakfast food eaten with pickled vegetables or fermented tofu. There are many varieties of cháo found in Vietnam, chicken, duck or pork based served with different condiments are just few. Walking near our guesthouse in the afternoon, we couldn’t resist sitting down on tiny plastic chairs and ordering one. It came in a small bow topped with fried onion and fried bread like pastry. It was a small yet filling meal that we enjoyed while sitting on the street. You can find the ladies selling it around 2pm at Ly Quoc Su north of cathedral 20,000 VND.
Bánh xèo "sizzlin-g cake” a Vietnamese savory pancakes made of rice flour, water, turmeric powder, stuffed with slivers of fatty pork, shrimp and bean sprouts and then pan-fried. They are served wrapped in mustard leaf, lettuce leaves or rice paper, and stuffed with mint leaves, basil, fish leaf and/or other herbs, and dipped in a sweet and sour diluted fish sauce. While in search of seafood near West Lake and no success we returned to the Old Quarter and took a seat near the market for this surprisingly tasty dish. It was Christy who recommended this delight. A part from being a bit heavy on the belly from the deep fried effect it was a damn good “pancake”. We enjoyed this near the Don Xuan Market ally off the Cau Dong Street. 25,000 VDN.
For Dessert!
Chè a sweet dessert beverage or pudding usually made from beans and sticky rice. Many varieties of chè are available, each with different fruits, beans (for example, mung beans or kidney beans), and other ingredients. Chè can be served cold – such as sâm bổ lường, which includes driedjujube, longan, fresh seaweed, barley and lotus seeds. Often is topped with coconut milk and ice for an icy taste. I happen to absolutely love this dessert, however Iza hates or I should say dislikes as hate is a strong word jelly and for her the consistency of Chè resembled jelly too much. So jelly lovers this is what you have to try. It’s sold all over Hanoi as a drink or in a dessert bow. I enjoyed this treat very much and I think everybody should try it. A good selection is near the Don Xuan Market a thigh ally off the Cau Dong Street. 15,000 VDN.
Ice-cream, you have to try Ice cream in Hanoi, is famous for it.
A must drink for drink.
Bia Hơi local beer mostly found in small bars and on street corners of Hanoi and all over Vietnam. The beer is brewed daily and each bar gets a fresh batch delivered every day in plastic jugs. It is a very light refreshing lager at a fraction of the cost of draft or bottled beer in the Western-style bars. Bia hơi production is informal and not monitored by any health agency. This is the cheapest beer we have drank in all of our travels, paid 8,000 VND for a plastic cup, as tourist we still over paid, normally it goes for 3,000 VND. Grab a seat and chat with the locals.
(sorry we got to tipsy to remember to take photos)
Coffee anyone?? So far Vietnam and Cuba have the best coffee. A specialty in Vietnam is the Kopi luwak (Malay pronunciation: [ˈkopi ˈlu.aʔ]), or civet coffee, is one of the world's most expensive and low-production varieties of coffee. It is made from the beans of coffee berries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets, then passed through its digestive tract. A civet eats the berries for their fleshy pulp. In its stomach, proteolytic enzymes seep into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino acids. Passing through a civet's intestines the beans are then defecated, keeping their shape. After gathering, thorough washing, sun drying, light roasting and brewing, these beans yield an aromatic coffee with much less bitterness, widely noted as the most expensive coffee in the world.2 It’s damn good. Interesting right? Sadly I have no idea if we tried the Kopi luwak I learned about this yesterday, however, the coffee we had was damn good and strong. Our spot, Barista Coffee shop, 21 A Ly Quoc Su Street.
A must do in Hanoi?
Sit around the small chairs near St Joseph’s Cathedral with the young crowd order a lemon tea and nib on sunflower seeds. It was our everyday ritual and a good meeting point.
Are ya drooling yet? Quick book your Vietnam airfares and sample what we have. I will say that so far vietnamese cousines is one of our favor it.
Wait, should we talk about the wide variety of dog meat around?
For a quick and easy way to find all of these Vietnamese dishes check out our Google map of all the places to be.
View Hot Toddies Street food Extravaganza around Old Quaters, Hanoi in a larger map
1. http://www.vietnamtravel.net/specials/vietnamese-food
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak
— Have you tried the Bún chả? — Asked Marine, a girl
who we met during a couch surfing event and who was ordering it at a local restaurant.
Have we? That is one of our favorite dishes in Vietnam and is the talk of all tourists in Hanoi.
But wait before I go ahead and spill the best beans and dishes to sample in Hanoi let me throw some facts about Vietnamese cuisine. I am far from an expert but some basics I think I learned.
Vietnamese cuisine is more complex than you might think. Just because most of Hanoians dine out on the streets doesn’t mean that each dish is not created with the love, thought and basic principle of Ying and Yang. Did I say Ying and Yang? Yes, like other Asian cultures Vietnamese cuisine is influence by the principles of Ying and Yang as well as the five flavors (sweet, salty, bitter, sour and spicy). The “heating” and “cooling” of ingredients and the contrasting flavors and textures result in a well-balanced and beneficial diet for the body. For example during the summer is uncommon to eat chicken as it’s considered hot. Chicken is mainly enjoyed during winter days to balance the hot and cold.
