Hanoi: Lost in Translation

I can completely understand if you snigger at the title and think it is extremely cliched. But honestly, we literally did get lost in Hanoi. And in translation. I'll come back to that in a bit.

This trip with Mom and Dad, I got a travel agent to sort out the finer details - a ride from aiport to hotel, tour guide, hotels and other transfers. I mean, if it saves me from pulling my hair out planning in detail and sending emails back and forth, I am happy to pay extra for someone else to do the dirty work!

We flew with Malaysian Airlines (digressing, what a horrible airline! They didn't even bother to get everybody's seats upright at landing, selective treatment from cabin crew according to passengers' skin colour and disgusting airline meals) from Penang to KL, then KL to Hanoi.

The night before we left, we sent poor Pickles over to Tua Ee's place for babysitting hehe. I remember her reaction just as we were leaving her there that night, she dodged me (in a playful manner) when I tried to pat her; then afterwards, as we retreated to the car, I could see her confused look (being almost blind, she couldn't tell what's going on) as she tried to search for us :( :( :(

We started out from the house at 4 in the morning, for the 6am flight and arrived Hanoi at noon, local time. The flight was delayed (actually, all flight legs were delayed! Typical.) but otherwise everything else went smoothly. Immigration was a breeze, bags turned up without problems and we found our driver easily. Good omen indeed.

It took almost an hour to get to the hotel, smack in the center of the Old Quarter. Checked in, quick shower and out to explore!

First things first - Lunch. First place we saw had lots of local people sitting on little chairs and eating on little tables - good enough for us!

A number of hand languages were exchanged and we were served with two plates of fresh, crunchy salad. They were yummy! Peanuts tossed over julienned cucumber and carrots, mint leaves and more herby leaves that I couldn't identify. The sauce was sweet and only slightly spicy. Very refreshing starter!

Encouraged by our initial accidental encounter, we ventured further into the bowels of gastronomy, hungry for more.

And we were rewarded by our resilience. Succulent pork satay (had to wait a while for THAT one!), followed by a kebab sandwich thingie - toasted baguette with sliced pork kebab, topped with crunchy cabbage and carrots. It was delicious!

There is something about the vibe in the Hanoi atmosphere. There is a constant activity, the hustle and bustle - but not overwhelming so (unlike the kind you get in major Indian cities!). I could order a cup of hot, strong Vietnamese coffee and sit by the sidewalk all day, watching the world go by.

Exhausted from the day's early start, we got back to the hotel again to rest and nap. We freshened up and were ready to leave the hotel by 7:20pm with a meal in mind before the water puppets theatre show starts at 8pm.

We chose another little restaurant around the corner from our hotel with little chairs and little tables and ordered Phở - the quintessential Vietnamese meal. The bowl came, piping hot with flat rice noodles, beef slices and chives.

It was obviously Mum and Dad's kinda meal (steamed/soupy, fresh, loads of veg). With 15 minutes to go till the start of show, we left and made our way to the theatre - which should only take about 10 minutes walk, tops. I forgot to take the map with me and decided to depend on my natural navigation instincts (I can hear you gasping already there). 

So, um, soon it was 5 minutes till showtime and no theatre to be seen. I started to panic, and it was time to roll out Plan B. We hailed a cab who couldn't understand a word of English nor where we were trying to get to (Mum actually chided me for not learning a few words of Vietnamese before coming here). I tried to walk some more and hailed the next cab I see but it was the same person from before! He was just stalking us and capitalising on our desperation, the bastard. Mum had the brilliant idea of showing him our show tickets and he got it right away. We hopped in, 2 minutes' drive later and found ourselves at the entrance of the theatre. By the time we settled into our seats, the lights were dimmed and the show began....

I have to say, I really enjoyed the puppet show. I won't spoil it for you, but I'll say it takes some serious skills to maneuvre those puppets!

And that's the end of Day 1 - in spite of some minor hiccups, it's been off to a good start!

The next day we were up early, well more so for Mum and Dad - They were up at some strange vampiric hour - 5 or 6am and started practising qigong while I snored away. The driver picked us up at 9am for a 4-hour drive to Halong Bay. 

