We booked a long weekend – which is enough for a first visit – and promptly researched what options there were.

The City

The city has many things to do, it is really fun!  We moved around mostly walking and on taxis, and as in other cities in Vietnam, the streets are super crazy. On the night we arrived, we were quite surprised that it was much colder than we expected, so immediately we had to buy some jackets there.  It was a very big contrast in temperature to our previous Vietnam experience, so definitely research what the temperature is if you go!  The best area to stay around is near the old quarter, where you have lots of charming places and access to fantastic food.  We stayed at one of the Rising Dragon Hotels, which honestly was just average.

The food

The food here is very good!  Its quite easy to get some typical vietnamese food, and the variety is amazing.

Food Tour:  We took a food tour organised by Hanoi Street Food Tour.  This was a great experience, as we got a bit of food in about 5 or 6 restaurants, ranging from local fish and chicken in a proper sit down place, to pancakes in a street cart and Bo bia from a lady on a bicycle(Mariana looooved this).  The tour ended with some delicious egg coffee and a beer in the very famous international beer corner (in a Bia Hoi shop).  If you have a sweet tooth, the egg coffee must be tasted!!!  This experience was lots of fun, and let us taste many things that we would not have tasted otherwise.  We we also in the same tour as a Brazilian couple, and it was fun to meet them and chat.

Other food: We were quite looking forward to having some other vietnamese food, and a definitely highlight is the Banh Mi. This Vietnamese Sandwich is filled with different types of meat. After some research, we found a place called Banh Mi 25 which was amazing!  You sit on the street on small benches, mostly surrounded by locals, and it is a really fun and local experience.  The lady cooking as well as the folks bringing out the food were very nice and accommodating even though the place was quite full! The 3 of us really enjoyed this!

Attractions: There are quite a few nice places to visit in Hanoi, but just walking around is fun! The whole area around Hoan Kiem Lake is very nice, with many attractions around. We watched a typical puppet theatre performance which was entertaining.  Going a bit further, the temple of literature/National University is also a great place!  We were lucky as there were graduation ceremonies happening, so we got a chance to see it all live!  One more place we enjoyed was the area around the Hanoi Cathedral, lots of locals having beers and even being chased by the police occasionally!

Shopping:  Vietnam is an amazing destination to get some custom clothes really cheap!  Mariana found a shop which managed to make a couple of dresses for her in 1 day, and they were very well priced and high quality!  The suits are supposed to be very good as well, but definitely need to do some research before buying!  We used Bambou Silk and definitely recommend them.  The lady there was very helpful!

Halong Bay

One incredible attraction in the region (but it is a few hours away) is Halong bay.  We had heard this was amazing, but words do not do it justice.  We booked a single day trip, which was definitely very stressed due to the very long journey.  Unfortunately my mom was not feeling great for this day trip, so she stayed around the hotel area and had a relaxing day.  Meanwhile a few hours away, we actually had a pretty large boat all for ourselves, which was quite entertaining.  Again, the weather was still quite cold and foggy, but the place is really unbelievable.  This is a must for people in the region!!!

It was really fun to have my mom here and to travel with her, showing her how we live and what we like when we travel.  I think she was quite surprised that I now eat pretty much everything, while in Mexico I definitely had strong negative opinions about some food – what Asia does to you. Without a doubt the Asian experience has broadened by gastronomic horizon (either that, or being in my 30s)!

We really enjoyed showing her many of the fun places in Singapore, as well as travelling to Vietnam, I think it was a trip that showed 2 very different sides of the region!

Our base was mainly Luang Prabang but we also spent a few days in the ‘countryside’ going all the way up to Nong Khiaw. During 9 days we did everything from traditional temples and museums to cycling, kayaking, hiking, riding elephants and even sleeping in a Khmu village. Here I will explain the highlights of our trip.

