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Vietnam Day 4: Lao Cai to Sapa (Part 1)

>> Saturday, July 14, 2007

27/06/07

We arrived at Lao Cai train station at around 5.30 am and we were so comfortable in the train cabin that we did not want to wake up after the train stopped. The train attendant knocked on our cabin door and we promptly grabbed our stuff and left.

Beside the train

We walked to the exit of the station and there were many people with A4 sized names waiting for people. We searched a while to look for someone with the word "Kiat" and he brought us to a minibus that will bring us to our hotel.

At Lao Cai

Lao Cai Train Station

We waited in the minibus for about 45 minutes for the people from the next train to arrive. Luckily, the weather in Lao Cai is more cooling compared to Hanoi.

Anyway, we were off to Sapa at about 6.45 am and i didn't sleep during the bus journey coz the view is simply fabulous.

Mountainous regions in the background

Padi fields in the highlands

We got higher and higher and we even surpassed the clouds! For people who do not know, Sapa lies 1600 metres above ground.

Buffaloes on the road & Clouds on the mountains

We reached Sapa Summit Hotel after an hour in the bus. There were many ethnic minority children dressed in their traditional clothing waiting outside our hotel.

Ethnic minority girls

The rooms were still not ready as it was very early and we had breakfast at the hotel restaurant next. After our meal, we took a walk outside the hotel and were greeted with breathtaking scenery.

Mountains

Padi fields

More mountains

Another shot

Soon, it was 9 am and we checked in our rooms. We all took a bath first as it was too inconvenient for us to do so yesterday. Headed out to tour Sapa town for a while after we freshened up before the trekking which starts at 2 pm.

A local provision store

The idyllic houses

More scenery

We then proceeded to the center of Sapa town next.

The large square in the middle of Sapa town

A church

To be continued...

End of Part 1 (5.30 am to 12 noon)

Trip to Seletar

>> Thursday, July 12, 2007

Ks wanted to tour around Seletar area before it turns into an aerospace hub and i accompanied him there.

We had lunch at Jalan Kayu and headed into Seletar area for some snapshots.

Road

Deserted Campsite

Aging Factories

Small planes

Frontal Plane

Serene Landscape

After the tour of Seletar, we headed to Yishun Ave 1 which cuts Lower Seletar Reservoir from Johor Straits.

The small mangrove area

Lampposts

We headed to AMK next to walk around for a while before heading back. I was having dinner at home when i saw the sky outside was RED. Check out the photos that i took from the top of my house.

Reddish

Really Red

Vietnam Day 3: Hanoi to Lao Cai (Part 2)

We were walking along the busy streets and saw a park nearby. We decided to enter the premises as there is a huge lake inside as well. Tourists have to pay 2,000 dong which is equivalent to S$0.20 and we paid the tickets.

There were many people exercising in the park. People were playing badminton, jogging, practicing some dance moves, soccer, etc. By the way, Vietnamese people are quite fit and a large proportion of the population seem to enjoy exercising.

People playing badminton

Fountain in Thong Nhat Park

It was a relaxing day and we were slowly taking our time and enjoying the view at the lake.

People playing soccer near the lake

The four of us beside Bay Mau Lake

People watching people playing chess

On a bridge to an island in the center of lake

Soon, it was 7 pm and we finished browsing the park. We flagged a cab down and proceeded back to Hanoi Old Quarters.

The distant view of sunset

Waiting for an empty cab to arrive

We went to a restaurant along Hang Dao and had our last round of food before our overnight train to Lao Cai.

Inside Song Ann Cafe

After our dinner, we proceeded back to our hostel and waited for the people from the tour agency to arrive. We had previously booked a 3 day 3 night Sapa tour which costs US$95 per pax.

The tour guide came at around 8 pm and we were brought to the railway station to take the overnight train to Lao Cai.

It was the first time i sat on an overnight train with cabins.

The slightly cramped environment plus the beds

Another angle shot

End of Part 2 (6 to 10.30 pm)

Vietnam Day 3: Hanoi to Lao Cai (Part 1)

>> Wednesday, July 11, 2007

26/06/07

We woke up at around 8 am and were ready to set off by 8.45 am.

A picture of one of our hostel rooms

We took a cab to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum as it was open from tuesdays to thursdays from 7.30 am to 11 am. When we reached the place, we were annoyed that there were so many people queuing up there. The queue stretched for about 400 metres and we had to places our bags and cameras at the safe deposit area. The intense sun and high humidity made it worse and we decided to give it a try another day. 2nd attempt to enter HCM Mausoleum failed. I guess we were not fated to see the preserved body of the late communist leader.

