Last day in Hanoi and I spent the entire day… walking. From 0940 till 1640, I did not sit down at all.
Breakfast at the hotel was pho, and I asked for two eggs boiled. After my boiled eggs, I was excited to see if the hotel could do it. I wasn’t disappointed.
I walked from hotel to the HCM Mausoleum area. I only wanted to check out the museum (25,000VND) but somehow got into the line for the mausoleum that snaked around the entire complex. I got out quick.
The museum I would say is odd. It’s like part history, part 70s look, part Sputnik landed in here, part cultural, part artistic. It was just odd. I felt like I was in a dream.
Nearby, I found this market at a street called Ngoc Ha, that was so narrow and had these bends in the road that allowed me to take many photos.
I went on to West Lake again, and looked for Phu Yen street, which we whizzed past yesterday on the way back and I saw this bird shop that wanted to see again. Either it was closed, or I missed it. There were other bird shops. But not as crazy as the one I saw.
Then I returned by another lane and walked Truc Bach and the other side of the lake. It wasn’t as nice, as rich or as clean as West Lake.
Looking, for a bakery called Thu Huong on 41 Phan Dinh Phuong, wasn’t too excited by it, and started to return back to the hotel. That was about 1535.
But on Ly Nam De street, I got a bit distracted. I found another bakery there called Gia Trinh which has been around since 1946. Here, I saw a sesame ball that everyone was eating. Banh Ran 2,000VND.
I crunched into one and it was lovely. Crisp. Thin rice flour outer skin. Then chewy. Oh it was good. I think the ball inside must be made of mung bean or something. I dunno. It was good. I wanted another. I should’ve had another. I regret not having another.
Along this street, I also saw a bird cage shop.
Getting to the end of Ly Nam De street, I knew I faced a difficult junction and I had to get onto the correct street in order to get back to the hotel. Not only did I make all the right choices, I came upon the first bakery I’d chanced on the first day in Hanoi. Anh Hoa, a French bakery. I picked up some bread.
From there, I started recognising my way back and got back to the hotel at 1640.
An hour’s rest, and I was on the hunt for food.
Mien Luon (35,000VND) at 87 Hang Dieu street. Eel was chewy rather than crisp. But maybe I ordered the wrong version. Should have asked for fried, I’m guessing it’s Xao. I had the Trong, which I’m guessing means soup. Glass vermicelli. Broth was sweet-ish and the leaves – I think they’re laksa leaves. Quite okay. Want to try the fried version next time.
Tried to find some bun cha which is more an afternoon thing, and the two addresses I had: one was closed, the other was cleaning up. I was too late. I should’ve gone straight to eat, rather than resting at the hotel.
More walking and I was back where Hang Bong meets Cua Nam streets and I read this guy’s recommendation for bread. I just pointed at someone’s bowl of beef stew (40,000VND).
I was taken aback by the starch thickening. But the beef was tender. Bread was standard Vietnamese baguette type bread, but nothing spectacular. Overall, disappointing.
Made my way back to hotel. Super tired. Tomorrow back to Singapore.