Luang Prabang

Laos is a very laid back destination with amazingly beautiful landscapes. Luang Prabang receives many tourists from all around the world but yet it is still has a small town kind of feel. It is a lovely town to go around by bike and the perfect place to relax having a coffee watching people pass by. Around the dozens of temples spread around the city are little cafes, bistros, massage places and guests houses that don’t disturb the laid back atmosphere of this lovely town. 

Hmong new year celebration: we were lucky enough to be in town during the Hmong New Year so we had a chance to take a look at the celebration. Different villagers put their village typical attire and get together for a celebration that is centered by the courting ceremony between boys and girls. They toss a little ball from side to side to get to know each other and if they like each other they get married very shortly after – like 3 days after!!!

Alms giving: even though it has become a touristic attraction, there is still something magical about giving food to the monks during dusk. Hundred of monks walk by the streets of Luang Prabang collecting what will make up their full food intake of the day. Tip: there is no need to arrive at 530/600am like the guides recommend. The monks only come past around at 630. In order to get a good you must buy rice from the ladies that are holding seats on the Main Street but I would recommend you to bring fruits with you too because it feels a little weird that all the monks collect ends up being sticky rice and bags of crisps. You can buy them or other items at the market a bit before the ceremony.

Temples: there are so many temples in this very small town (around 34). They are all very nice, but we really enjoyed Wat Xieng Thong, the main temple in town. It is an incredible complex. Wat Mai monastery is also very nice. Haw Pha Bang houses the Prabang Buddha, which is very beautiful. And the views from Mount Phousi, on top of the hill in the middle of town is unbeatable.

Rice farm: At The Living Land Farm we learned the full cycle of rice cultivation and literally got our hands dirty. The thing that makes this experience so nice is the staff/owners. They are a community of local people that work this farm for their own consumption and decided to show tourists how they do it. The money they make goes into giving scholarships to local kids, who then help the farm. Really lovely. 

Restaurants and cafes: 

Tamarind: for sure the best option to get to know Lao food. Their tasting menus are delicious. 

Joma cafe: lovely coffee and cakes.

Rooftop cafe at Indigo House Hotel: super laid back with a great view of the city.

Manda de Laos: this place was recently opened (2015) and is a beautiful hotel and restaurant with very nice food.

Around Luang Prabang

Kayaking down the Nam Khan river: this was a very nice experience to enjoy the views and have a picnic over a banana leaf on the side of the river. 

Sleeping at a Khmu village: this was one of the most awaited moments of the trip. We had extremely high expectations of the interaction with the villagers and a glimpse of their lives. In reality the experience was much more crude than what we expected. The villagers were not much interested in interacting with us and our accommodation was not only basic but it was a little too dirty and run down for our taste. Yet, we had a fun candle lit dinner and an experience to remember. 

Elephant Camp + Tad Sae Waterfalls: elephant experiences always Rock! Riding, bathing and feeding. It was a treat to see little Maxim unexpectedly bathing. The boys even did zip lining at the waterfalls. The waterfalls were quite beautiful for its blue colour and different levels. 

North 

Sunset over the bridge at Nong Khiaw: there isn’t much to do or see up there and it is a little too far from Luang Prabang (4hrs drive). Yet, it enjoys an amazing geographical location that allowed us to see a beautiful sunset by the bridge over the Nam Ou river. 

100 waterfalls: this was a unexpected adventure. I never thought you could hike up a waterfall but apparently you can – with trainers, havaianas or even bare foot. 

Pak Ou caves: it is nice to see all these Buddha statues inside a rock but a little too overrated. 

Logistics tips and comments

Tours: We booked with Tiger trail. They did a good job.

Hotel in Luang Prabang: MyDream resort. It was on the other side of the river and this was actually great. Nearby but mouth more quiet and calm.

Hotel in Nong Khiaw: The Mandala Ou. Incredible views and a beautiful place.

Flights: flew on Lao airlines with a stopover in Ventiane. It was very good with no issues.

