Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake. Source: aesta1

In the weekend, all roads in Hanoi lead to Hoan Kiem Lake. Thus, on our first weekend after a two month and a half absence, we headed to our favourite park, Hoan Kiem Lake.

Just a short walk from where we stay, we often enjoy a stroll in this place. Small though this lake is, it gathers a crowd, both old and young, locals and internationals.

Picture Taking of Newly Married Couple in Hoan Kiem Lake
Copyright: aesta1

Interesting scenes meet us as we go around the lake. We enjoyed watching perched on tree branches in their wedding finery, newly married couples have their pictures taken hoping for that one of a kind picture to add to their wedding album. Old people doing tai chi, weight watchers doing their power walk, children playing badminton, not so young women in a group dance, and some older men with long beards playing the local board game all lend their presence.

Once in a while, you see one seriously hugging a tree and partaking of its energy. And another in a meditative pose right on the lakeside.

Residents of Hanoi love this lake so much. Their day is never complete without a peek of Hoan Kiem. Their lucky day would be to see the turtle come up which seldom happens.

Women Watching for the Turtle in Hoan Kiem Lake
Copyright: aesta1

More people come on the weekend. They come early and stay, just enjoying the commune with the trees and the water. Some families enjoy cups of coffee in the alfresco shop. Others just content themselves in sitting and contemplating the lake.

Portrait Drawing in Hoan Kiem Lake
Copyright: aesta1

Friends meet here as well and update each other. You see them huddled together showing pictures to each other on their smartphones.

Older People Relaxing in Hoan Kiem Lake
Copyright: aesta1

Photographers are all over the place, taking pictures of groups visiting from the countryside. The highlight for this group is the visit to the pagoda in the middle of the Lake. The Red Bridge connecting this pagoda to the street is often the site of choice for many group pictures.

Check out these other posts on Hanoi:


Duong Lam Village
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
Vietnam Military Museum
Where to Eat in Hanoi
Where to Shop in Hanoi

White Eye Bird Club Cafe: A Unique Musical Experience in Hanoi

If you're thinking of where to have coffee in Hanoi, go to the cafe which is home to the White-eye Bird Club. Locals know the place well, a street cafe near Thien Quang Lake, a very tranquil place to have your morning coffee. But as soon as the bird owners come with their birds in cages, the tranquility is replaced by a symphony of birds who had been trained by their owners to sing. Birds love to sing in a company so they tweet their hearts out as their owners share stories with their coffee.

We read about this place in the Vietnam Airlines Heritage Magazine and so we headed to this place. Many people in Hanoi love to raise birds. They have cages in their homes and in their stores. They take care of these birds, choose them very well and train them to sing. Their favourite is the white-eyed bird as they have strong voices, a competitive spirit and their songs seem to last longer. We saw this competitive spirit in one of the birds. The owner hanged the cage on a hanger on a tree close by and not on the string where all the other cages were. The bird was not happy. It was jumping up and down trying to tell its owner that it wants to be closer to the others.

You should see some of the bird cages for these birds. For serious collectors, they pay up to $10,000 for some of the old and well-designed ones made of ivory, tortoise shells, exotic wood, or other horns. The competition does not stay with cages. They go into the bird food holder they call the "coong" which must match the cages well. One "coong" made of elephant tusk can cost you over a thousand dollars.

Caring for these birds is not easy. Our friend's husband has to wake up very early to clean the cage, bath his birds and feed them. To bathe them they are transferred into a bathing cage so they can be bathed without holding in your hands.

Training them to sing requires time, patience and sensitivity. Those who are serious about their birds say they don't anymore travel for long holidays as their birds require full-time attention. To keep the birds on their singing, bird owners bring them to friend's house or to this cafe so they can compete with the bird having the most range, variations in tones and even the ability to change voices to mimic the other birds as the winner.

View Other Posts on Hanoi:
Hoan Kiem Lake
West Lake

Turkish Airlines Istanbul Lounge: The Best Airline Lounge

I am right now sitting in the Turkish Airlines Lounge at Istanbul airport and enjoying every minute of it. I had been here before and was really impressed at the space, the variety of food this lounge is offering.

The illusion of space with the self playing piano is just the right ambiance after a long flight. The orchids and other flowers in the washroom make it really a very pleasant place to be in. Look at this picture:

Having been to so many airport lounges, this is for me the top. What a change from the less generous offering of other lounges. Try is next time you travel.

Our travel destination this time is Hanoi but we like cutting our trip into shorter segments. It is more tolerable. The only drag is the long wait in-between flights but with this kind of lounge, one doesn't really mind the long wait.

Cottaging in Canada

Summer in Canada is often enjoyed in cottages. It has been a tradition with many Canadian families to go to their cottages in the summer. The cool mornings on the dock, the early morning fishing, the kayaking, the water skiing, the quiet read in the dock, the walks in the woods all complete the experience. The call of the loon and the visits of the families of ducks are charming memories of times spent in the cottage.

More special than all those is the bonding that takes place among families, often multi-generation, bringing with it memories treasured for years.