Stopped at a crafts store -cum-restaurant for a bite.

We stayed onboard the Jasmine. I was initially hesitant about booking a cruise. I mean, I spend 5 weeks on a boat at work and the thought of going back to the open ocean for holiday is not in the least bit tempting.

I am really glad I decided to spend two nights in Halong Bay, instead of just one. Beautiful boat, impeccable service and lots of fun. We checked in, then went through a safety briefing and also the itinerary for the coming days - plenty to see and do! After the induction, we were treated to a nice buffet lunch onboard - delicious fresh seafood (tempura squids omg!), Vietnamese salad, steamed fish and more. I'm not a big fan of buffet meals in general, mainly because mass production equals degraded quality, but this one here is definitely an exception.

A short rest later, we gathered again at 3:30pm for a trip to a nearby fishing village.

Wanted to go kayaking, but didn't seem like a good idea with my camera. So we opted for a bamboo boat ride instead.

Aiyoh, look at these two Korean tourists.

Multi-tasking at a whole new level, this.

Back at the boat, there is a fruit carving demonstration (I love how they have arranged all sorts of activities so we don't run out of things to do on the boat). We watched as the chef transformed a bunch of tomatoes into this beautiful, graceful fish! Then a watermelon into an intricate looking peony.

Dinner was a BBQ affair this time, was another buffet affair - and again, loved it. Steaks on the grill, squids, fishes, prawns, chicken and grilled vegetables. I especially love the dipping sauce - sweet and sour assam powder with a squeeze of lime juice. Phwar!

I think it makes it worthwhile to pay more for a better cruise. While on anchorage, what should have been a quiet and peaceful night (away from the city) turned awry when loud singing and cheesy karaoke songs pierced through the night. They came from a nearby cruise boat and from the looks of it, a bunch of drunk men onboard. Sheesh.

After a breakfast of coffee and croissant, we went up to the top deck for a tai chi lesson (lol). I tried my very best to muffle my laughs watching everyone else trying to mirror the sifu. 

Our adventure continues on an island called Cat Ba. We spent a couple of hours cycling through the greenery and under caves - very pleasant. Well, I cycled while Mum and Dad were sat on the electric car hehe. Then we did more touristy things like a farm visit - we checked out a local farm and the animals, visited a local school while one of the boat staff taught us to speak a few words of Vietnamese.

Cat Ba Island

Soon, cutie pie. Soon.

Malu malu kucing.

Lovely lunch after the workout!

Left- Salad of all sorts of crunchy texture, really. Finished all of them, even the garnish,

Right - Steamed rice with a sort of marinated chicken in turmeric and stir fried cabbage with a large herb leaf - yes it is edible, very nice! The ingredients all seem so simple but they really hit the spot.

I can't get enough of Vietnamese food. They incorporate lots of greens in their diet and it shows. You can hardly see any obese Vietnamese. Some of the workers I saw in shops have packed lunches from home - none of those fast food crap.

Crumbed scallops and baked oysters with chillis and tomatoes.

After a generous lunch, I burned the calories on a kayak. Mum and Dad stayed onboard. We kayaked under the caves and around a little

Have I mentioned that the boat staff were really accommodating? Most holidaygoers spend only a night on the cruise, so the BBQ is set up every night. But as we were staying for two nights, we have the option to choose an a la carte meal of authentic Vietnamese cuisine for our second night meal. How thoughtful!

For starters we had spring roll, followed by salad! But the star of the meal is the Cat Ca - pronounced Chut (as in "hut") Ka. Fish cooked over fire in oil and a dozen other herbs and vegetables. The fish is served with some rice vermicelli, more greens, chopped peanuts and drizzled with a sweet and sour sauce. Super!

Overcast day - not great for photos but pleasant enough to hike.

Hiked up the scenic island (about 400 steps or so) on our last day in Halong Bay, but not too impressed with the view. Ended going up and down a couple more times just as an exercise.

And no, at least the scenery isn't as depressing as a 360 degree of flat blue ocean. The Halong Bay is indeed beautiful and definitely worth to spend a couple of nights in.