Our cultural trip started by the place we stayed in – East Indies. It is an amazingly renovated peranakan house divided into extremely spacious rooms. They made the place to feel as if it was your house with a lovely courtyard for relaxing and a shared kitchen. We rented a 2 bedroom apartment which had a big living room which was very convenient.

Very close to our hotel was the Peranakan House Museum which was very cool to see. They have free guided tours where they explain about the nyonias and babas and other customs. The jewelry, clothes and furniture are amazing to see. Very nice place.

We walked around all over George Town so we saw different temples, little shop house streets and mosques all over the place. The nicest area to find little cafes and restaurants and street art is around Armenian Street where the famous wall paintings are. They are quite nice to see but you need to keep your eyes open to see the more secluded of them.

The most impressive temple of all was Khoo Kongsi because of its size and details. It was very interesting to see the European and Chinese influence merging with Malay culture in the constructions.

Food wise, you can literally find anything you like here. The highlights for us were:

– Kapitan: indian with great tandoori and naans
– Tek Sen: glazed por belly is to die for!

– China House: very nice set up with 3 types of restaurants, boutique and art gallery in a shop house. The desert table is incredible!

In sum, Penang is an easy, full of life, nice place to go for a weekend with friends. Our friends definitely made the different in our weekend

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We have just come back from spending a long weekend in Bangkok, and we really enjoyed it! It was an easy and short trip from Singapore, so we set off early in Saturday morning. We got into BKK airport by 10, and decided to take the train into town. Since we were travelling light, we decided to go for a walk around the train station, in a place called Pratunam and its English neighbour, platinum plaza. Pratunam is a neighbourhood where there are tons of little local shops and restaurants.

We did not know the food didn’t open til later, so we had a bit of an aimless walk without finding the stalls! After a little while, Mariana asked a local seller and she explained where the food shops would pop up in the afternoon. In platinum plaza we had a bit of a look around, and this is certainly the place to buy clothes… They have some pretty good deals, and all kinds of local brands! Most of the stuff they sell seems relatively on the small side, but the selection is huge!

By this time, we were starving (having only had breakfast at the coffee bean in changi airport) so we went to a noodle shop that was quite recommended. When we got there, there was a pretty long queue, but in total we only waited about 15 mins. The guy cooking the noodles outside was really on a roll! The speed at which he churned plates out was amazing. They also had some pretty nice pork stew, so we enjoyed the meal. It would have been nice to get bigger portions, but it was good. In the street we also found some nice pandan cakes (looked like pandan Madeleins) as well as some coconut pancakes… Got them hot off the grill!

After lunch, we started walking towards the hotel, going through a few different areas of town. At the end of the day, we had walked about 12k! Not bad at all for a holiday…

The hotel we stayed at was the Lebua at State Tower. Yes, yes, it IS the one from the Hangover 2. As you walk near the hotel, in a nice area of town called Silom, you can see that it looks a bit run down… This worry was quickly eliminated when we walked into the lobby, as everything looked very new and upscale. We were informed that we were being upgraded (if we accepted a city view instead of a river view) and we promptly accepted, as the new floor was on floor 54 instead of 23. The room was huge and modern, and had a pretty nice view of the city. We had booked dinner for 7, but we quickly changed and asked the concierge for a massage recommendation near the hotel as we did not have too much time. They recommended the Silom Bodyworks one block away as a cheap and clean option. The place was pretty decent and really cheap, and we got a foot massage and a Thai massage, it was nice! After relaxing, off to the hotel for dinner!

The hotel has an area called The Dome, which is a group of restaurants and bars spread across the top floors of the hotel (52 and 67). We went for a drink at the sky bar on level 67, were you get an awesome view of the city at night. They claim this is the highest alfresco bar in the world – but I have heard this claim before from 1Altitude in Singapore, one of our favourite bars – not sure who is right, but will do some research! Anyway, I digress… The view is amazing! After a quick drink we went down to level 52, where we had an absolutely delicious dinner at Breeze. The service was amazing, the food was delicious, it was just a lovely experience!

