Hanoi, Vietnam: Hoàn Kiêm Lake

One of the first things I like to do in a new city is find a place to relax. In Hanoi, this would have to be Hoàn Kiêm Lake. It's in the center of the Old Quarter and is a cultural hotspot in the city. It's a beautiful place: the park features a walking path around a large lake that is always green, lots of shade and benches, and bush sculptures around. Although I haven't seen any yet, apparently the lake is filled with tortoises (which is an unusual feature of lakes in Vietnam). In the mornings it is filled with older citizens practicing Tai Chi and exercising. By night it's filled with couples and groups of friends socializing.

Hoàn Kiêm Lake can roughly be translated to "Lake of the Returned Sword." Apparently, Emperor Le Loi had once been given a magic sword named "Heaven's Will" when he was leading a revolt against the Chinese Ming Dynasty. He named it this because it was a gift from heaven, specifically the Dragon King. After he used the sword to win the revolt, he was confronted by a Golden Turtle God asking for it back. Without hesitation, the Emperor threw his sword back into the lake to return it to the local god that had given it to him. In the center of the lake is a tiny island which is home to Turtle Tower. It actually kind of looks like a turtle, and everything is gorgeous when lit up at night.

For me, it's a central point. I spend a little bit of time here each day, and before I head back to the hotel I just sit and relax in the park. Just a warning if you're planning on a visit -- on weekends it is swarmed by college students and English clubs filled with people that stop every foreigner they see so that they can practice their English. I like the idea of it, but it got a little annoying that I couldn't take five steps without someone trying to get my attention. It's much more calm during the week!

Deer bushes!

Lots of deer bushes!

Beautiful gardens are constantly tended by ladies in conical hats.

Turtle Tower!

The park is gorgeous.

The Huc Bridge, which leads to a temple named Den Ngoc Sun. I didn't go into the temple -- it was crowded
and I have seen so many temples that I didn't feeling I was missing out.

Entrance to the temple.

A pagoda outside the temple.

The bridge at night -- stunning.

The bridge and temple.

The entire path around the lake is lit up like this night.

I'm in Hanoi, Vietnam!

Hey guys, I'm in Vietnam! I've been here before -- I visited Ho Chi Minh (in the southern part of the country) November 2013. I'm back again to visit the older northern part. I plan to be here for the next two weeks, and in that time I hope to visit Ha Long Bay (filled with amazing limestone formations, beaches, caves, and kayaking opportunities) as well as Sapa (a city in the mountains largely populated by hill tribes, Sapa is also known for its beauty and practice of rice terracing). I was supposed to check out Ha Long bay tomorrow, but seeing as a tropical storm is on its way, I'll have to wait out the bad weather before I can go.

I spent my first full day wandering around the city. I'm staying at a great little place called Hanoi Merci Hotel. Normally I book hostels in an effort to save money, but this place was in my price range and it's located near Hoan Kiem Lake, which is in the Old Quarter. If anyone is searching for a hotel in which to stay in Hanoi, I definitely recommend this place. The staff has been incredibly helpful, you get to choose your complimentary breakfast off an actual menu, and it's very conveniently located. Almost everything I want to see is in walking distance, so I decided to splurge a bit and stay in a proper hotel (with a bathtub! -- sadly, this feature quite rare in Asia).

I did not plan to see much today because I will be here for a full two weeks. I think that this is the longest I have dedicated to any city that I haven't lived in, so I'm trying to stretch out my time so I can do just a little every day.

While I have absolutely enjoyed my time here so far, I can say that I was a bit shocked by how overbearing some of the vendors trying to sell things can be. I've only been here a day, and about 10 ladies have tried to shove a donut in my hand so I will sample it and buy from them. And last night I was walking in search of a restaurant when a lady stopped me, shoved one of those double baskets on a pole on my shoulder, stuck a rice hat on my head, took a picture (with her own phone) and then handed me a couple bags pineapple and demanded money from me. It was so unexpected I could not stop the picture from happening, and I can admit that I guiltily bought a single bag of the fruit (but I did haggle the price down). Walking through the park this morning, I was stopped every five minutes by strangers that wanted to practice their English. I appreciated the effort they were making and enjoyed meeting new people, but after a bit it became frustrating because I just wanted to get to my destination.

Life is good though! I walked around all day, ate some Indian food, drank the most amazing cup of coffee I have ever had, and finished reading a book. Here are some pictures from my wander:

Men in military uniforms are everywhere!

The stereotypical rice hat, for sale at pretty much every tourist shop.

These are cyclos, one of the most common forms of transportation here.
You sit in the front, and the person taking you around sits on the back and pedals.
They're typically rented out for hours at a time rather than a one-way ride like a taxi.
Always agree on the price BEFORE sitting down in one of these!

Vietnam is well known for its amazing coffee.
This cup features the best tasting coffee I have ever had.
It was strong, yet chocolatey, and I can assure you that it packed a punch of
caffeine despite its small size (yes, this is the full cup as it was served to me.)

Indira Gandhi park. It was filled with kids playing (many were attempting to rollerskate)and families just hanging out. 

This statue is dedicated to the founder and first king of the Lu Dynasty, which ruled from 1009 to 1225 AD.
He is the one responsible for moving the capital to Thang Long, which is very close to Hanoi.
The move led to Hanoi being found and becoming the present-day capital city.

Typical restaurant -- a tiny kitchen and outdoor tables with tiny stools.
And oh yeah, the chickens that are eventually on your plate wander the sidewalks.

Bikes serve as makeshift shops. I saw many, many bikes that had platters of fruit on the back that was for sale.

