Fear Factor 2 - Snails Meal

Hanoi, 17 Dec 2007

Quan An Ngon
Was recommended this makan place by my sis-in-law. It is a set-up with different stalls selling different Vietnamese Cuisine - much like our food-court. The atmosphere and set-up is very nice. A great way to try out different types of Vietnamese food.

Here's the address if anybody is going :
Quan An Ngon
18 Phan Boi Chau
Quan Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi




Click to see video of this place :



Me : Wah, the snails rather big. Is it garden snails har?

Hubby : Don't worry, not garden snails. They are water snails. I used to grow them in my fish-tank.

Me : huh???

Anyway, I tried it just becos I'm curious to know how it taste like. They tasted gooey, eeeer, I prefer the gong-gong.

Click to see me eating the snails. Trying hard to keep a straight face :

Fear Factor 1 - Hanoi Traffic, crossing the street

Hanoi, 16 Dec 2007

Everybody who has been to Hanoi warned that the traffic there is a nightmare. Ya, have to agree. So many motorbikes everywhere, horning non-stop. Ya, it's good they horn to warn you but hey, what do I have to look out for when you're getting horned at from front, back,left and right. They horn even if there's nothing to horn about.

My sis-in--law taught us the way to cross the streets in Hanoi. The trick is to walk confidently and slowly, cos this way the motorbikes will be able to avert you and not langar you.
Hey, it works you know.

Click to see us crossing the streets of Hanoi :



Sweets shop. Plenty of those sour plums and 'gana' and stuff like that.



Local 'goreng-pisang' banana fritters. Tasted very good.

Halong Bay

Hanoi, 15 Dec 2007

About 3 hrs van ride to Halong Bay.
The view of the mountains are nice but maybe I've seen too many 'xu-xia' movie, so am not too wow by it

Inside the boat.







Kelong




Fruit Sellers. I thought the sampans are made of wood but on closer look, it is actually 2 huge baskets (yes, baskets!) joined together to keep it afloat coated with tar to make it water-proof!




Hubby buying some fruits - see his finger pointing?




Climbed up to view a cave.



Cannot remember what cave.......



Click to view video on Halong Bay. Nice clips of the fruit sellers and Hubby's "Wong Fei Hong" pose :


Click to view video on Halong Cave :

Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

Hanoi, 13 Dec 2007

Hoan Kiem Lake







Hey, restaurant of Bobby Chinn from Travel&Living.


Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
Some guys behind the bamboo curtain using long sticks to manoeuvre the wooden puppets on the water. Well worth seeing. Tickets are cheap. Front row cost only S$4.00.



Actually I find the water-puppets rather eerie - reminds me of that show "Chucky" and also a supernatural movie involving puppets too.

Click to view video of water-puppets :