On our second day in Bangkok we got up early and had a spectacular breakfast at the hotel (on the Mizu floor – apparently the 13th, but they changed the name…), and got ready to set off for a day of boat riding, temple visiting, massage, and more!!

On the way to the dock, we ran into a retired police man that gave us some pointers on getting a cheap boat (it might have, actually probably was, a set up to go to a different boat station, but the price was right, the boat was ok, and everything seemed fine, so we went for it). Then, we were off on our first tuktuk ride of the trip! Once arrived at the boat station, we found we had a few hours of boating ahead of us, which included visiting temples and markets. Getting around by boat was actually quite good, as it avoided lots of traffic on the streets… This is definitely a way to move around!

The boat first took us to a very beautiful temple called Wat Arun. It is across the river from the grand palace, and has a pretty nice view from the top. Definitely recommended! We had about 20 minutes there, and then had to catch the boat to go on to Taling Chan, which is an area further out of town that has a floating market. To get there, we had to get through a lock on the river, which was an interesting experience… Think small scale Panama Canal.

The market only had a handful of boats, but it was still a nice experience! Lots of colours and smells, and some very nice food.

On the way back we were dropped off at Wat Pho, which is a huge Reclining Buddha statue… It was very impressive.

Finally, we were running short on time, so we headed for another quick TukTuk ride to Wat Saket, a small temple on top of a hill which was nice, but not the nicest one that day.

By is time we had to get back to the hotel area as we had booked a massage at a place called Divana Spa, Which was just unbelievable. The place was beautiful and the massage was amazing, definitely recommended.

To end the day, after being completely relaxed, we headed for a very nice dinner at Issaya Siamese Club. This was an incredible local dinner. The food and drinks were delicious, and the place is set in an old house that is full of character. Really very recommended. The chef is recognised as one of Thailands best. A reservation is highly recommended. After dinner, time to go to sleep!

On our last few hours in Bangkok, we went to visit the Grand Palace. This is without a doubt the highlight of the trip, and can not be missed on a visit to the city. The different buildings, both religious and political are incredible, and you truly get to see a very wide range of architecture, culture, and history. They also have a periodic changing of the guard which was quite nice to see. The photos do a much better job about showing this amazing place.

After the palace, we had to go back to the hotel to get our bag and set off to the airport. On the way back we also decided to take the train, which was a completely painless experience. This is definitely a cheap and cheerful way to get to and from the city.

Bangkok is definitely a place to go back to. It has so many things to eat, see and do, and we felt that while we got a good taste, we would like more!

We travelled to Kyoto from Kobe, after our work was finished, and as a preamble to travelling around to all the other places we have talked about.  While there, we had 3 days, and we also managed to catch up with Annmarie and Trev once more.  Since it was going to be my birthday, Mariana worked with Trev to plan an awesome dinner, more about that below!

We arrived into Kyoto by train.  From there we headed to our hotel, the Citadines Karasuma-Gojo Kyoto.  This is basically like a slightly upscale IBIS.  It was nice, would recommend it as a cheap and easy place to stay at.

Our first stop in Kyoto was to do a walk we saw in one of the lonely planet guides, which seemed very interesting!  A map of the route is below, and it is definitely one that is work doing in about 6-8 hours.  Just take a bus to the first point and walk the rest of the way!

Kyomizudera temple

This is the temple on top of the mountain, where you can see the city.  It is very beautiful!  While we were there we got a free 15 minute tour from a gentleman who was learning english.  He was super friendly!  We also managed to see a couple of Geishas walking around the temple. When you reach the first gate turn to your left and you will be able to go into a completely dark cave to see a light rock. I can’t remember what it was but it was an interesting experience.

