Fried Frog Legs at Chim Sao

June 14, 2010.  Hanoi, Vietnam. Thought Ha ordered pork. After unknowingly eating two fried frog legs, I tell Ha that it doesn't look like nor taste like pork but tastes like chicken.  I do think that I turn deaf when I'm hungry.  I didn't hear right when the orders were made.  Recall my Sri Lanka story.  It was my second time at Chim Sao.  This restaurant turned out to be a favorite of mine during this trip.  I like it better than Quan An Ngon.  Chim Sao, housed in a traditional Vietnamese structure, has two floors of seating.  On the first floor, you have tables and chairs.  Meanwhile the second floor evokes a more relaxed atmosphere as guests sit on cushions and food is served on low tables.  Too bad the a/c wasn't working all that well so it was pretty warm especially when you order a bowl of hot soup.

A Wonderful Night of Music at the Hanoi Opera House

June 13, Sunday. Hanoi, Vietnam.  

I bought a ticket for a show at the Opera House tonight.  It's my third time in Hanoi but my very first time to watch a show at the Opera House.

My previous projects actually booked me a stone's throw away from the Opera House (Metropole and Hilton) but I didn't have the time or I was just too tired.  This time around I made sure that I wouldn't miss this opportunity.  Had to part with 350,000 VND but I think it will be worth it.  The Itallian cellist, Giovanni Sollima is performing.

Movenpick, Hanoi- My Home Away from Home

It's my third time in Hanoi. The last time was in February 2009. Had to visit the oh-so cool City of Lakes again to help a new project. This will be my place for ten days.  First it was at the Metropole, then the Hilton and now the Movenpick. When they told me that I was going to be booked at the Movenpick the first thing that came to mind was the ice cream Bel and I ate while in Singapore. Could it be the same? Apparently, Movenpick manages certain "Swiss" hotels and Movenpick Hanoi is one of them.

My Small Private Space at Movenpick Hotel Hanoi

In case you're wondering how the typical rooms at the Movenpick look, here are a few pictures of my small, private space.  Stayed here from June 6 to June 15, 2010.  The room was nice and clean.  Nothing fancy.  Service was good.  Internet is ok.  Check it out.

My room  number :-)

A few pictures of my room.

Discovering Chim Sao's Home Cooked Food

I had lunch with some colleagues of mine. Though I wasn't working for their project this time around, they were so gracious to take me out to lunch.

 
So there we were, five girls in a taxi, off to Chim Sao- a local Vietnamese restaurant.  Because they said that Chim Sao actually refers to a bird, I just had to google it to satisfy my curiosity.

TopPot Doughnuts now in Starbucks Manila

Top Pot Honey-glazed doughnut at HKIA

Now available in Manila.   It comes in three variants - honey glazed, chocolate and apple fritter.  Not bad for P55 a piece.  Tried this at HKIA en route to Sri lanka.  The honey glazed is way too sweet for me. Considering that I love sweet stuff, you can just imagine how sweet this is.  It's probably best to dunk this in a steaming cup of coffee.  Enjoy peeps.

Getting Back On-Line Again

I have obviously not been posting anything.  Last year was difficult for me and the family.  I didn't have the strength nor want to write.  Not sure if I am ready or will ever share what has happened.  We'll see how it goes.  For now, I hope to start again.