Vietnamese method of cooking is considered and recently voted as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. The use of fresh herbs, including lemongrass, mint, long coriander and Thai basil leaves adds to the health benefits and distinct flavor. The key element in all Vietnamese kitchens is the fresh ingredients, which allow for our healthiness. Not to mention fish sauce, soy sauce, chilies and rice, the essence of all meals.
Our Ying Yang? Was the freshness against the fried. I kid you not, the entire time moving around Hanoi, I felt like I had a big fried duck stock in my belly. Maybe, that had something to do with us eating meat again or maybe it was the fried goodies like Bánh Cuốn that are irresistible to pass on while tramping though the Old Quarter of Hanoi.
Overall food plays a major role in Vietnamese culture and everyday life. Both the preparation and consumption of meals is serious business, and often connected to a long tradition of recipes that have been handed down through the generations.1
On that note let me dig into some of our favorite dishes we have tried in Hanoi. They are in no particular order so get ready to drool and follow the Hot Toddies food extravaganza. Close your eyes, oh no wait open them back up, you have to read this but imagine yourself sitting down on a small plastic chair surrounded by chatting locals with bouncing feet and moving chopsticks. It’s not fancy, no candle lights, just a hole in a wall that specializes in one dish, a damn good, tasty dish.
Since I mentioned it earlier lets start with Bún chả.
http://www.flightcentre.com.au/flights/product/vietnam
Bún chả is a thin white round noodles served on a separate plate in a bowl with grilled pork, lettuce, herbs accompanied with a tub of raw garlic and chili on the side. The bowl with pork has broth in it and you add the noodles and herbs/lettuce to it. It’s usually served with deep fried crab spring rolls (Nem Rua). Yum Yum I tell ya, this is one of our favorites. Iza and I order a portion each the first time, way too much. Unless you are a monster and gobble huge portion then go for it. Perhaps a normal portion for middle America, either way just be aware it’s plenty of food. Come hungry to Nem Restaurant at No. 1, Hàng Mành Street. 55,000 VND, plus spring rolls 30,000 VND.
 |
| Bún chả |
 |
| Spring rolls |
Phở - There is no morning movement without a phở in sight. It’s the official staple of Vietnamese breakfast a simple core noodle soup with either Ga (chicken) or Bo (beef). If you have been to Vietnam or planning to go this is one dish that will not escape you. It’s served all over; they take their Phở seriously. Typically eaten for breakfast but it’s served all day as lunch or dinner. Phở varies from place to place; our favorite is Phở 10 on 10 Ly Quoc Su north of cathedral. From 35,000 VND.
 |
| Pho Bo in Dang Ha |
 |
| Pho Bo from Pho 10 |
Bánh mì a Vietnamese baguette or French bread containing pâté, Vietnamese mayonnaise, different selections of Vietnamese cold cuts (of which there is a large variety, most commonly ham, cheese, and a Vietnamese bologna), pickled daikon, pickled carrot, and cucumber slices. To any westerner this sounds like the norm and a typical lunch take-away during office hours. For the Hot Toddies this was a treat we have been craving for a while. Polish pork cold cuts are the freaking best and we surely crave them, having a taste of the Hanoi style cold cuts definitely activated some longed taste buds. Our favorite spot? Nguyễn Sinh, an old school Hanoi restaurant with a reputation built on a Hanoi-style execution of French dishes. We had a mix dish with liver goose pate (foie gras), pork, rabbit cold cuts, baguette and cucumber, tomato salad for 170.000 VND for two. But just as good are the take-away Sandwiches for 50,000 VND. Nguyễn Sinh located on 17-19 Ly Quoc Su Street.
 |
| Cold cuts from Nguyen Sinh |
Bánh cuốn (literally "rolled cake”) It is a crepe like roll made from a thin, wide sheet of rice flour filled with ground pork, minced wood ear mushrooms, and other ingredients. Sides for this dish usually consist of Vietnamese pork sausage and bean sprouts, with the dipping sauce called nước mắm (mixed fish sauce). Sometimes it contains a drop of cà cuống, which is the essence of a giant water bug. This dish is usually eaten for breakfast but great for any time of the day. It’s a healthy choice with a small portion to nib on. After 1 hour of trying to find a recommended place by Google we stumbled upon a spot that was on Hang Ga a small hole in a wall with two ladies making the Bánh cuốn outside. Four tables inside makes it a cozy little place allows for the local atmosphere. Based on the posters inside it looks like they were featured in food magazine and are well know. This was a good find and a toothsome spot. 35,000 VDN.