Sannen Zaka and Ninnen Zaka

Two small streets that come off form the main one form Kyomizudera.  These are very small and really give you a feeling for the city!  Lots of small staircases and shops, and if you pay attention you might get a chance to see geishas walking around.  We are sure we saw a few real ones (not tourists dressed as them).

Ishibei Koji

On the left hand side after a bit of a walk, is the Ishibei Koji Alleyway.  this is probably the most representative of all Kyoto streets we saw.  Its just a small lane that goes around with beautiful houses.  It is such a peaceful and quiet place!

Maruyama Koen

This is a large park surrounded by shrines.  While we were there in the middle of winter, everything was quite dry, but in the spring and autumn, all the trees are suppose to be beautiful, and in the middle of the park is a huge cherry blossom.

Shoren In

Past the part there is a huge gate and temple.  This was under restoration while there, but it was still quite impressive!

At this point, we turned back as we had made a reservation to see a Japanese tea ceremony.  The route continues as on the map, and is probably 30-4 0 minutes more!  The tea ceremony is a very beautiful typical activity in Japan.  It was traditionally done to show respect to guests and to be connected spiritually.  We went to a place called Tea ceremony En, which we would recommend.

After this very action filled day, we decided we still had a bit of energy, so headed over to Gion, which is the old Geisha district.  This has quite a different feel to the town, but it is also very nice.  While there, we went to the famous Gion Corner Show, where they showcase 8-9 different disciplines and arts from the region.  It was an average experience, as it was very clearly catered to tourists, and it just does not feel very personal…  we would not go again.

To finish off the day we headed over to Pontocho, which is another very small street that goes on for a few blocks.  this is probably one of the most narrow streets we have been in, and it is just restaurant after restaurant… we wandered around and just stopped in one that looked nice.

Arashiyama

Our next day in Kyoto we decided to focus on the North West of the city.  This started with a trip to Arashiyama by train (just a few stations up to Saga Arashiyama).  This place is most famous for its large beautiful bamboo forests, but there are so many temples and shrines as well!  As we exited the train station we started waling to the main area and found a small bike rental shop.  We decided to go for it, and it was a great decision. It was super nice to move around by bike!  There were so many temples, and the total distance was quite a few kilometres.  It was a really enjoyable experience. We followed a route we found in a small handout map they give in the station, be sure to get one!

As we cycled around, there were a few temples and places that can not be missed.  Some of them are:

• Tenryu-ji temple:  the most famous one.  Has a very beautiful garden and pond.  A very peaceful place!
• Small temples between Tenryu Ji and the main road:  there are probably 10-20 temples next to each other here.  We really enjoyed rambling around and going into these randomly.
• Bamboo grove:  This is the main reason why we came.  It did not disappoint!
• Jojakko Ji Temple:  this is a smaller temple on the top of a hill.  When we were there, there were only one or two more people, which gave us the nicest sense of peace and tranquility.  On top of that, there was a group of people singing buddhist chants in the cemetery next door.  It was very serene.
• Gio Ji temple:  this is a very small temple, but has some beautiful moss gardens around it.

After this adventure filled morning we stopped at the local ramen house right outside of the train station, and took a taxi to Kinkaku-Ji, the golden pavilion.

Kinkaku Ji

Kinkaku Ji is probably the most popular picture of all of Kyoto.  It is a beautiful golden building in the middle of a pond and with very beautiful surroundings.  This is another must go… but be warned that it will be very full!  Never the less it is worth it.

Nijo Castle

Once we finished at the golden pavilion, we headed over to Nijo Castle.  This, together with Arashiyama, is probably my favourite spot in all of Kyoto…  It is an old castle in the middle of the city that used to belong to the local shogun.  It is very well conserved and has pretty good explanations of things…  My favourite fact i learned there:  All of the floors are made squeaky on purpose so that any invaders/attackers (ninja’s!) would make noise and be caught.  This castle is another one that can not be missed.