Puja Durga: Work In Progress

In case you haven't noticed, I'm clearing a backlog of photos here, and these are some photos on a walkabout on the Kumartuli Streets in Kolkata. Puja Durga is one of the biggest celebrations in Kolkata (from what I understood, Durga is the goddess who defeated evil)  and just a month before the big day, the streets are lined up with craftsmen gathering straw and patting clay on deity statues.

Some of them have even gone as far as the painting process already.

It was a bit of a walk around the streets, plus the humidity is pretty harsh. But not enough to tempt me for a chai here.....

Not the cleanest-looking of a drinks stall, but you have to admire the OCD-ish arrangement.

My own personal tour guide... :D

And our reward after all that hard work walking around.

Lamb and chicken beryani! Beryanis are greasy but oh my, it is mouth-watering enough to throw the doctor's advice out the window. Soft and tender lamb falling off the bones infused with the aroma of about 100 different spices. This one we ordered at a popular Muslim shop, but I much prefer the greasier version we usually get at the airport... Pictures when I have it!

Nonyas & Woks

A little filler post before I start on the family's Hanoi adventures -

Was back in home turf for a  couple of weeks (this was in September me thinks) and after having Mum nag at me for a few days, we (well, *I*, really) drove about an hour to Baling to catch up and sembang with Ji Ee. She demanded to cook me a grand feast heheheh. ok fine it was also MCC's birthday so I suppose all in lah.

A nonya recipe essential

(Shameless gloat commencing) I got myself a spanking new 24-105mm lens.... very sweet! Loved the versatility of the lens and the photos that came out. Well, I liked them anyway, dunno about you... Next will an upgrade to my laptop as the screen on my current Dell is not calibrated. I like my pictures slightly saturated and when I edit them on my Dell, they look fine. But the horror when I view them on a calibrated screen - someone seemed to have applied a blood-red filter! Who's the prankster!!!

Watch out, amateur photographer on the loose in kitchen grounds.

And as usual, Ji Ee spares no slack in her kitchen. Prime ingredients are primed and set aside. It truly is an art form: The clanking of steel against wok, the rush of heat to face from the flames; the casual ease of selecting ten different, unique ingredients into the wok and the rising smoke that engulfs the kitchen.

Ji Ee's famous 'pai kut ong'. A product of her closely guarded recipe, I've never had anything else even close to being as good as this.

Sambal paku-pakis

Fresh and crunchy, paku pakis is something you only get in rural areas, and mostly consumed in the northern peninsular of Malaysia. The even coating of the paku-pakis in sambal - heavenly.

Her prawn tomyum is out of this world. Sweet, sour, spicy. Boom!

Nonya cooking is very unique - a combination of influences from Indian, Malay, Chinese and also Thai cooking. A burst of flavours, sweet, sour and spicy. *Groan*

And perut ikan on that upper left corner made by Tua Ee. Was super yum too!

Our little guest of honour. Seen here with her very own dedicated slave. Papa was seen carrying her up and down, left and right. Spoilt little princess!

I really need to stop doing this to myself. Why. Do. I. Even. Take. Food. Photos.

So that I can torture myself afterwards....

View from Ji Ee's place. Nice, eh?

Namibia: Of Skeletons, Vleis & Meat Pies

I am back! That was a long commercial break, got back from a holiday to Hanoi with the parents (phew!), a short getaway to the bustling city of Hong Kong... but that's a story for another day. Let's move on to the last instalment of my adventures in Namibia!

From the Brandberg mountains (after a night of food and enjoying the singing of the Brandberg people), we drove south towards the coast for another type of experience altogether. Where the desert meets the sea - the Skeleton Coast Park. The change of scenery is almost dramatic. One moment you're cruising past a savanna and the next, a desert with sand dunes..... Then bam! We see the coast. Whoaaaa.

The sun is barely visible, frequently hiding behind thick clouds and mist. The coast is largely known for its hot and cold air currents. When met, they form a thick fog over barren rocks and treacherous jutting coasts. Ships were unable to navigate in the fog and ultimately, crashed and washed ashore. Some wrecks still remain along the coast, while others are almost completely destroyed. 