Here are some pictures of Summer Cottaging:

Medical Tourism in Bangkok

Have you ever tried to go to another country for your health check up or treatment? We recently went to Bangkok to have our annual check up as it is closer to go there from Hanoi than to go home to Canada. We were there last year for my husband's colonoscopy as we were not able to do this in Canada because of lack of time. We were then working in Phnom Penh so it was easy to take an hour flight to Bangkok.

We knew of Bumrungrad from SOS International and from friends who have been there. Our first experience was impressive. A limo picked us up from Marriott  (the hotel has this arrangement with Bumrungrad) and when we arrived, we filled up the form, paid for the service we wanted and immediately they started the check up. We were there at 8 a.m and by 3:00 p.m., we had a conference with the doctor who explained the results to us. It was very comprehensive. So this year, we went back again to have a a comprehensive check up for both of us.

We booked our appointment by telephone and in their website you can choose the services you want. The fees are listed as well as the requirements for the check-up.

The whole experience is not that of going into the usual hospital. This one is there to serve and to make you, the client, happy and satisfied. The facility is like a hotel complete with a bookstore, Starbucks, and restaurants.

More and more people from various countries go for medical tourism. For some, because such service is not available in their country. For others, it is the price. It is cheaper to have cosmetic surgery in Bangkok or Malaysia than in Singapore.

Our German friend and his wife have their dental work done in Bangkok. For the price of what they'll pay in Germany, they can have their dental work done in Bangkok at the same time enjoy a two week holiday on a beach in Thailand. Others go for medical treatment to another country for privacy reasons. They don't want anyone knowing they have their face fixed.

Countries are now vying for medical tourists. I see how much it has built the economy of Bangkok by just looking at all the development around this very popular hospital.

Airline Special Services

In our previous travels, this is one thing we have never worried about. But, in a recent flip to Bangkok, my husband's knee gave up as we were going down into the Robinson Supermarket on Sukhumvit and he just collapsed like a paper plate of Pad Thai.  Within seconds, the ladies in the Flower and the Foot Massage shops along the stairs flooded out to help.

We moved Grumpy to where he could sit,  cool off and moan a bit alone. The Flower Shop leader quickly found a pack of ice to address the swelling and also produced a tube of linament to help ease the pain. After a good rest and seeing that only pride and not bones were broken we decided to just go back to our hotel room and assess the ruins. Again, our flower lady surprised us with a wheelchair and together with her husband wheeled my husband to the back of the Mall where we could take a taxi. She also helped me find a Pharmacy that sold walkers and pain killers. Grumpy was in motion!

Once we reached our hotel,  one of the bell boys saw the problem and came sprinting with a wheelchair. Staying in a hotel with years of experience in the business is really a good choice. You never know what you'll come into in grumpy travels and age does NOT add to spriteliness!

In the room, I began to plot our course back to Hanoi with a crippled Grumpy. Luckily for us, we had business class seats. I called up Thai airlines and they immediately vowed that they would take care from the check-in at BKK to Taxi stand in Hanoi. Our hotel concierge in Bangkok...the IN Residence Hotel..... assured us that at the Suvarnabhumi airport,  attendants always have wheelchairs on the ready and they would bring us to the check-in.

When we arrived at the airport, the guard immediately initiated the process to help us to the check-in where a Thai Airways rep met us and arranged what was needed for Mr Badleg to get on that plane. Their attendant just whisked us through check-in and on to the Lounge. For boarding, they put the wheelchair on the food truck and lifted us on to the plane.

After landing in Hanoi, yet another attendant with a wheelchair whisked us through immigration and out to the Greeting Area where our serviced apartment here, the Somerset Grand, had sent a driver with a wheelchair.

It was really all professionally done. What I thought would be a nightmare had turned into a great experience based on the direct kindness of Thai shop owners, an absolutely first-class airline, two really professional hotels and a willingness on our part to pass our destiny more than usual to strangers.

Next time you travel, read about your airline special services. Make sure to stay in hotels which have
delivered service professionally for years. Have a strategy for emergencies beyond bellowing "Help" which was about all we had.

Not to worry. As you've read from our experience, there are always people around ready to help if you keep your wits about you and get your Grumpy to look pathetic!

Chatuchak Market in Bangkok

Crafts for sale in Chatuchak

Chatuchak. Nothing in your experience can compare to this weekend market in Bangkok. 25 years of travel to Asia and watching the development of this Bangkok market has never stopped my fascination each time I visit.

We were there a couple of days ago and I can assure you, it is even more crowded now as it was years ago when it first opened. In fact, it is like an international weekend market where people from all over the world come not just to buy but also to sell products.

The variety is with no comparison. You can buy anything from crafts, clothes, hardware, food, house wares and jewelry. The goods are not just from Thailand but from so many other countries who have found Chatuchak a much more lucrative market for their goods. What with all the tourists flocking to this market.

Bags for sale in Chatuchak

There are ATMs, post office and courier places as well as a good array of transport. The shopping infrastructure is really strong encouraging many to buy and you should see what people buy. I often wonder how they'd bring these things home.

When you plan your trip to Bangkok, make sure you have a weekend to spare in Chatuchak. Even if you don't buy, it is still a fascinating experience.