To finish off the day, we decided to have typical Kyoto sushi, which is very different than what you are used to.  Since Kyoto is quite a ways from the sea, in the ancient days they would pickle and cook the seafood so it would last longer.  They then use this to make the sushi.  It was quite nice and interesting!  The name of the place is いづ重 (something like Kyoto Wel), and it is know to be one of the best places!  After this, it was time to sleep!

Fushimi Inari

On our final day in Kyoto we went to Nishiki Market and caught up with Annmarie and Trev later.  To start the day off, we headed over to Fushimi Inari Taisha.  This is another temple that is very famous, as it has many thousands of orange Torii Gates.  These gates go up the mountain and around, with a shrine every few hundred meters.  We headed about a third of the way up, as going the full way around probably takes a few hours!  This was another very pretty place.

After this, we decided to go for a little rest in preparation for my birthday dinner!

As a surprise, Mariana worked with Trev to arrange a Kaiseki meal.  This is a typical japanese multi-course meal.  In ours, we were served around 18 dishes!  These included all types of fish in many different presentations.  Most were really good, and a few not so much (some really were pushing the envelope for our taste buds – I’m looking at you herring roe – kasunoko!).  The dishes included  soup, sushi, squid, urchin and many others… it really was a very interesting experience, all served dish by dish and prepared in front of us.  We had no choice in the meal, it is based on what the chef has available, and it really was a very enjoyable and experimental time!  The chef had a very large collection of places, and he serves every dish on a specific plate that will showcase it best.  If you are up for it, the name of the place is Chihana, and it s a 3 Michelin star restaurant.  We recommend you get a japanese person to book it (and you definitely need a booking).  this was a very artful meal!
Here is the picture of the most impressive dish – The End of the Winter. It represents the first flowers coming out under a very thin layer of snow.

Once we were finished with our awesome meal, we decided to head over to one of the shrines as it was the Setsubun festival (fire festival).  Here we walked around and there were hundreds of stalls serving all kinds of japanese food and toys.  It was nice to walk around and see all of the locals taking it all in.  It was also very nice to be able to go into the shrines at night.

Once we finished our festival walk, we headed back to the hotel, as we had a long trip waiting for us the next day (all the way to Takayama).

Other posts about Japan:

Our time in Japan

Koya San: beautiful mountain town

The One and Only: Fuji San

Takayama & Shirakawa-go – Mountain Wonderland

On day 2 we started off by heading to Asakusa.  This is a temple in the north east area of Tokyo.  it was nice to see, but it was very full of tourists.  Its worth it though!

Here it really was quite interesting to see all the people walking around and the random group of drummer playing something similar to a Brazilian batucada, all dressed as bullfighters… only in Japan! Since we were in the area, we headed over towards the Akihabara area (the electronics and comics area).  Here we made a quick stop for Trev to buys some fireworks, for which he got an awesome deal!  Then, walking into Akihabara we ran into a small noodle shop in the street, and it was amazing!  It was great that the 6 people in our group occupied the entire restaurant, so we had a very nice private meal!

After this, we divided our efforts and went to a local “Maid Cafe”.  This is a really strange experience… Basically, its a restaurant/dessert shop where all of the waitresses are dressed as prototypical maids complete with miniskirt and squeaky voices.  Once there they “take you on a magical journey” where your imagination is the limit.  It was all very weird, and even a little bit uncomfortable, specially when looking at the business men in suits looking at the young girls dressed as maids.  It was really a strange experience!

After this, we closed the day with an amazing dinner in the Roppongi area (the bar/party area) in a teppanyaki called OMAE XEX, very highly recommended!  Definitely need a reservation here though.

On the final day that weekend we decided to go to the west of the city and visit the Meiji Shrine.  This is a beautiful temple in the middle of a park that was built by emperor Meiji in the late 19th century.  Everything about this place is amazing.  Its a truly beautiful shrine that you can not miss.  We even got to witness a typical japanese wedding at the shrine!