 |
| Bánh cuốn |
 |
| Bún bò Nam Bộ |
Chả Cá Lã Vọng Fish. Alright, let me make some things clear, this is NOT a fish soup! When reading about this dish many sites referred to it as a fish soup. Actually it’s simmered fish with herbs and pan fried on hot heat, eaten with bún noodles, peanuts and sauce. It’s super popular and the Chả Cá Lã Vọng restaurant at No. 14, Chả Cá Street is the spot to try it. It’s the original birth of the dish. A bit pricier for what we are used to paying on the street but a good alternative to Vietnamese food testing. 150,000 VND per person.
 |
Chả Cá Lã Vọng Fish |
Ahh the fried goodies that spread the aroma all over the streets
Bánh gối a stuffed moon pillow shape fried pastry, which resembles empanadas. This magic moon goodie is usually stuffed with minced pork, clear noodles and mushrooms. It’s served with slightly spicy sauce and vegetables. Usually in the same spot you can get Bánh rán crisp, brown, fried glutinous rice balls in the shape of a large egg. The savory kind is stuffed with glass noodles, mushrooms and minced meat bits (bánh rán mặn) while the sweet ones are stuffed with mung bean paste (bánh rán ngọt) and sometimes, shredded coconut. The sweet fried balls are usually sprinkled with sesame. From 4,000 VDN to 9,000 VDN per piece. 52 Ly Quoc Su Street.
 |
| Bánh gối and Bánh rán |
Banh My a Vietnamese Doner Kebab sandwich stuffed with pork, red cabbage, sweet slaw, cilantro, tomatoes, and cucumber, shit load of mayonnaise and red chili sauce. Delicious option for the after hour and perfect with a Hanoi beer its a street guru for the tipsy. 25,000 VDN. On the corner of Hang Bac and Hang Dau.
 |
| Banh My |
Bánh bao (literally "covering cake") is a ball-shaped dumpling with pork or chicken meat, onions, eggs, mushroom and vegetables inside. The steamed bun often has ground pork or chicken. This delicacy originated with the baozi from China. Bánh bao are generally smaller than baozi, and are filled with savory fillings, the most popular of which is seasoned ground pork. Iza had the pleasure to try this fluffy ball, which we bought from an lady selling it on Hang Can Street. 20,000 VDN.
 |
| Bánh bao |
Cháo plain rice porridge quite common among Buddhist monks, nuns and lay people, it can be a simple breakfast food eaten with pickled vegetables or fermented tofu. There are many varieties of cháo found in Vietnam, chicken, duck or pork based served with different condiments are just few. Walking near our guesthouse in the afternoon, we couldn’t resist sitting down on tiny plastic chairs and ordering one. It came in a small bow topped with fried onion and fried bread like pastry. It was a small yet filling meal that we enjoyed while sitting on the street. You can find the ladies selling it around 2pm at Ly Quoc Su north of cathedral 20,000 VND.
 |
| Cháo |
 |
| Bánh xèo |
For Dessert!
Chè a sweet dessert beverage or pudding usually made from beans and sticky rice. Many varieties of chè are available, each with different fruits, beans (for example, mung beans or kidney beans), and other ingredients. Chè can be served cold – such as sâm bổ lường, which includes driedjujube, longan, fresh seaweed, barley and lotus seeds. Often is topped with coconut milk and ice for an icy taste. I happen to absolutely love this dessert, however Iza hates or I should say dislikes as hate is a strong word jelly and for her the consistency of Chè resembled jelly too much. So jelly lovers this is what you have to try. It’s sold all over Hanoi as a drink or in a dessert bow. I enjoyed this treat very much and I think everybody should try it. A good selection is near the Don Xuan Market a thigh ally off the Cau Dong Street. 15,000 VDN.
 |
| Chè |
Ice-cream, you have to try Ice cream in Hanoi, is famous for it.
A must drink for drink.
Bia Hơi local beer mostly found in small bars and on street corners of Hanoi and all over Vietnam. The beer is brewed daily and each bar gets a fresh batch delivered every day in plastic jugs. It is a very light refreshing lager at a fraction of the cost of draft or bottled beer in the Western-style bars. Bia hơi production is informal and not monitored by any health agency. This is the cheapest beer we have drank in all of our travels, paid 8,000 VND for a plastic cup, as tourist we still over paid, normally it goes for 3,000 VND. Grab a seat and chat with the locals.
(sorry we got to tipsy to remember to take photos)
Coffee anyone?? So far Vietnam and Cuba have the best coffee. A specialty in Vietnam is the Kopi luwak (Malay pronunciation: [ˈkopi ˈlu.aʔ]), or civet coffee, is one of the world's most expensive and low-production varieties of coffee. It is made from the beans of coffee berries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets, then passed through its digestive tract. A civet eats the berries for their fleshy pulp. In its stomach, proteolytic enzymes seep into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino acids. Passing through a civet's intestines the beans are then defecated, keeping their shape. After gathering, thorough washing, sun drying, light roasting and brewing, these beans yield an aromatic coffee with much less bitterness, widely noted as the most expensive coffee in the world.2 It’s damn good. Interesting right? Sadly I have no idea if we tried the Kopi luwak I learned about this yesterday, however, the coffee we had was damn good and strong. Our spot, Barista Coffee shop, 21 A Ly Quoc Su Street.