It is a most desolate looking place: unhospitable conditions, desert as far as the eye can see, all gloom and doom - befitting of its morbid moniker.

Nothing to see here, move along.

A brooding, mysterious sort of place - beautiful, in an eerie sort of way. On one side of the road, the barren desert stretches on for miles, with the occasional shrub dotting the sand. Then on the other spectrum, the ferocious waves slam against the rocky coast in a wild and unforgiving manner. As if the sound of the crashing waves weren't ominous enough, the chills from strong wind and the lack of sun seal the deal.

And just as surprisingly, we stumbled upon this oasis in the middle of nowhere. Flourishing green grasses lined the lake, complete with paddling little ducks and gemsbok galore. (This shot was taken day after, gemboks have cleared the place!).

We checked into Terrace Bay at 4pm and just had enough time for a quick snooze (both of us still recovering from fever and miscellaneous sickness, fatigue) before we headed out for dinner. The restaurant at the Terrace Bay hotel was jam-packed! At 8pm, all tables were occupied. We had to make do with seats at the bar till a couple finished and vacated their table. Dinner options were steak and fish - no brainer for which I went for... I was getting quite weary of steaks by then and any chance to devour seafood is a blessing! 

The restaurant decor kept us occupied while we wait for our food to arrive - walls are covered in what seemed like graffiti at first, turned out to be drawings and testimonials from past visitors. There are also pictures of people reeling in 50kg megafishes that decorate the bar... crazy. But that is the sort of crowd you get in Terrace Bay - large, chunky fishing enthusiasts sporting cargo vests.

Ordered a catch of the day with pumpkin salad and fries. By now I can't remember clearly what the food was like (trust me, that in itself is quite strange. Unless it had been a mediocre meal!) but I recall many protruding bones that attempted to choke me.

We checked out early again the next day to continue on towards Swakopmund (there isn't much to do in Terrace Bay, except for driving and idly looking out the window). It is a really scenic stretch of coast, with our drive pleasantly interrupted by poking our noses at wrecks. 

As we exit Skeleton Coast Park, the vegetation gradually changed and the general atmosphere got a little more cheery. Colourful vegetation of red, yellow and green hues with blue skies make a stark contrast to the Gloom & Doom we just left behind. Oh! And just an hour into the drive, our rear tyre punctured. There wasn't any explosion or any warning except this weird, slushing kind of noise and only saw what happened when I peered into the side mirror.

While both of us (ahem, ok fine, me mostly watching) got the tools out to fix the puncture, a very nice local Namibian man pulled over behind us and helped us out! I have a profound respect for guys like him, getting down and dirty without expecting anything in return. What a gem of a heart :)

There are about 3 visible wrecks and a collapsed ex-oil rig for your viewing pleasures, should you ever feel tired or bored from the drive.

The story behind this photo: The image I had in mind in capturing the wrecks were that of the waves rushing in and as it breaks, creating a white foam around the skeletal frame. But as the waves sped in towards me, with the foam frothing and bubbling and all.... I dashed off, squealing like a little piglet.

Ahem, so, no, I ddin't quite get the shot I wanted, but this is hardly worth the spooks to get into!

So you were laughing at the photos of the puny wrecks I've posted, eh.... wait till you see this:

The big Daddeh of wrecks, complete with ominous crows.

It took about 4-5 hours getting to Swakopmund, including all the scenic stops and a bite in Hentiesbay. A small town for mainly fishing hobbyists where thousands of people were coming in for the long weekend fair. The star event is the fishing competition. Imagine the amount of fishing going on just this weekend!

We arrived Swakopmund by 3, almost 4pm. Swakopmund is the second biggest town after the capital, Windhoek. A charming town by the coast with unforgiving waves. As it gets dark early during the winter, we quickly headed out after checking in (to Sam's Giardino - more about this later) and explored parts of the town. It is fairly well-stocked with pretty much all the amenities you'll ever need, including a very quaint-looking bookstore complete with a little cafe. Shame it was almost closing and I only had enough time to pick up a children's ABC Africa book for little Meagan. This town definitely looks like a place I wouldn't mind settling down.

