SLOW LORIS 38: VIETNAM

Showing posts with label VIETNAM. Show all posts

Wednesday, 6 November 2013

Fansipan Food, Guide, Porters and Stay

Food

Day 1 breakfast was quite presentable with a simple buffet at a local hotel.

Breakfast in Sapa after an overnight train from Hanoi

Cook preparing my

For dinner, our admiration grew as the cook managed to whip up a whole array of dishes below. Although mainly vegetables, they were well cooked and tasty. The servings were generous and we had to return some portions.

We had fungus mushrooms, chicken with carrots, mix vege.

Seating arrangement was ... casual.

Day 2 Lunch was a quickie as we have to summit immediately after our lunch. Our climb profile was behind by one phase. The original climb was on Day 1, we have to cover Base Camp 1 and overnight at Base Camp 2. Then on Day 2, we were supposed to summit and return stay at Base Camp 1.

We managed to reach Base Camp 1 on Day 1. Therefore on Day 2, we had to go to BC 2, summit and return stay at BC 2.

French baguette with bacon strips, omelette and fruits

Our bedding place was also the dining area.

Breakfast for the last morning.

Pancakes with honey, apples and bananas.

Guide and Porters

We had 6 porters and 1 guide. They were mostly seen and not heard. Perhaps it was the culture. In the evenings, the porters slept at a different tent and there were little interaction with us. Only the guide was our contact, translator and problem solver.

At the start, the porters divided the bags amongst themselves

Their woven basket looked rickety but they were very strong

The route ahead ...

The magnificent Seven

The beginning of the trail

Some ascend and descend but it was mild

The porters at rest

They were usually half hour ahead

Summit with 1 guide and porter

The highs after a climb

Fanxipan Summit

Campsite

We stayed at 2 sites, Base Camp 1 and Base Camp 2.

Base Camp 1 just an A shaped hut

Guide and Porters residence cum kitchen

These dogs can sense trekkers approaching from afar

View to Base Camp 2

Base Camp 2 on the second day

We stayed at the green hut

Monday, 4 November 2013

Four Things in Hanoi

This was a trip to climb Mt. Fansipan, near Sapa in Vietnam. Has been labelled amongst others:-
- Highest mountain in Vietnam
- Highest mountain in IndoChina
- Highest mountain in mainland ( see how it's qualified heh heh ) South East Asia

At 3,143m, its still 952m below Mt Kinabalu 4,095m. That's story for another day.
As in every trip, there are new discoveries. Highlight 4 below.

1) Drip Coffee With a Twist
Is it my imagination or the trend to enjoy drip-coffee in Hanoi is waning. On my first trip to Hanoi in 2008, drip coffee was fairly common. On 2 recent trips, coffee is pre-dripped and served in a glass. Of course, I appreciate the economic benefit of serving pre-dripped coffee. Coffee shop owners with their limited floor space can enjoy a higher turnover of customers. The time taken for a full brew of coffee to drip through does take time.

Making sure we did not miss any drop

Warm bowl of water to hold coffee

After our celebratory Fansipan lunch at the Nature Bar & Grill in Sapa, we ordered the usual Vietnamese coffee. It was served traditionally in drip form but with a twist. The glass for coffee was placed in a bowl of warm water. What a wonderful idea to keep coffee warm while waiting for the last drop of goodness to flow through. This, perhaps, was to counter Sapa's cool climate and the tradition of drinking strong brews hot rather than cold.

2) Pho at Cafe Truyen at Bat Dan Street

This is the best pho that I have had in Vietnam. Recommended by our hotel bell hop, we walked from Ma May Street to Bat Dan Street, about 15 minutes away. The queue was there and we knew we were on to something good.

Sure sign of good food

At 49 Bat Dan street

Large crowd but respectful queue

Cafe Nguyen serves great coffee

My friend noticed that pho was being served to patrons at Cafe 47 next door. He sign-languaged, while we queued. Upon confirmation that we could order pho from within Cafe 47, we dashed indoors. Note price could be a shade higher. Another visit when Typhoon Haiyan's was buffeting Vietnam, the price charged was a bit lower.

Best eaten on a rainy day with Chinese crullers, yu tiao

Notice the froth ...

What stood out with this pho was the generous dash of aromatic Chinese parsley and spring onions.