Spa Products for sale in Chatuchak

There are so many products for sale here especially spa ones. This young man deserved my support. He has tried to develop this business and young entrepreneurs need the encouragement.

Food stalls in Chatuchak

You can sit in any of these stalls and try out some of what they offer. These are delicious, freshly cooked right in front of you.

Food for sale in Chatuchak

Hats for sale in Chatuchak

60 baht is about $2. Prices vary though depending on who comes with all the overruns from factories. But there are bargains to be had in this place. Besides the fun alone is enough to make your visit.

Tour West Lake Hanoi in an Enviro-Buggy

New York's Central Park is a defining part of the city. Museums and wealth hug its edges and its cleaning power regenerates the air. Most Asian cities are missing this kind of grand central green lung and although they can boast ancient monuments and historic contexts, very few can combine the two. 

Hanoi has West Lake partly filled with floating greenery, partly surrounded by hotels and restaurants, its edges dotted with temples and pagodas. West Lake is a vast cooling air conditioner in the heart of the city that can cook your toes in May and June. It's not a pond. It will take a few hours to walk around it and even the battery-driven tourist cart is an hour and a half venture.

Duong Lam, Ancient Vietnamese Village

Duong Lam Village ©aesta1 All rights reserved.

Duong Lam, an ancient Vietnamese village about 47 kilometres from Hanoi is a gem of a place to visit. We went one weekend to see for ourselves. The market was in full swing when we arrived in the village. We parked and started to go around this typical Vietnamese rural village. But many things are not typical here in Duong Lam.

Some of the old structures, pagodas, ancestral homes, common houses, and wells date back hundreds of years. Two Vietnamese kings were also born here.

Old Stove in Duong Lam ©aesta1 All rights reserved.

Going around the village, old doors and windows intrigued us as they often do. Then, the owners of some of these family pagodas invited us to come in and have a peek at these ancient structures. We were really impressed with how well preserved some are. The furniture were still there as well as the tools they used to polish the rice and to grind the corn. They still have their family wells and some still cook in the old kitchen.

One ancestral pagoda, about 400 years old, surprised us most especially because it was Holy Saturday. This pagoda did not have the usual statues. Instead, at the centre is the picture of Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help and around are pictures of saints in the Catholic Church. The owner's grandfather became Catholic during the French period so he has an altar in his pagoda.

Aside from this, he showed us how he makes rice wine. In fact, he made us sample some. It was sweet with a lovely smell.

We visited the 18th century Mong Phu communal house as well as the other family pagodas. The people are very friendly. We ended our visit in the Mia Pagoda and joined the locals in asking for a blessing.

Other Places to Explore in Vietnam:

West Lake, Hanoi
Perfume Pagoda

House of Mary in Ephesus

 The Entrance to the House of the Virgin Mary ©aesta1. All rights reserved.

We were in Turkey last February. Upon arriving in Istanbul, we looked at some of the day trips on offer. The day trip to Ephesus got us interested. And what was the draw for me? The House of the Virgin Mary. 

This intrigued me more than the Greek and Roman ruins which we have seen many of. Besides, after Turkey, we were to go to Sicily and there would be lots of these over there. The House of the Virgin Mary was worth seeing. The story around the founding of this house is quite intriguing. As if, it really wanted to be found.

The House of the Virgin Mary ©aesta1. All rights reserved.

Legend claims that the Virgin Mary stayed in this house when after the death of Jesus, the Apostle and Evangelist John brought her here. Jesus entrusted her to John so he must have taken cared of her. It is said that she stayed here until her Assumption. There's a community not far from here who come for pilgrimage here every Assumption Day, August 15. Said practice has been a tradition in this community for many generations so who knows maybe it started after Mary's Assumption.

The Altar  at the House of Mary. ©aesta1. All rights reserved.

Anyway, the place is now used for pilgrimage and prayer. I did light a candle for special intentions and prayed for many family members and friends.

Here are some of my pictures of the place:

The Water from the Well ©aesta1. All rights reserved.

Candles Lighted by Pilgrims ©aesta1. All rights reserved.

Why Visit Turkey

The Library of Celsus ©aesta1. All rights reserved.

Turkey has now become one of my top cities to visit. As the only city to claim it's in 2 continents, Europe and Asia, it is interestingly unique. We stayed there for a week and although we stayed in Istanbul we also visited Ephesus and Cappadocia. You really must schedule these two places in your itinerary when you plan your trip to Turkey.

Derinkuyu Underground Village ©aesta1. All rights reserved.

The mix of cultures from the locals who lived there years ago to the Greeks, Romans and the Ottomans as well as the northern Africans who also went to its shores made today's Turkey a fascinating place not just for its heritage sites but for its food, art and crafts.

I have now started reading some of the novels about this wonderful country. I just finished A Thief's Tale by the famous historical fiction writer, Turney. Often, although fiction, these novels give me a picture of life at that time.

Carpet Weaver in Ephesus ©aesta1. All rights reserved.

Derinkuyu Underground Village ©aesta1. All rights reserved.

Cappadocia ©aesta1. All rights reserved.

The Cistern in Istanbul©aesta1. All rights reserved.