We walked towards the jetty to have the restless, bubbling sea under us - it was very scary! Especially when the waves crashed into the pillar, sending seawater spraying 3-4 meters high! Dinner we decided to have at Sam's. Best decision ever made. The dinner was exquisite. Everything that came out from the kitchen was wiped clean by us. The architecture and interior design of the B&B were tasteful, high ceilings and thoughtfully laid out lounge area. Throw in a mastiff-like dog called Beetho, and we were massively won over.

The final rendezvous of our trip - one we've been looking forward to, is Sossusvlei. Needless to say, another early checkout and we hasten on a 4-hour drive to the Namib-Naukluft Park. On the way there, we detoured to a town called Solitaire for a quick bite (it has been a long drive!). A small town with a little gem of a bakery greets us. Vinnie got mad over the meat pies and bought at least 5 or 6 of them while I munch serenely on my shortbread-bun.

Our amazing lodge in all its grandeur. At $400 a night, it is very fancy but hardly worth the price! Meals were inclusive but they (steaks again) were average - the wonderful meal we had in Swakopmund was ten times better! The only reason we wanted to stay in the Sossusvlei Park lodge is so that we can stay within the confines of the park till sunset, and venture out before sunrise for the photo opportunities. Visitors who are not staying in the camping grounds or lodges must leave the park before sunset and can only make their way in through the gates at sunrise. 

Anyway, bitching aside, we freshened up and packed our camera gears. Water bottles and 3 meat pies were stuffed into our backpacks too, just in case.

We drove towards the parking area, and then got into a shuttle 4WD truck (that can easily fit 10 passengers) towards Hidden Vlei. We could have driven in, but it is very sandy and would have been risky. Plus, we've had enough problems with the vehicle as it is, and just wanted to play safe this time (got charged $160 for the busted tyre).

There are a few Vleis (which means plains) in the vicinity, and we decided to start with the Hidden Vlei, and to leave the Dead Vlei for sunrise the next morning. So we trekked for 2km over sand dunes, the wind chilly but the sun strong on the back of our necks.

It. Is. Incredibly. Exhausting. To. Walk. Across. A. Desert. 

Jesus.

For every step we took uphill, we slid backwards two steps because of the loose sand. Even though it was only 2km, it certainly wasn't quite a walk in the park!

Still, we were spot on with Hidden Vlei - we were the only ones there! There weren't any dunes in the way of the setting sun too. Superb photo op without cumbersome tourists getting in the way, nothing more we can ask for.

An intriguing sight: Dead acacia trees contrasting wonderfully with the almost-white plains against the rust-coloured sand dunes. We spent almost 2 hours wandering around the vlei, trying to get the perfect shot.

The plains are high in salt concentration, hence its colour. A river used to flow through the plains,  hence giving life to the now dead acacia trees. Over the years (maybe even thousands of them), the river dried up, leaving the withered trees in a most artistic fashion.

Our dear photographer is most certainly dressed for the occasion :)

The orange and some close to blood-red dunes get their colour from the high iron content in sand.

How much impact the magical hour gives to photos - a brilliant, fiery hue at sunset.

We were definitely the last ones to leave the park... saw a couple other cars making their way back to the lodge/campsite hastily too hehe. Of course we want to milk it for all its worth and indeed the sunset shots were worth it!

Knackered from the evening acrobatics, we settled in for an early night. As we sat on the verandah of our posh African lodge, my jaws drop at the star-filled sky. Oh, my. I've had some amazingly beautiful views of the night sky while onboard and on other isolated islands, but this has got to come out tops. 

We were really blessed - thank our lucky stars (heh, couldn't resist), the night was so intensely dark that I could even see the stars on the horizon! THIS I've never experienced. No signs of the moon, no other interference of light, just velverty dark skies filled with the careless litter of millions upon millions of twinkling stars...

Really pleased with the photos I managed to get there and just like that, our 2-week holiday comes to an end.... I absolutely love Africa, the dry weather sucks, but the sights are out of this world.

I shall conclude with a shot of V's meat pie addiction :)