A must do in Hanoi?
Sit around the small chairs near St Joseph’s Cathedral with the young crowd order a lemon tea and nib on sunflower seeds. It was our everyday ritual and a good meeting point.
Are ya drooling yet? Quick book your Vietnam airfares and sample what we have. I will say that so far vietnamese cousines is one of our favor it.
Wait, should we talk about the wide variety of dog meat around?
For a quick and easy way to find all of these Vietnamese dishes check out our Google map of all the places to be.
View Hot Toddies Street food Extravaganza around Old Quaters, Hanoi in a larger map
1. http://www.vietnamtravel.net/specials/vietnamese-food
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak
Did we mention that Hanoi is officially our top 10 cities we recommend you must visit? It’s a city full of busting, beeping, loud, rapid moving people, scooters, bikers, taxis and food stalls that crowd the streets to a full swing of life. It’s the Paris of France with Asian mentality. Zoom, beep, zoom, beep, beep! It’s a city you love or hate, but I guarantee you if you stay for more then a week you will fall into the madness and discover the flavor and taste for energy.
— Have you tried the Bún chả? — Asked Marine, a girl
who we met during a couch surfing event and who was ordering it at a local restaurant.
Have we? That is one of our favorite dishes in Vietnam and is the talk of all tourists in Hanoi.
But wait before I go ahead and spill the best beans and dishes to sample in Hanoi let me throw some facts about Vietnamese cuisine. I am far from an expert but some basics I think I learned.
Vietnamese cuisine is more complex than you might think. Just because most of Hanoians dine out on the streets doesn’t mean that each dish is not created with the love, thought and basic principle of Ying and Yang. Did I say Ying and Yang? Yes, like other Asian cultures Vietnamese cuisine is influence by the principles of Ying and Yang as well as the five flavors (sweet, salty, bitter, sour and spicy). The “heating” and “cooling” of ingredients and the contrasting flavors and textures result in a well-balanced and beneficial diet for the body. For example during the summer is uncommon to eat chicken as it’s considered hot. Chicken is mainly enjoyed during winter days to balance the hot and cold.
Vietnamese method of cooking is considered and recently voted as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. The use of fresh herbs, including lemongrass, mint, long coriander and Thai basil leaves adds to the health benefits and distinct flavor. The key element in all Vietnamese kitchens is the fresh ingredients, which allow for our healthiness. Not to mention fish sauce, soy sauce, chilies and rice, the essence of all meals.
Our Ying Yang? Was the freshness against the fried. I kid you not, the entire time moving around Hanoi, I felt like I had a big fried duck stock in my belly. Maybe, that had something to do with us eating meat again or maybe it was the fried goodies like Bánh Cuốn that are irresistible to pass on while tramping though the Old Quarter of Hanoi.
Overall food plays a major role in Vietnamese culture and everyday life. Both the preparation and consumption of meals is serious business, and often connected to a long tradition of recipes that have been handed down through the generations.1
On that note let me dig into some of our favorite dishes we have tried in Hanoi. They are in no particular order so get ready to drool and follow the Hot Toddies food extravaganza. Close your eyes, oh no wait open them back up, you have to read this but imagine yourself sitting down on a small plastic chair surrounded by chatting locals with bouncing feet and moving chopsticks. It’s not fancy, no candle lights, just a hole in a wall that specializes in one dish, a damn good, tasty dish.
Since I mentioned it earlier lets start with Bún chả.
http://www.flightcentre.com.au/flights/product/vietnam
Bún chả is a thin white round noodles served on a separate plate in a bowl with grilled pork, lettuce, herbs accompanied with a tub of raw garlic and chili on the side. The bowl with pork has broth in it and you add the noodles and herbs/lettuce to it. It’s usually served with deep fried crab spring rolls (Nem Rua). Yum Yum I tell ya, this is one of our favorites. Iza and I order a portion each the first time, way too much. Unless you are a monster and gobble huge portion then go for it. Perhaps a normal portion for middle America, either way just be aware it’s plenty of food. Come hungry to Nem Restaurant at No. 1, Hàng Mành Street. 55,000 VND, plus spring rolls 30,000 VND.
Phở - There is no morning movement without a phở in sight. It’s the official staple of Vietnamese breakfast a simple core noodle soup with either Ga (chicken) or Bo (beef). If you have been to Vietnam or planning to go this is one dish that will not escape you. It’s served all over; they take their Phở seriously. Typically eaten for breakfast but it’s served all day as lunch or dinner. Phở varies from place to place; our favorite is Phở 10 on 10 Ly Quoc Su north of cathedral. From 35,000 VND.