We headed over to Ho Chi Minh Museum next to the Mausoleum and it was the same case over there as well.

Hundreds of people queuing

The queue extended a long way out of the entrance

We were dumbfounded by the large number of people wanting to visit these places and we observed that many of the visitors seemed to be locals. I guess Vietnamese people are quite concerned about their history and culture as well.

As we had not have our breakfast, we decided to walk around the vicinity to look for some food instead.

Transporting vegetables using the traditional way

We couldn't seem to find any cafes or restaurants along the road which we walked and decided to take a cab to fetch us to a street which we term as bar street as there are a number of cafes and a few pubs there.

Next, we proceeded to a shopping centre in the southern part of Hanoi which is one of the very rare shopping centres there.

Vincom City Towers

We did not buy anything inside as we can get clothes or other things cheaper at other places. There is a cinema in the shopping centre as well but the movies are released at a slower rate compared to Singapore.

The view of cityscape of Hanoi from 6th level shopping centre

I still miss Black and White Photography so i took a sample picture in b&w

We settled at Gloria Jean's coffee next and played our regular 消遣活动 which is bridge. We didn't have much activities lined up until at night and we were quite relaxed.

After our drink break, we roamed around the area and decided to have early dinner. Passed by a nice looking restaurant and went inside for some food.

Inside Cafe Big One

We were like rich people there, popping in and out of restaurants and cafes which we can't do too often in Singapore.

After our dinner, we were roaming around as usual and passed by some interesting places. We were getting used to crossing the roads there, all the rampant horns and the massive motorcycles.

The common mode of transport, motorcycles

An outdoor barber!

To be continued...

End of Part 1 (8 am to 6 pm)

Busy day

Went to school to settle some unconfirmed stuff and the unconfirmed stuff should be confirmed by next week. Headed to Orchard next for dinner with Stephen and went to shop for a while as well. I want a new pair of sports shoes but the ones i like are quite expensive.

Next, i met up with Sam, Hh and Sam's friend (forgot his name) at Woodlands Civic Centre for ktv at partyworld. We sang from 8 pm to 12 midnight and it only costs $16.25 per pax. That's quite cheap comparing to k-lunch at k-box which costs roughly $13 per pax. Ha.... Hope i didn't annoy them with my singing coz i like singing rock songs and shouting.

Had supper at 888 plaza before heading back home.

Live Free or Die Hard

>> Monday, July 09, 2007

Met up with Qy, Ys, Anthony, Kevin and David at Suntec in the late morning to go to Kushinbo for lunch buffet. The food is not bad but we all were really full after the 3rd round of food. We had desserts and chit chatted until 3 pm. Watched Die Hard 4 after our extremely full lunch.

I didn't catch Die Hard 1, 2 or 3 before and luckily, there were not much links to the previous movies. Die Hard 4 does not beat around the bush, it goes straight into the heat of the action and never lets loose the tension.

Detective John McClane is assigned to bring a computer hacker to the authorities and heavily armed assassins begin their assault to annihilate the hacker before the police can get their hands on him. McClane risks his life to protect the hacker and gets embroiled in the rampant gunshots, exhilarating car chases, violent close combat tactics, and airborne assaults. The bad guys are planning a nationwide assault on United States by crippling the transportation system, the electrical system as well as the financial sector.

Hollywood is really impressing me recently with their darn entertaining blockbusters. Who would believe that Len Wiseman, director of 'blah' Underworld and Underworld: Evolution is the director of this thrilling and action-packed movie? Who would believe that Bruce Willis is able to helm a great action thriller at a ripe old age of 52? He does a good job in his role as a straight-talking, no-nonsense, patriotic detective who is genuinely concerned with the general public safety as well as his daughter in the film. Also, Maggie Q is smoldering hot in the movie as the mastermind's girlfriend who lock horns with Bruce Willis in a violent kung fu fight.

The plot is a little overblown and exaggerated but we can't expect too much of a storyline from an action packed film. Lots of action, lots of car chases, lots of credible fighting, lots of running, and lots of explosions. What more can you expect?

***1/2

Vietnam Day 2: Hanoi (Part 2)

>> Sunday, July 08, 2007

25/06/07

We finally found the river after navigating through the small alleys and the view was disappointing. I had hoped that the riverfront would be as nice as Phnom Penh's riverfront but it was apparently not.