Once you exit Meiji, you come out at Harajuku train station.  This is a place where if you get the right time (weekend in the later morning) you get to see the Harajuku girls, all dressed up.  As you keep walking down this main street, you go into Omotesando, a nice shopping areas with lots of little streets and restaurants to visit.  If you are in the mood to walk, you can even get on foot to Shibuya, which is the most famous crossing, where there are millions of people on the streets (if you have seen a movie where Tokyo appears, you have seen this).

After this, we went back to Kobe, but came back to Tokyo at the end of our trip, where we went to a few more places.  In our return, we found we were running into one of the largest snow storms Tokyo had seen in over 30 years!  It was beautiful though.

We got a chance to walk around the imperial palace and some shrines in the snow, and it was really nice as everything was very quiet and peaceful.  it was also quite difficult to walk around! In this stop over in Tokyo, Mariana found an amazing Gyoza restaurant in Hrajuku that was delicious.  Don’t miss going to Harajuku Gyoza Lou…  don’t worry about the queue, it’ll probably go quickly and it’s worth it!

When we were caught in the snow, we were looking for a restaurant and ran into this small place behind our hotel.  The food was terrific (different types of skewers chosen by the chef), and while we had no clue what we would get, everything was a pleasant surprise.  The waiter even braved the snow storm to get us a coke, as they didn’t have any… he ran to the nearest Family Mart! True Japanese hospitality. The snow storm resulted in us not being able to get to the airport, which meant an extra night in Tokyo….  but it included 5-6 hours in the train trying to get to the airport, then 12 hours of waiting there, an emergency hotel booking while running to the train, and begging and pleading to get a flight back home!  It was absolute chaos!

The airport during a snowstorm – crowded!

It was all a magical and wonderful experience.  People were so nice, and we really enjoyed our time here!

Other posts about Japan:

Our time in Japan

Koya San: beautiful mountain town

The One and Only: Fuji San

Takayama & Shirakawa-go – Mountain Wonderland

Enough of the romance, let’s get into all the things we packed into one weekend: – A O Show at the Saigon Opera House: this was an amazing find. Acrobatics on bamboo sticks and wicker basket. Pure talent from the dancers showing a little bit of vietnamese life in the countryside and city. Super cool. After that we had an incredible meal at Hoa Tuc which by the end offer cooking classes too – next time – Cu Chi Tunnels: we were not 100% bought into going but we ended up getting a tour with the hotel agency and went there on a private tour. It was actually quite nice to see the tunnels. We didn’t do the shooting. There is something slightly weird about shooting on a site where thousands of men, women and children died. In fact, that is the sound effect throughout the tour… a bit scary.

– War Remmenants Museum: a little gory but interesting to see Vietnam’s side of the war story. – Reunification Palace: we didn’t even know that the Palace was open for visitation but it was a pleasant walk around.

Now, on the less tourists path, we took a friend’s recommendation and took a Saigon after Dark Vespa tour.  It was an amazing experience! The tour is super well organized and it has all the transport, food and drinks included. It basically took to parts of the city we couldn’t even imagine from District 1 to District 4 where very few tourists go. You get driven by a motorbike/ vespa driver through the crazy streets of Saigon praying for your life. Eventually we started to enjoy the view and the incredible moment of being on the deep end of what this city is all about. We ate amazing seafood but the highlight of the night was banh xeo in a corner shop. We went to a secret cafe to listen to live music in, what I would describe as someone’s living room in a little alley somewhere and then went to a rock bar. Quite bizarre combination but it worked nicely. We had a great time!

On our last day we took our first Triip tour. This is basically a broker website for local guides. Tam was our lovely guide to take us through the main markets in the city like true locals. She took by public bus to Binh Tay Market in District 5 to see a true local market where they sell food and everything else. The market is located in China town so we stopped by a couple of pagodas as well. It was interesting to see these religious buildings with incredibly intrinsic carving next to bit old horrible looking buildings. After that we did a quick stop at famous Ben Thanh Market to then reach the best moment of the day: eat a proper banh mi! Tam took us to the ‘joint’ where she has very snack in the afternoon during work days. PS: that is after she took a siesta on a mattress that she leaves in the office. Anyway, banh mi is a super sandwich with pork or chicken meat and a salad. It sounds much duller than what it is. It was fantastic!!!