Bánh mì a Vietnamese baguette or French bread containing pâté, Vietnamese mayonnaise, different selections of Vietnamese cold cuts (of which there is a large variety, most commonly ham, cheese, and a Vietnamese bologna), pickled daikon, pickled carrot, and cucumber slices. To any westerner this sounds like the norm and a typical lunch take-away during office hours. For the Hot Toddies this was a treat we have been craving for a while. Polish pork cold cuts are the freaking best and we surely crave them, having a taste of the Hanoi style cold cuts definitely activated some longed taste buds. Our favorite spot? Nguyễn Sinh, an old school Hanoi restaurant with a reputation built on a Hanoi-style execution of French dishes. We had a mix dish with liver goose pate (foie gras), pork, rabbit cold cuts, baguette and cucumber, tomato salad for 170.000 VND for two. But just as good are the take-away Sandwiches for 50,000 VND. Nguyễn Sinh located on 17-19 Ly Quoc Su Street.
Bánh cuốn (literally "rolled cake”) It is a crepe like roll made from a thin, wide sheet of rice flour filled with ground pork, minced wood ear mushrooms, and other ingredients. Sides for this dish usually consist of Vietnamese pork sausage and bean sprouts, with the dipping sauce called nước mắm (mixed fish sauce). Sometimes it contains a drop of cà cuống, which is the essence of a giant water bug. This dish is usually eaten for breakfast but great for any time of the day. It’s a healthy choice with a small portion to nib on. After 1 hour of trying to find a recommended place by Google we stumbled upon a spot that was on Hang Ga a small hole in a wall with two ladies making the Bánh cuốn outside. Four tables inside makes it a cozy little place allows for the local atmosphere. Based on the posters inside it looks like they were featured in food magazine and are well know. This was a good find and a toothsome spot. 35,000 VDN.
Bún bò Nam Bộ a big bowl with noodles, a tiny bit of broth, fried beef, shallots, herbs, peanuts, bean sprouts and other stuff. You add chili sauce and soya sauce to it for an extra tasty meal. We have shared this flavorful bite with Christy and a bunch of other couch surfers that tagged along for the food extravaganza. This meal goes perfect with a beer. We only had one chance to try this dish but it was a damn good time. A good place to try Bún bò Nam Bộn is on 76 Hang Dieu. 40,000 VDN.
Chả Cá Lã Vọng Fish. Alright, let me make some things clear, this is NOT a fish soup! When reading about this dish many sites referred to it as a fish soup. Actually it’s simmered fish with herbs and pan fried on hot heat, eaten with bún noodles, peanuts and sauce. It’s super popular and the Chả Cá Lã Vọng restaurant at No. 14, Chả Cá Street is the spot to try it. It’s the original birth of the dish. A bit pricier for what we are used to paying on the street but a good alternative to Vietnamese food testing. 150,000 VND per person.
Ahh the fried goodies that spread the aroma all over the streets
Bánh gối a stuffed moon pillow shape fried pastry, which resembles empanadas. This magic moon goodie is usually stuffed with minced pork, clear noodles and mushrooms. It’s served with slightly spicy sauce and vegetables. Usually in the same spot you can get Bánh rán crisp, brown, fried glutinous rice balls in the shape of a large egg. The savory kind is stuffed with glass noodles, mushrooms and minced meat bits (bánh rán mặn) while the sweet ones are stuffed with mung bean paste (bánh rán ngọt) and sometimes, shredded coconut. The sweet fried balls are usually sprinkled with sesame. From 4,000 VDN to 9,000 VDN per piece. 52 Ly Quoc Su Street.
Banh My a Vietnamese Doner Kebab sandwich stuffed with pork, red cabbage, sweet slaw, cilantro, tomatoes, and cucumber, shit load of mayonnaise and red chili sauce. Delicious option for the after hour and perfect with a Hanoi beer its a street guru for the tipsy. 25,000 VDN. On the corner of Hang Bac and Hang Dau.
Bánh bao (literally "covering cake") is a ball-shaped dumpling with pork or chicken meat, onions, eggs, mushroom and vegetables inside. The steamed bun often has ground pork or chicken. This delicacy originated with the baozi from China. Bánh bao are generally smaller than baozi, and are filled with savory fillings, the most popular of which is seasoned ground pork. Iza had the pleasure to try this fluffy ball, which we bought from an lady selling it on Hang Can Street. 20,000 VDN.
Cháo plain rice porridge quite common among Buddhist monks, nuns and lay people, it can be a simple breakfast food eaten with pickled vegetables or fermented tofu. There are many varieties of cháo found in Vietnam, chicken, duck or pork based served with different condiments are just few. Walking near our guesthouse in the afternoon, we couldn’t resist sitting down on tiny plastic chairs and ordering one. It came in a small bow topped with fried onion and fried bread like pastry. It was a small yet filling meal that we enjoyed while sitting on the street. You can find the ladies selling it around 2pm at Ly Quoc Su north of cathedral 20,000 VND.
