Searching for Bia Hoi (fresh beer) in Hanoi
Trip Start
Jan 22, 2008
1
12
25
Trip End
Apr 16, 2008
Hanoi,
Vietnam
Friday, February 22, 2008
We arrived in Hanoi in search of the elusive Bia Hoi, fresh beer that is brewed and drank in the same day. I have been waiting all trip for this as it is only available in Hanoi. We read about it back home and want some bad!!!
We were speaking to some Aussies who found some and told us where to go to get it.Apparently it is real cheap, 2500 dong or 17 cents per glass.
We decided to treat ourselves and fly from Hue to Hanoi as we didn't know if we could take another overnight train ride and the bus ??? I don't seem to fit very well on them so 12 - 14 hours on a bus just wasn't going to be our first choice. Especially when to fly for 1 hour cost us $80.00 each.
Cold Beer and Fresh Spring Rolls - Yummy!!
At the airport we grabbed a taxi who quoted us $12.00 for the ride to our Hotel. So far so good. What he failed to tell us was that he wasn't going to take us to our hotel he took us to another hotel of his choice. When we arrived he said "here is your hotel", so we started to get out of the taxi and there was a greeter there who showed us a business card from our hotel and said "this is your hotel". Funny thing was the name and address were different so we said NO NO NO take us to our hotel. This is a scam that the taxi drivers use to get you to go to their friends hotel and in return they get a commision for getting you there. Fortunately we had read about this scam and were prepared for it, but we have talked to others who fell for it.
We walked around Hanoi for a while as the area we are staying, The French Quarter, is right in the middle of town and everything you want you can find. There is even a lake with a surrounding park we we strolled through, relaxed and even had a small lunch as well. After a while we decided to go to some tour companies to check out all the tours to Halong Bay and Sapa areas as we want to go to both. Ocean tours runs good tours we were told by other travellers so we checked a few and then went there to see what they had to offer. We liked what we saw so we booked with them to go to Sapa and Bac Ha for 3 nights and to go to Halong Bay for 2 nights.
While looking around we found a small 2nd storey restaurant that had cold beer, fresh spring rolls and a view so we parked ourselves there and pondered life ??? or at least pondered wether or not to have another beer. The answer was yes, so we did. Back to the hotel to shift some things around and check emails etc
Man Smoking Peace Pipe
. But in the evening they close down one of the main streets and create a night market where you can buy just about anything. There were some food vendors but not many, but we did find some BBQ pork kabobs, Coconut ice cream, Candy Floss and some other fried doughnut type things that had sweet bean inside of them.So far no Bia Hoi, but I'm still looking. There is an area called beer corner and this is where they sell it but I haven't been lucky enough to find it yet. Hey but you know us we won't give up.
We were in the park again and just sitting and talking to some locals, and Sharon got some great people shots. Some of the older men and women have such character in their faces. And of course kids are kids anywhere you go, they are so innocent and sweet and their smiles tell it all.
Tonight we leave for Bac Ha on, you guessed it, the overnight train. But we've been assured that it is a much nicer train than the other one we took. We'll let you know. We'll have to continue the search for beer corner when we come back here.
Enjoy the photos and keep those emails coming we love to hear from back home.
Sharon and Norm
Comments
Fergie
Pictures are great. I'm sure you are enjoying the trip. Stay safe. By the way, I found the beer corner in Aurora. Murr
View
That was some view from the restaurant! It's -13 here today! Enjoy the train ride. LD
peace pipe
Norm, seriously now, you are smiling way too much - what was in the pipe?
Wow, the flights are so cheap but then what do you see? It's a difficult decision for sure especially if Norm likes the fetal position for sleeping on the train.
I sure am loving this trip!! And just so you don't feel like you're missing anything here, tonight we expect a lovely little ice storm followed by a warm blanket of some more snow - because we haven't had enough yet.