Malacca has always been on my list of travels for a long time. I really wanted to visit one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Malaysia. The place is about 2-3 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur and it was just my luck to have found cheap flights to Malaysia's capital on my rest day. I contemplated about buying it or not but eventually I did.
I arrived at Malacca at around 3pm and just dropped my bag at the hotel. Time was running fast so I immediately went out to explore the place. On the way to the center, rows and rows of Sino-Portuguese inspired houses were lining the one way street.
At long last, I am able to personally see Chirst Church Melaka. This is an 18th century Anglican Church in the city of Malacca. It is said to be the oldest functioning Protestant Church in Malaysia.
There were lots of colourful trishaws parking near the Church. Surely it would be fun to ride in one of those but I opted to walk.
The view on the bridge heading to Jonker's Street. This is the Malacca River which flows through the Malacca City. This was a vital trade route during the heyday of Malacca Sultanate during the 15th Century. I saw the Malacca River Cruise gliding along the river and through most of the old town area.
It was around 5 in the afternoon when I stepped on Jonker's Street. It was a weekend and the stalls for the night markets were being prepared little by little. This is where I got to eat a lot of stuff that I haven't had time to take pictures of. I was either too excited to eat or too hungry from all the walking. All I can remember was the dishes I tasted were delicious and I was full after every meal. :)
We climbed up to the summit of St. Paul's summit and found St. Paul's Church. This is a historic church building that was originally built in 1521 making it the oldest Church building in Malaysia.
The building at my back is the surviving gate of the A Famosa, a Portuguese fortress located in Malacca. It is among the oldest surviving European architectural remains in South East Aisa.
I decided to wear red on the day I went there. Most of the buildings in the City Center were also red, I could have easily camouflaged :-P
This was my first out of the country trip for 2016. So glad to have achieved one on my bucket list. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!.
One of the things I wanted to try out during our trip in Chiang Mai was having their famed Khantoke Dinner. This is a tradition in the Northern part of Thailand. The term comes from the work Khan Tok which is a pedestal tray used as a small dining table by the Lanna people in the North. It's a short round table with several legs made of wood. It can hold cups of rice, other food, flowers, candles and fruit.
For this activity, I again sought out the help of Travel Hub Chiang Mai to arrange for us. It was fast and easy to book with them. After paying 650THB per adult via card, we were emailed our voucher for the Khantoke Dinner and Thai Dance Show at Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center.
We were picked up at our hotel at 7pm sharp and taken to the place. We had to line up before we can fully enter the place as we had to show our confirmed voucher.
While walking towards the dining hall, we found a lot of stores selling food and souvenirs to the guests. It was nice to stop for a minute but we had to hurry off because dinner was waiting.
Before going into the dining area, we had to leave our shoes on this counter. This was done because most of the guests were asked to sit on the floor.
Some guests were already ahead of us and were starting to enjoy their meal. Found rows of padded seats while going to our assigned ones.
This was how our seats looked like. I took a photo of the empty slot on our side.
Table 41 with our plates being readied and fried bananas to munch on while waiting for the meal.
Our seats were quite far from the middle part where the dance was to be held, but it was fine.
In just a few minutes, our table was set and food such as Thai Pork Curry, Thai Fried Chicken, Fried Cabbage, Thai Sticky Rice and Fried Bananas were served. By the way, drinks are not included in the meal and was to be paid separately on site.
Halfway from eating, the Thai Cultural Dance Show started.
The dancers also asked guests to participate in one of the dance. Some were more than happy to do so but some refused. I would have been happy to dance and participate but I was shy with all the people around.
After dinner and paying for our drinks, we were asked to come outside of the dining hall. I thought that the show was over but then there were also dances prepared for us outside.
I took a short video of the solo Fire Dance.
It was a great evening for us as we experienced traditional Lanna Dining as well as seeing hill tribes showcasing their Traditional Dance. I'm happy I tried this out on my visit to Chiang Mai. I hope you do take time for this if you'd decide to visit. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog! :)
The main reason I wanted to set foot in Hanoi is that it is close to Halong Bay with just 3.5 hours of travel by road. Modern road infrastructure and convenient transport has made the bay easier to reach but there is no tourist train line connecting both places. Halong Bay is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites which features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes.
Before I came to Hanoi, I researched on a lot of websites to compare prices for a 1 day Halong Bay Tour. I've read that there are a lot of travel agents in Ha Noi, too which are cheaper than the website prices. I planned to buy one upon my arrival to the city.
True enough, the minute I set foot in Hoan Kiem District, where my hotel was located, travel agencies can be seen almost at every corner of the street. It was exciting to see a lot of them and so I immediately bought one at the nearest shop. It was only afterwards that I realized I bought a quite an expensive one (30 USD). I chided myself for being an impulsive buyer even though I researched well beforehand. Anyways, since I already bought the ticket I just hoped for the best.
The next day, I was picked up at my hotel at exactly 7:45am. The guide took me to a waiting mini bus that can seat 25 persons. Seconds later, a Korean guy sat next to me. We became friends within the 3 hour drive to Halong Bay. As the trip was long, there was a quick stop break for 20 minutes. We were able to stretch our legs, get some snacks and go to the toilet.
Arrival at Halong Bay was at 12nn. We were asked to board a boat and which cruised through the emerald waters between the limestone outcrops while enjoying seafood lunch. Food was not great but ok. Most guests finished their meal in a few minutes. All of us then went up to the second floor of the boat to view the amazing sight and take a lot of photos.