Bánh xèo "sizzlin-g cake” a Vietnamese savory pancakes made of rice flour, water, turmeric powder, stuffed with slivers of fatty pork, shrimp and bean sprouts and then pan-fried. They are served wrapped in mustard leaf, lettuce leaves or rice paper, and stuffed with mint leaves, basil, fish leaf and/or other herbs, and dipped in a sweet and sour diluted fish sauce. While in search of seafood near West Lake and no success we returned to the Old Quarter and took a seat near the market for this surprisingly tasty dish. It was Christy who recommended this delight. A part from being a bit heavy on the belly from the deep fried effect it was a damn good “pancake”. We enjoyed this near the Don Xuan Market ally off the Cau Dong Street. 25,000 VDN.
For Dessert!
Chè a sweet dessert beverage or pudding usually made from beans and sticky rice. Many varieties of chè are available, each with different fruits, beans (for example, mung beans or kidney beans), and other ingredients. Chè can be served cold – such as sâm bổ lường, which includes driedjujube, longan, fresh seaweed, barley and lotus seeds. Often is topped with coconut milk and ice for an icy taste. I happen to absolutely love this dessert, however Iza hates or I should say dislikes as hate is a strong word jelly and for her the consistency of Chè resembled jelly too much. So jelly lovers this is what you have to try. It’s sold all over Hanoi as a drink or in a dessert bow. I enjoyed this treat very much and I think everybody should try it. A good selection is near the Don Xuan Market a thigh ally off the Cau Dong Street. 15,000 VDN.
Ice-cream, you have to try Ice cream in Hanoi, is famous for it.
A must drink for drink.
Bia Hơi local beer mostly found in small bars and on street corners of Hanoi and all over Vietnam. The beer is brewed daily and each bar gets a fresh batch delivered every day in plastic jugs. It is a very light refreshing lager at a fraction of the cost of draft or bottled beer in the Western-style bars. Bia hơi production is informal and not monitored by any health agency. This is the cheapest beer we have drank in all of our travels, paid 8,000 VND for a plastic cup, as tourist we still over paid, normally it goes for 3,000 VND. Grab a seat and chat with the locals.
(sorry we got to tipsy to remember to take photos)
Coffee anyone?? So far Vietnam and Cuba have the best coffee. A specialty in Vietnam is the Kopi luwak (Malay pronunciation: [ˈkopi ˈlu.aʔ]), or civet coffee, is one of the world's most expensive and low-production varieties of coffee. It is made from the beans of coffee berries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets, then passed through its digestive tract. A civet eats the berries for their fleshy pulp. In its stomach, proteolytic enzymes seep into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino acids. Passing through a civet's intestines the beans are then defecated, keeping their shape. After gathering, thorough washing, sun drying, light roasting and brewing, these beans yield an aromatic coffee with much less bitterness, widely noted as the most expensive coffee in the world.2 It’s damn good. Interesting right? Sadly I have no idea if we tried the Kopi luwak I learned about this yesterday, however, the coffee we had was damn good and strong. Our spot, Barista Coffee shop, 21 A Ly Quoc Su Street.
A must do in Hanoi?
Sit around the small chairs near St Joseph’s Cathedral with the young crowd order a lemon tea and nib on sunflower seeds. It was our everyday ritual and a good meeting point.
Are ya drooling yet? Quick book your Vietnam airfares and sample what we have. I will say that so far vietnamese cousines is one of our favor it.
Wait, should we talk about the wide variety of dog meat around?
For a quick and easy way to find all of these Vietnamese dishes check out our Google map of all the places to be.
View Hot Toddies Street food Extravaganza around Old Quaters, Hanoi in a larger map
1. http://www.vietnamtravel.net/specials/vietnamese-food
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak
— Have you tried the Bún chả? — Asked Marine, a girl
who we met during a couch surfing event and who was ordering it at a local restaurant.
Have we? That is one of our favorite dishes in Vietnam and is the talk of all tourists in Hanoi.
But wait before I go ahead and spill the best beans and dishes to sample in Hanoi let me throw some facts about Vietnamese cuisine. I am far from an expert but some basics I think I learned.
Vietnamese cuisine is more complex than you might think. Just because most of Hanoians dine out on the streets doesn’t mean that each dish is not created with the love, thought and basic principle of Ying and Yang. Did I say Ying and Yang? Yes, like other Asian cultures Vietnamese cuisine is influence by the principles of Ying and Yang as well as the five flavors (sweet, salty, bitter, sour and spicy). The “heating” and “cooling” of ingredients and the contrasting flavors and textures result in a well-balanced and beneficial diet for the body. For example during the summer is uncommon to eat chicken as it’s considered hot. Chicken is mainly enjoyed during winter days to balance the hot and cold.
Vietnamese method of cooking is considered and recently voted as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. The use of fresh herbs, including lemongrass, mint, long coriander and Thai basil leaves adds to the health benefits and distinct flavor. The key element in all Vietnamese kitchens is the fresh ingredients, which allow for our healthiness. Not to mention fish sauce, soy sauce, chilies and rice, the essence of all meals.
