Photo of the Week: Halong Bay

This is one of my favorite photos captured from my recent trip to Vietnam. It was taken in Halong Bay, which has been on my bucket list since I first heard about it. The place was stunning, and exceeded the expectations I had for it.

This photo shows, in just a little bit of space, how amazing the place is. It's filled with limestone karsts and mountains. The ones you can see in the background are shrouded in mist and ghost-like. The whole place felt a little unreal, but I would be content to just sit on a deck and cruise around that harbor for ages.

This photo was taken on a stormy morning with the wind whipping around and gray skies everywhere. Luckily, it was the morning we headed back from Cat Ba Island to the mainland, so I had already experienced two full days with amazing skies and didn't have to worry about being caught in the storm.

Vietnamese Food Highlight: Egg Coffee

This is a Vietnamese specialty called egg coffee. It's basically exactly what it sounds like -- coffee mixed with raw egg. It's a little bit more complicated than that though: egg yolks are beaten with sugar, butter, and coffee until stiff, then served on top of the remaining cup of coffee. According to Buzzfeed, this stuff tastes like "liquid tiramisu." 

When I first heard about this, I was a little bit scared. Who drinks raw egg in coffee?! But I also knew that I had to try it, so I ordered one at my favorite coffee shop in Hanoi, The Hanoi Social Club. 

After I received mine, I stirred it all together and took a gulp. It was incredibly delicious -- thick, creamy, and rich. Coffee in general in Vietnam is the most delightful I have ever tasted, so I could only expect that this would be just as amazing. And it was! If you are ever in Hanoi, be sure to check out this special coffee item. As far as I can tell, it is only served in the north, but I wouldn't be surprised if the recipe floated down to Ho Chi Minh because it is so popular.

Hanoi: Traffic You Have to Pray In

Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying Hanoi. I really am.

The only thing that is, um, not so enjoyable, is the feeling of risking my life every time I cross the street. There are a few intersections governed by lights, but for the most part the roads seem to basically be a free for all. There are very few stop lights or stop signs, which means that there is never a pause in the mass of traffic. This is true even in side streets where there is two-way traffic on a narrow, essentially one-lane road.

To cross the street, you just have to step out into traffic (there are no breaks), keep a steady pace as you walk across, and hope for the best. Sometimes I utter a little prayer under my breath and try to keep myself from getting too worried. I think that crossing the street would be better blindfolded because you wouldn't be able to see all of the cars, cyclos, and motorbikes coming at you!

All of the motorbike drivers are used to driving around pedestrians, so they magically part around you so you can cross safely. It's like walking through a swarm of bees, and it kind of sounds like one too. If you stop or slow down, you are much more likely to get hit. Drivers are also constantly honking, so if they fear you might change pace or something they will honk so that you know they are there. I really dig Hanoi, but I couldn't live here simply because of the noise of everyone constantly honking their horns.

Seriously, the traffic is crazy. But I'm used to it now.

If you think the video I took was a fluke, watch this compilation:

Vietnamese Food Highlight: Banh Mi

One of the things I love about Vietnam is the fact that they have an amazing array of delicious, flavorful foods. Perhaps the most famous and known around the world is the banh mi. It might look like a simple sandwich, but it is so much more than that. The banh mi is one of the most ubiquitous food items to be found in Hanoi, and that is because it is quick, tasty, and cheap (you can usually get one for about 20,000 dong, which roughly translates to 1 USD). For someone on a budget, this is a perfect lunch item that can be found incredibly easily around the city.

 After a bit of research, I decided to check out Banh Mi 25. It's gotten amazing reviews online, and I can completely understand why. It's a small little food stall, and it features the typical tiny tables and stools to sit at while you eat. They offer a free glass of iced tea with your sandwich, as well as a free banana for dessert. When you get to the stall, they'll ask you what kind of sandwich you would like. I opted for jambon (ham), but there are four options that range from 20,000 to 25,000 dong. The owner kindly asked about every ingredient to make sure I got exactly what I wanted. What you see in the picture below is everything they have to offer -- meats, carrots, cucumber, cilantro (coriander for the non-Americans), pate, and chili sauce.

The entire Banh Mi 25 restaurant.

Finished banh mi. Doesn't necessarily look that impressive, but it was fantastic.

YASSSS.

This was BY FAR the best $1 lunch I have ever eaten.

If you are looking for the restaurant, it's located at 25 Hang Ca (between Thuoc Bac and Cha Ca). 

It's small, so be sure to be on the lookout for the small cart!

Great eats, super cheap -- this is just one reason why I am loving Hanoi!

Photo of the Week: Bird Nest Soda

This is one thing I will absolutely NOT be drinking any time soon: Bird's Nest Soda. 

If you can't see the picture, it is advertised as a "white fungus drink" that is 20.5 g/L white fungus, and 1 mg/L bird's nest.

Edible bird's nests are kind of a thing here in Asia because they are very rare. 

It's called "the caviar of the East."

Andrew Zimmerman, a man known for trying strange foods, is apparently a fan: "I love nests harvested near the ocean. They offer a sea-salty, briny flavor (the birds eat primarily saltwater fish, the nests are full of their saliva, spewdom, and droppings. It only makes sense that the nests would taste of the sea!)

You can find little jars of them in many grocery stores, and it is seen as a luxury item.  It is usually served as a thick soup in countries like Hong Kong, and this is the first I have ever heard of it being available in liquid form. Apparently the cost of just one bowl of bird's nest soup costs anywhere from $30-100 in Hong Kong.

Not every kind of bird's nest is edible -- the ones sold for consumption are created by swiftlets using solidified saliva. That's right people, some pay big bucks to ingest bird spit. According to those that regularly ingest this product, they do so because it has a high nutritional value and great taste. I've tried some weird things in my day, but I think I'll pass on this one despite the rave reviews. 

Would any of you be brave enough to try it?