3) Morning Glory served with Beef at Ly Quoc Su Street

The dish does not look impressive but the texture, crunch and taste was really good. The morning glory looked like thin angel hair spinach pasta. Garnished on top were crushed peanuts and stir fried beef. Actually, the dish is a textural play of vegetable, legume and meat, highlighted by some tangy citrus sauce. Simple but highly recommended. Shop located on Ly Quoc Su Street.

Morning glory dish in all its simplicity

Shop on little black caption LyQuocSu

4) Mung Beans Dessert & Cold Grass Jelly

After our pho brunch, it was street desserts. This one we had was mung beans with sweetened red beans. It was served warm. Other combinations looked like corn, black glutinous and glutinous rice balls. Best to share as it was quite filling if eaten by one person. The grass jelly with lotus seeds drink was served cold. A good thirst quencher after a long day's walk around the Old Quarters.

Common desserts found along Old Quarters

End product

Options and add-ons

Saturday, 3 December 2011

Cycled Hoa Lu and Rowed Tam Coc

Entry into the old capital of Hoa Lu

Beginning our ride from Hoa Lu

We booked a standard day package to Hoa Lu and Tam Coc. This trip, we shopped and got a better offer at USD$21/ person. 3 months earlier, we paid a princely sum of USD$31/ person. In all fairness, lunch was better with more dishes on the first trip. You get what you paid for - period.

After 3 hours on the road and one pee stop, we arrived at the ancient capital of Hoa Lu. After our guided tour, we booked a 1-hour bicycle ride to Tam Coc. There were 8 of us from the group that took the challenge, the rest continued to Tam Coc by coach. My youngest and me represented the family.

The view before us

Started slow and easy

The bicycle ride was casual and self paced. There were hardly any traffic on the main road and we absorbed ourselves with views of the surrounding vistas. Our guide rode pillion on a motorcycle and lead us to a nearby village. He gave us some basic direction through the village and left us to find our way to Tam Coc.

Altar with etched rifles on its tablet

No paint and wide opened doors

We rode passed quaint little houses, doors wide opened, unpainted and left to the elements. That gave it a rustic and laid back feeling. Embedded on limestone walls were altars for worshipping or perhaps tombstones. There were two rifles etched on the tablet and hence more likely a memorial of their war dead. The one pictured below was more likely a grave with burnt joss sticks, flowers and incense.

We cycled passed lily ponds with brackish waters. Not too sure whether fish was farmed here but it did not teemed with life when we rode passed. By this time I was last in the bicycle caravan and needed to catch up with the rest.

Flat boat on lily pond

Grave site ?

My bicycle chain came off its cog a couple of times, causing me to be left further behind. Following the main trail, I finally reached the village of Van Lam.

Getting our bearings

The final leg to Van Lam

Lunch was a simple "three course meal" namely fried spring rolls, prawns and cucumber salad. Drinks were not included in this package. Ordered my customary Vietnamese coffee for my caffeine boost. Needed that booster for my Ngo Dong River adventure.

Lunch spread

Waiting for the boat

Boats awaiting passengers

Rowers jockeying for business

Rowing Tam Coc aka 'Halong Bay on Land' began at Van Lam village. Tourists lined the steep pier to await their rides.There were more than a hundred boats moored nearby. These were 10 footer flat bedded boats that usually load four passengers with one or two rowers in tandem.

Harvesting snails

Gateway to Ngo Dong river

Snail gatherers everywhere

Ducks waiting for scraps

Snails must be a delicacy here

Idyllic village scenes greeted us at the beginning. The river was a source of life, providing water to wash, clean and look for food. Domesticated ducks swam about looking for scraps. The water was clear and we could see lush river weeds growing beneath the waters. A metal bridge overhead doubles as the gateway to Ngo Dong River, a lazy flowing river.

See a galloping horse?

Mushroom

We were supposed to pass 3 caves namely Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba ( Cave One, Two and Tgree respectively ). The first cave was the longest and darkest. It was supposed to be 125m long and 2m high. Claustrophobia set in within the first 30m and was glad to see light at the end of the tunnel.

There were many other boats and expect bottle necks at the entry point of the caves. Exiting the third cave, we made our return leg of the journey. Here, we were encouraged to buy drinks or fruits from the floating boats which were in wait.