Our Ying Yang? Was the freshness against the fried. I kid you not, the entire time moving around Hanoi, I felt like I had a big fried duck stock in my belly. Maybe, that had something to do with us eating meat again or maybe it was the fried goodies like Bánh Cuốn that are irresistible to pass on while tramping though the Old Quarter of Hanoi.
Overall food plays a major role in Vietnamese culture and everyday life. Both the preparation and consumption of meals is serious business, and often connected to a long tradition of recipes that have been handed down through the generations.1
On that note let me dig into some of our favorite dishes we have tried in Hanoi. They are in no particular order so get ready to drool and follow the Hot Toddies food extravaganza. Close your eyes, oh no wait open them back up, you have to read this but imagine yourself sitting down on a small plastic chair surrounded by chatting locals with bouncing feet and moving chopsticks. It’s not fancy, no candle lights, just a hole in a wall that specializes in one dish, a damn good, tasty dish.
Since I mentioned it earlier lets start with Bún chả.
http://www.flightcentre.com.au/flights/product/vietnam
Bún chả is a thin white round noodles served on a separate plate in a bowl with grilled pork, lettuce, herbs accompanied with a tub of raw garlic and chili on the side. The bowl with pork has broth in it and you add the noodles and herbs/lettuce to it. It’s usually served with deep fried crab spring rolls (Nem Rua). Yum Yum I tell ya, this is one of our favorites. Iza and I order a portion each the first time, way too much. Unless you are a monster and gobble huge portion then go for it. Perhaps a normal portion for middle America, either way just be aware it’s plenty of food. Come hungry to Nem Restaurant at No. 1, Hàng Mành Street. 55,000 VND, plus spring rolls 30,000 VND.
|
| Bún chả |
|
| Spring rolls |
Phở - There is no morning movement without a phở in sight. It’s the official staple of Vietnamese breakfast a simple core noodle soup with either Ga (chicken) or Bo (beef). If you have been to Vietnam or planning to go this is one dish that will not escape you. It’s served all over; they take their Phở seriously. Typically eaten for breakfast but it’s served all day as lunch or dinner. Phở varies from place to place; our favorite is Phở 10 on 10 Ly Quoc Su north of cathedral. From 35,000 VND.
|
| Pho Bo in Dang Ha |
|
| Pho Bo from Pho 10 |
Bánh mì a Vietnamese baguette or French bread containing pâté, Vietnamese mayonnaise, different selections of Vietnamese cold cuts (of which there is a large variety, most commonly ham, cheese, and a Vietnamese bologna), pickled daikon, pickled carrot, and cucumber slices. To any westerner this sounds like the norm and a typical lunch take-away during office hours. For the Hot Toddies this was a treat we have been craving for a while. Polish pork cold cuts are the freaking best and we surely crave them, having a taste of the Hanoi style cold cuts definitely activated some longed taste buds. Our favorite spot? Nguyễn Sinh, an old school Hanoi restaurant with a reputation built on a Hanoi-style execution of French dishes. We had a mix dish with liver goose pate (foie gras), pork, rabbit cold cuts, baguette and cucumber, tomato salad for 170.000 VND for two. But just as good are the take-away Sandwiches for 50,000 VND. Nguyễn Sinh located on 17-19 Ly Quoc Su Street.
|
| Cold cuts from Nguyen Sinh |
Bánh cuốn (literally "rolled cake”) It is a crepe like roll made from a thin, wide sheet of rice flour filled with ground pork, minced wood ear mushrooms, and other ingredients. Sides for this dish usually consist of Vietnamese pork sausage and bean sprouts, with the dipping sauce called nước mắm (mixed fish sauce). Sometimes it contains a drop of cà cuống, which is the essence of a giant water bug. This dish is usually eaten for breakfast but great for any time of the day. It’s a healthy choice with a small portion to nib on. After 1 hour of trying to find a recommended place by Google we stumbled upon a spot that was on Hang Ga a small hole in a wall with two ladies making the Bánh cuốn outside. Four tables inside makes it a cozy little place allows for the local atmosphere. Based on the posters inside it looks like they were featured in food magazine and are well know. This was a good find and a toothsome spot. 35,000 VDN.
|
| Bánh cuốn |
|
| Bún bò Nam Bộ |
Chả Cá Lã Vọng Fish. Alright, let me make some things clear, this is NOT a fish soup! When reading about this dish many sites referred to it as a fish soup. Actually it’s simmered fish with herbs and pan fried on hot heat, eaten with bún noodles, peanuts and sauce. It’s super popular and the Chả Cá Lã Vọng restaurant at No. 14, Chả Cá Street is the spot to try it. It’s the original birth of the dish. A bit pricier for what we are used to paying on the street but a good alternative to Vietnamese food testing. 150,000 VND per person.
