Hanoi, vietnam
3/24/11 first day in vietnam beautiful scenery coming into town from airport 40 min 400,000 vnd about $20. Houses are old style tall and skinny really cool looking. Taxi driver tried to speak to me but i couldnt understand his acccent is strong. Soo much honking! In old quarter so many motorbikes and traffic zipping around you when crossing the streets. there are no sidewalks, you just pretend like you know what to do and act like you are not afraid. I thought korea was dirty- whew! And so many people pushing to sell you some junk. I had a lady carrying a stick thing on her shoulder with two baskets on either end hanging off a string and she put it on me and said picture even after i said no and trying to walk away. the fruit lady trying to put weird looking fruit in my mouth scurrying after me when i smile and say no she comes up behind me with her hand in my face pushing fruit in my face! Every 10 steps men stare and say bike? Every other 5 steps a man riding on a bike with seat attached in front incessantly rings his bell at me until i turn aroind and shake my head no. If u dont look at them it doesnt matter they will follow you until you look into their eyes and say no but then they still bug you a bit more.
Got lost wandering around trying to find a lake but it was cold and windy outside and i was hungry. i stopped at an outdoor food stall that had a few foreigners and so i ate chicken noodle soup for lunch (pho).
Went back to motel. Woke up at 4 am this morning to make 7 am flight so tired. Took 2 hour nap and woke up happy to talk to my willy. Looking for atm to take cash out for halong bay boat tour 2 days one night sleep on boat for $80. Many atms only allow 2,000,000 withdrawal at a time which is about $100. I wanted 5,000,000 so i wouldnt have to go to atm again soon i dont know how much korea bank charges me for each withdrawal. Hcmc let me take out 4,800,000. good enough.
Hungry but hard to find decent place for food. I dont know why i tend to go to strreet stalls where i see lots of locals eating instead of restaurants for tourists. i walk around for a very long time and i am so hungry but i pass by all the restaurants where i see foreigners eating because one i know they are expensive and two i want a taste of real vietnam local food. Tonight i chose one with lots of people that wasnt serving pho. Although it is delicious it seems like thats all ive been eating is chicken noodle soup. So this place had yellow rice with some soft yellow mound of unknown substance they shaved over rice with cornflakes on top then some yellow oil or sauce then a fried egg that was soaking in some juice on top. I wanted some substance that looked like a mix of tofu and meat but the one waiter who spoke some english didnt understand that part. whatever the food was it was delicious and everyone was staring at the foreign girl eating their food sitting by herself at a small street vendor. Later I told someone about this mystery food that I ate and learned the name is soi.
After getting lost again i went back to motel. Wake up 7 am tomorrow for boat tour. Afraid to buy ticket to hcm in advance. Never know what will happen but have to move fast pace to meet antonia in cambodia soon.
Got lost wandering around trying to find a lake but it was cold and windy outside and i was hungry. i stopped at an outdoor food stall that had a few foreigners and so i ate chicken noodle soup for lunch (pho).
Went back to motel. Woke up at 4 am this morning to make 7 am flight so tired. Took 2 hour nap and woke up happy to talk to my willy. Looking for atm to take cash out for halong bay boat tour 2 days one night sleep on boat for $80. Many atms only allow 2,000,000 withdrawal at a time which is about $100. I wanted 5,000,000 so i wouldnt have to go to atm again soon i dont know how much korea bank charges me for each withdrawal. Hcmc let me take out 4,800,000. good enough.
Hungry but hard to find decent place for food. I dont know why i tend to go to strreet stalls where i see lots of locals eating instead of restaurants for tourists. i walk around for a very long time and i am so hungry but i pass by all the restaurants where i see foreigners eating because one i know they are expensive and two i want a taste of real vietnam local food. Tonight i chose one with lots of people that wasnt serving pho. Although it is delicious it seems like thats all ive been eating is chicken noodle soup. So this place had yellow rice with some soft yellow mound of unknown substance they shaved over rice with cornflakes on top then some yellow oil or sauce then a fried egg that was soaking in some juice on top. I wanted some substance that looked like a mix of tofu and meat but the one waiter who spoke some english didnt understand that part. whatever the food was it was delicious and everyone was staring at the foreign girl eating their food sitting by herself at a small street vendor. Later I told someone about this mystery food that I ate and learned the name is soi.
After getting lost again i went back to motel. Wake up 7 am tomorrow for boat tour. Afraid to buy ticket to hcm in advance. Never know what will happen but have to move fast pace to meet antonia in cambodia soon.
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