More islets on the horizon.
Part of the itinerary was to have kayaking or boating. Some guests opted to kayak around the islands. I paid for the smaller boat and not the kayaking. Kayaking takes a lot of effort and I think it would have robbed me the time to stare and enjoy the surroundings. I was happy I chose the boat. There were 2 women with me together with a boat driver.
Taken while we are nearing the cave.
While inside the cove.
After this, we cruised again for about 20 minutes and arrived at Thien Cung Cave. The name means cave of the Heavenly Palace and is known for its stalagmites and stalactites. The cave was opened to the public in 1998. It was fun to walk and explore it. Our guide was very enthusiastic to show us the stalactites and stalagmites that looked like something from the imagination.
#Relationship Goals :)
Upon exiting the cave, we found a view point offering this.
We arrived at Halong Harbor at around 1730H and finally in Hanoi at 2000H. I finished the day with a barbecue ribs dinner with a new found friend whom I met during the cruise.
If given the chance, I'd love to come back to Halong Bay and this time try the 2 days 1 night cruise that the agents offered. Hopefully in the future. Thank you for reading and 'til my next blog!
Before going to Hanoi, I researched about some locals who could show me around. I found out about Hanoi Ebuddies online and emailed them regarding my wish. They had a buddy available to show me around on the day I was there. We agreed that my buddy would get me from my hotel. This is a wonderful way for them to showcase their city and in the process practice their English speaking skills. In exchange for their time, I will have to shoulder both me and my buddies' food, entrance and transportation fees.
Tracy, my buddy for the day, fetched me from my hotel and we went straight to Hoan Kiem Lake because it was very near.
This lake is one of the major scenic spots in the city and its name means Lake of the Restored Sword. According to the legend, their Emperor was asked for his magic sword by a Golden Turtle God in this lake.
The lake serves as the focal point of the city's public life. It is surrounded by stores and one of them is the Sinh Tourist, a trusted agent for Vietnam tours.
I also saw a big shopping mall in the vicinity.
This is the statue of Ly Thai To. He was the emperor who relocated the imperial capital from Hoa Lu to Ha Noi. He is generally viewed as the founder of of the city of Ha Noi.
This is a specific street selling footwear. It was an amazing sight of different colored shoes. Surely shoppers here would be confused with all the choices.
Walking and sightseeing was tiring. My buddy decided we can have a small snack at this road side restaurant that sold Banh Mi. This is the Vietnamese term for all kinds of bread. The vendors would wait for the customers to let them know what filling they wish along with native Vietnamese ingredients such as cilantro, cucumber or carrots.
This is Tracy and I after we had our snacks.
After eating, we walked towards Dong Xuan Market. This is a large, nontouristy market with hundreds of stalls that sell clothes and souvenirs.
It was fun walking around the very narrow area between stalls and discovering the items they were selling. It was here that I found fridge magnets to bring home to my friends.
Our next stop was Hoa Lo Prison. This was a prison used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners. The entrance fee here is 30,000VND (1.34 USD).
The sign reads - Hoa Lo Prison - Historically, one of the biggest and highest- security prisons in Indochina.
Mannequins were in place to show how the prisoners were kept with their feet chained. Also, there were stories and depictions on how the prisoners were brutally tortured.
My first time to see a guillotine. This is one of the 2 guillotines that the French colonialist used to behead revolutionary patriotic soldiers.
After going around the prison-turned-museum, my buddy and I decided that we should try riding the public bus. I was excited to do so. We waited at a bus stop and hopped on one. I forgot how much the fare was but I know it was cheap.
We got back to Ha Noi old quarter and took some more photos of the sights there.
She took me to a place famous for egg coffee. Most of the cafes were visible from the street but this was quite hidden. Only a narrow entrance can be seen from the street and we had to climb two flights of stairs. Inside were low tables and chairs and people busily talking with each other. She ordered the hot egg coffee for me which looked like this.
She also ordered the cold version of the coffee for herself. She allowed me to take a sip. It was a good idea so that I can taste the difference. No wonder people who visited Hanoi raved about their egg coffee. It's truly the tastiest and unique coffee I've tasted. This is our obligatory selfie showing us with our coffee and the menu of the store behind us.
The entrance of the cafe with their name on it.
We then headed to the Water Puppet Theater. Thankfully we were able to secure tickets and only had to wait for about 20 minutes before the show started. Entrance fee per person ranged from 60,000-100,000VND (2.69- 4.5 USD).
Different ticket prices were advertised depending on how near one is to the stage. The seats nearer the stage were already sold out and so we decided to get the farther ones. The people were asked to sit in their respective seat numbers and when everyone was seated the show started.
This is a short clip that I got while watching the show. It ran for almost an hour and some of the puppet's performance were about the Dragon dance, Buffalo boy playing the flute, catching frogs, fishing and chasing the fox that tries to catch ducks. Although the show was written and spoken in Vietnamese language of which I hardly understood, my buddy tried explaining some for me. Nevertheless, it was an interesting and entertaining sight.
After the show, we went back to see more of Hoan Kiem Lake at night.
The red gate at my back was already locked by the time we were there. It was unfortunate that I did not get a chance to walk on the red bridge. Nevertheless, it was a long and busy afternoon and I was already happy to have done so much. I,m sure there are other amazing and exciting things to see and do in Ha Noi. I hope I can come back in the future. So, that's it for my afternoon at Hanoi. Thank you and 'til my next blog! :)