|
| Chả Cá Lã Vọng Fish |
Ahh the fried goodies that spread the aroma all over the streets
Bánh gối a stuffed moon pillow shape fried pastry, which resembles empanadas. This magic moon goodie is usually stuffed with minced pork, clear noodles and mushrooms. It’s served with slightly spicy sauce and vegetables. Usually in the same spot you can get Bánh rán crisp, brown, fried glutinous rice balls in the shape of a large egg. The savory kind is stuffed with glass noodles, mushrooms and minced meat bits (bánh rán mặn) while the sweet ones are stuffed with mung bean paste (bánh rán ngọt) and sometimes, shredded coconut. The sweet fried balls are usually sprinkled with sesame. From 4,000 VDN to 9,000 VDN per piece. 52 Ly Quoc Su Street.
|
| Bánh gối and Bánh rán |
Banh My a Vietnamese Doner Kebab sandwich stuffed with pork, red cabbage, sweet slaw, cilantro, tomatoes, and cucumber, shit load of mayonnaise and red chili sauce. Delicious option for the after hour and perfect with a Hanoi beer its a street guru for the tipsy. 25,000 VDN. On the corner of Hang Bac and Hang Dau.
|
| Banh My |
Bánh bao (literally "covering cake") is a ball-shaped dumpling with pork or chicken meat, onions, eggs, mushroom and vegetables inside. The steamed bun often has ground pork or chicken. This delicacy originated with the baozi from China. Bánh bao are generally smaller than baozi, and are filled with savory fillings, the most popular of which is seasoned ground pork. Iza had the pleasure to try this fluffy ball, which we bought from an lady selling it on Hang Can Street. 20,000 VDN.
|
| Bánh bao |
Cháo plain rice porridge quite common among Buddhist monks, nuns and lay people, it can be a simple breakfast food eaten with pickled vegetables or fermented tofu. There are many varieties of cháo found in Vietnam, chicken, duck or pork based served with different condiments are just few. Walking near our guesthouse in the afternoon, we couldn’t resist sitting down on tiny plastic chairs and ordering one. It came in a small bow topped with fried onion and fried bread like pastry. It was a small yet filling meal that we enjoyed while sitting on the street. You can find the ladies selling it around 2pm at Ly Quoc Su north of cathedral 20,000 VND.
|
| Cháo |
|
| Bánh xèo |
For Dessert!
Chè a sweet dessert beverage or pudding usually made from beans and sticky rice. Many varieties of chè are available, each with different fruits, beans (for example, mung beans or kidney beans), and other ingredients. Chè can be served cold – such as sâm bổ lường, which includes driedjujube, longan, fresh seaweed, barley and lotus seeds. Often is topped with coconut milk and ice for an icy taste. I happen to absolutely love this dessert, however Iza hates or I should say dislikes as hate is a strong word jelly and for her the consistency of Chè resembled jelly too much. So jelly lovers this is what you have to try. It’s sold all over Hanoi as a drink or in a dessert bow. I enjoyed this treat very much and I think everybody should try it. A good selection is near the Don Xuan Market a thigh ally off the Cau Dong Street. 15,000 VDN.
|
| Chè |
Ice-cream, you have to try Ice cream in Hanoi, is famous for it.
A must drink for drink.
Bia Hơi local beer mostly found in small bars and on street corners of Hanoi and all over Vietnam. The beer is brewed daily and each bar gets a fresh batch delivered every day in plastic jugs. It is a very light refreshing lager at a fraction of the cost of draft or bottled beer in the Western-style bars. Bia hơi production is informal and not monitored by any health agency. This is the cheapest beer we have drank in all of our travels, paid 8,000 VND for a plastic cup, as tourist we still over paid, normally it goes for 3,000 VND. Grab a seat and chat with the locals.
(sorry we got to tipsy to remember to take photos)
Coffee anyone?? So far Vietnam and Cuba have the best coffee. A specialty in Vietnam is the Kopi luwak (Malay pronunciation: [ˈkopi ˈlu.aʔ]), or civet coffee, is one of the world's most expensive and low-production varieties of coffee. It is made from the beans of coffee berries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets, then passed through its digestive tract. A civet eats the berries for their fleshy pulp. In its stomach, proteolytic enzymes seep into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino acids. Passing through a civet's intestines the beans are then defecated, keeping their shape. After gathering, thorough washing, sun drying, light roasting and brewing, these beans yield an aromatic coffee with much less bitterness, widely noted as the most expensive coffee in the world.2 It’s damn good. Interesting right? Sadly I have no idea if we tried the Kopi luwak I learned about this yesterday, however, the coffee we had was damn good and strong. Our spot, Barista Coffee shop, 21 A Ly Quoc Su Street.
A must do in Hanoi?
Sit around the small chairs near St Joseph’s Cathedral with the young crowd order a lemon tea and nib on sunflower seeds. It was our everyday ritual and a good meeting point.
Are ya drooling yet? Quick book your Vietnam airfares and sample what we have. I will say that so far vietnamese cousines is one of our favor it.
Wait, should we talk about the wide variety of dog meat around?
For a quick and easy way to find all of these Vietnamese dishes check out our Google map of all the places to be.
View Hot Toddies Street food Extravaganza around Old Quaters, Hanoi in a larger map
1. http://www.vietnamtravel.net/specials/vietnamese-food
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak