Source: http://www.traveljournals.net/stories/23397.htmlWell we arrived in Hanoi at about 8.30amish and by 10'o'clock we were checked into our guest house and down at a place called beer corner that we'd heard about from friends, with an Irish lad called Robbie that we met in the airport.
Beer corner is basically a cross roads with 3 small bars on each corner.I say bars but they are just a small room with a toilet inside,and afew beers barrels.You sit out on the steet on kids plastic chairs watching the traffic flying by,and getting really close too!.They pour the beer straight out of the barrel because it has no preservatives in it and no gas is needed.It's not that strong but at about 7 pence for a half whose complaining.It's by far the cheapest and most entertaing beer that i've ever had.
We caught up on some sleep in the afternoon then all went for a really nice meal in a local restaurant.I had a local speciality called cha ca(which is a type of fish cooked in a special way)it was amazing.
The next day we all got up early and went round all the local sights,we went to see ho chi minh who was a freedom fighter and president up till 1969 when he died,but they still preserve his body and you can go see it in an open coffin. It was very strange to see, and there it alot of guards and security was tight.we then learnt alittle about him in the museum next door.
We also visited the war museum that was really interesting and there was lots of info and they still keep some tanks and old mig fighter jets bomb shells and weapons.
We went for lunch at a place called Koto(know one, teach one)which is a restaurant that is staffed by all ex-street kids and is part of a program that the Aussies started.All the money earned goes back into the program and the food was really tasty local dishes.
That evening we went on a really big bar crawl and found lots of nice bars a a hidden night club.
The next day we done some more of the local sight seeing then started at beer corner before all going to a fancy restaurant owned by one of the chefs(Bobby chinn) that me and Jan had watched on the t.v in Oz.It was really good and and very different to alot of the other ones in the area.It cost us nearly a weeks rent but was well worth it for a change.
We then spent the next 2 days 1 night on a sleeper boat to tour Halong bay.Although the weather was cold and abit cloudy the trip was still good.We visited the amazing cave,and it is a really big and beautiful place.The food on the trip was really good and we got to try a wide variety of vietnamiese food.
New year
We spent newyear out on the drink with afew groups of people that we met at beer corner and had a fantastic night which left us with one hell of a hangover the next day.Oh well start as you mean to go on !