Thai Food Highlight: Khao Soi

One of the best things about Thailand is the rich food the country has to offer. One of the best dishes I have tried is called khao soi. It's a coconut-curry noodle soup, usually served with chicken. It tastes spicy yet sweet, is slightly creamy from the coconut, and it has many complicated layers of taste. The noodles are Chinese -- they're eggy, stretchy, and made of wheat. This curry is topped with a nest of crispy fried noodles and comes with a side of vegetables and chili paste that you can add to make it even more spicy.

One of the most delicious dishes in the world.

Mine came with a side of chili paste, raw onions, pickled onions, and lime.

If you ever make your way to Thailand, this is definitely a dish that should be at the top of the list of new food to try. Khao soi is a spicy, creamy mix of flavors that will quickly get you hooked! The best place to find an authentic restaurant is in the north of Thailand, specifically Chiang Mai.

In Thailand, it's typical for just a spoon and fork to be the utensils given out for any given meal. So you eat with the spoon in your dominant hand, fork in the other. You use the fork to put stuff on your spoon, then just use that to eat.

Khao soi, however, is served with chopsticks and a soup spoon. If you're not used to eating with chopsticks, this meal can get a bit tricky. So, you have to use the chopsticks with your dominant hand, and you use them to put some noodles and chicken and other stuff on the spoon. You then make sure there's a bit of broth on your spoon and shove it in your face because it's so delicious. If you can't easily maneuver with chopsticks, this meal can get quite complicated! It is so, so worth it though. I highly recommend eating this if you ever find yourself in northern Thailand!

Holi Hai in Busan

My two-month vacation ended quite some time ago, but I'm still doing a bit of catch-up on the blogs.

One of the best things that I did while in South Korea was attending the annual Holi Hai festival in Busan. The festival itself is Indian, and the entire event was organized by a group called Indians in Korea. The group basically tries to raise awareness of the cultural heritage, one of which is this particular festival

Holi Hai, otherwise known as the Festival of Colors, celebrates the coming of spring, the joy of friendship, and equality for all. People who attend are encouraged to wear white (so the colors show up better) and clothes that you don't mind will get ruined. The colors symbolize happiness, love, and the freedom to live vibrantly.

The festival in Busan happens every year on beautiful Haeundae Beach. You have to register before the event, and when you arrive you receive a samosa, a coke, and a packet of brightly colored powder. There's live music, dancing, street food, and booze everywhere. I think the Koreans that went to the beach to sunbathe were just a tiny bit confused by the giant, brightly colored festival happening on their favorite spot to hang out. It was a great day -- the weather was beautiful, I was with some of my favorite people, and I got to experience a festival that I have wanted to attend for ages. All in all, a great day!

These are the packets that contain the brightly colored powder we threw at each other.
Libby and I had not really gotten into the fray yet.

Two of the best ladies I have ever met, Ally (from Wisconsin!) and Coral.
This was after we really got into the color throwing.

Korea Reunion!
I cannot even explain how excited I was to see these ladies again.

Libby going into warrior mode.

Libby and a new friend, Kelsen. We had tons of fun together!

Attempted action shot...

Pure happy.

Sukhothai Historical Park

This past weekend I was finally able to tear myself away from Nakhonsawan and take a weekend trip to nearby Sukhothai. The city was once the capital of the Kingdom of Siam (Thailand's former name) during the 13th and 14th centuries. The site houses temples, stupas, and spires that once paid homage to both Hinduism and Buddhism. The city has been influenced by the countries and kingdoms surrounding it, and it has a unique style that is (understandably) labeled Sukhothai style. Stone inscriptions found at the site are also examples of the first Thai writing. The city is a world UNESCO site, so I knew it must be impressive. I was completely blown away by everything there, and would highly recommend a visit if anyone finds themselves in the northern part of Thailand.

Travel here does not mean that a lot of planning needs to be done beforehand. I made the decision that I wanted to go away for the weekend, then proceeded to not book anything ahead of time or look for accommodations. This actually worked out perfectly. I went to the bus station early on Saturday morning, and got a ticket for the next bus leaving for Sukhothai. Then I simply waited for my bus to arrive--there's usually a number on the ticket that corresponds to the bus you should get on. After a two and a half hour journey, I arrived at Sukhothai. When I got off the bus, I was surrounded by tuk tuk drivers trying to get a fare. They tried to overcharge me, and I soon found a songthaew (this is the Thai version of a bus: it's a pickup truck that has benches in the back and a roof that covers it). It was going to the Old City, which is the area I wanted to stay in, and it cost much less than a private tuk tuk or taxi would have cost.

I didn't have any lodgings set up, so I decided to get off the songthaew in the old city whenever the surroundings started to look interesting. When I hopped off, I saw a couple of stupas on one side of the street and found a cheap hostel on the other. It's low season for tourists right now, so I scored my own room (at Old City Guesthouse) with air conditioning for 350 baht (about $12; usually these rooms cost much more). After finding a home base, I decided to go out and explore. There were a few awesome restaurants and coffee shops about a minute's walk away from my room, and I discovered that the Historical Park was about 5 minutes away from there. Pretty astounding that I had found a place so close when I didn't even really know where the Park was.

I spent the next two days renting a bicycle and biking around the city. It only cost about 50 baht (less than $2) to rent a bike for the entire day, and it was 100 baht (about $3) to get into the park. I saw ruins, Buddha statues, Hindu statues, stupas, temples, and ruins galore. It was a nice, relaxing weekend (albeit quite hot; temperatures were typically above 100 degrees).

I took a ton of pictures, and I think that they will do better job of describing the beauty of this place much better than any words can: