BFFs in Hanoi - setting off

We planned the trip months ago and to have the day roll around brought immense joy to me! The girls and I were high school friends (24 years and counting!) and our last trip was to BKK 2+ years ago. On this morning, we met just as the sun was rising and checked in. We had a leisurely, simple breakfast of coffee and toast then walked around browsing cosmetics, alcohol and the usuals, as one does when we have time. With no kids in tow. WOOT!

Pre-depature

The flight was nice - best way to fly, Singapore Airlines! I caught a movie, an in-flight meal and a 15-minute short snooze... and it's welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam! We have never been to Vietnam before, and it was an existing trip for us to explore new territories together.


Upon arrival, we caught our transfer to hotel and got to the hotel 1 hour pre-checkin time. We dropped our baggage at the concierge and went in search of food. We found this quaint little street with food stalls and settled on one.

Being led up to the seating area

Our al fresco balcony seating

We had our first taste of local pho which was so awesome! The air was smoggy (not sure if it was from the pollution or the cold) but temperature was just right. Match that with our hot, soupy noodle soup - yummmm. We saw a supermarket and went in to get some stuff - beers, snacks, water... then we headed back to the hotel.

Mandatory tourist shot

The hotel was a 5-star hotel that really met our standards. It was clean, spacious and kept us very comfortable our entire stay. While we lazed on our beds, the BFFs started to research on what we could do that afternoon. We read some blogs and decided on some of their recommendations. Credit for most of our first afternoon in Hanoi goes to this writer.


It was about a 15-min stroll towards the old quarters, but it felt super nice and comfy in the cool temperature. We found our way with our trusty map that we took from our hotel, and the bestie had scribbled some places to go to and off we went. First stop, ice-cream with the motorbikes.

Scoops

Open garage space behind us

It was tasty, but slightly sugary for me. I liked the feel though, as I swear 70% of traffic on the roads were motorbikes. The locals could ride right up to the space and park to eat. Very quaint. With our cones in hand, we headed down the streets of Hanoi, heading towards the old quarters.

Streets of Hanoi

Park - wedding shoot sighted

Park - open, badminton area!

I said it before and I'll say it again, the cool weather really made the walk so enjoyable! We did not feel gross or sweaty, and had no issues just strolling along taking in sights. Truly a best time to travel during spring-type-temperature; though I think Hanoi is generally cool due to their geographic location. We were heading towards our next destination: rabbit-hole.

creepy.

OK, it wasn't that creepy. The shophouses along the streets were pretty much all quite old and rustic, and everything is truly tiny. The buildings were low-rise, there were only a handful of tall buildings, the walkways were squeezy...



Coffee spot.

It seemed quite natural that we ventured down a tiny corridor to locate our egg coffee. Vietnamese coffee is known to be pretty thick and this discovery was something additionally so because it was a mix of egg white and rich coffee, pretty much like a liquid tiramisu. Slightly sweet for my liking, but still a tasty local delicacy worth trying.

Us, trying our best to fit in with the short furniture

Egg Coffee

After coffee, we continued down the streets in search of our next relaxation spot - the spa.

Typical roadside view - graffiti-filled walls and tiny, tiny chairs

This spa was recommended and it was truly a great experience. The girls spent their hour being kneaded, and I used the hour to descale my skin. I emerged with less dead skin on my fingers and toes - it was truly a worthwhile hour spent.


After this pampering, we walked across the road to have dinner. It was a quaint, roadside store that served beer and local fare of fried wings, spring rolls and it was truly an enjoyable night.

Bemused by tiny furniture - I struggled with where to put my legs.

Dinner

We ended the night by walking back to the hotel, having a night-cap at the hotel bar/club. It was super windy and cold, we needed the alcohol to keep warm! Did I mention already that the weather was truly lovely?


We retired that night tired from the long day, but fulfilled in our tummies and hearts. Lovely day 1!