Only one weekend but enough for us to fall in love with Vietnam. We will definitely be going back!

Path to Tanjong Beach

Day1: Sentosa Island! This is a man made resort island with attractions for all tastes. This is where Universal Studios is and lots of other truistic stuff to see. But that is not the plan. Our plan would be to go in the morning to Tanjong Beach. Beautiful beach with a nice relaxed beach club. Very good for dogs. (http://www.sentosa.com.sg/en/beaches/tanjong-beach/). Lunch at the Capella Hotel – best hotel in Singapore. We can savour their special lunch menu of dumplings or Pequin Duck. Excellent view, food and service. While you are in Sentosa, why not pampering yourself with an afternoon spa. The Spa Botanica has amazing facilities and services. You can enjoy an afternoon in the different pools, jacuzzis or mud bath followed by a scrub and massage to relax after a long flight. (http://www.thesentosa.com/spabotanica-en.html)

Day2: Marina Bay area. Go around the beautiful bay, have a quick look at the Merlion, ArtScienceMuseum and extravagant Marina Bay Sands. Then head to Gardens by the Bay and perhaps enjoy an Afternoon Tea inside the Flower Dome at the lovely Pollen. (http://www.pollen.com.sg/#!/experience). From there head for an unforgettable sunset at 1Altitude @RafflesOne. (http://www.1-altitude.com)

Arab Quarter

Day3: Culture time! Start by China Town to savour a typical Singaporean breakfast at Maxwell Court. Rice cake or carrot cake are highly recommended (both savory dishes). Have a look around the amazing architecture and if you are really into t stop by URA to see an free exposition about the evolution of Singapore. Temple of the Tooth, Club St and little streets around will provide a nice contrast from sky scrappers in the financial district. From there head to Arab Quarter. Walk around the street and do NOT miss Haji Lane. Adorable little area. If you up for totally local food check out Claypot chicken rice at a local stall or a murtabak at Zam Zam's. After that head back to China Town for a well deserved drink at at the Screening Rooms. This will give a whole new perspective to roof tops in Singapore.

Botanic Gardens

Day4: Time travel in Tiong Bahru. But before that, why not earn the food of the day. Go for a walk at the Henderson Wave and if you are brake enough walk up the path to MountFaber (highest point of Singapore). Tiong Bahru time! – This is a the 'cool' area of Singapore. What used to be a run down area full of prostitutes now is very chic with little cafes, boutiques and cool art shops. Certainly worth breakfast/brunch at Tiong Bahru's Bakery for their special caramel pastry. On the way back home, stop by the Botanic Gardens. Dinner at Dempsey Hill is just a stroll off the gardens.

Chewa

Day5: Pulau Ubin. This is what Singapore used to look like less than 100 years ago. Get a little boat and arrive at this unspoiled island where you can go for a cycle or do a typical cooking lesson. On your way back, stop by at Changi Hawker Center for a feast of local amazing food. After all this nature why not stop by the so famous Orchard Road.

Day6: Zoo! Apparently you don't need to be a kid to love this place. I haven't been but it is supposed to be incredible. If you are feeling wild you can even book in for a Night Safari in one of the other nights.

Now I realized that this is not anymore a stop-over in Singapore. Sorry but there is so much to do and so much to see that it gets difficult to choose.

Enjoy!

Singapore used to have a lot of food carts on the streets that were ran by immigrants from China, Malaysia and India. A few years back, the government took all of them from the streets and put them spread across the island in food courts. These food courts have a clean water and sewage so this initiative enable clean street food for the community and visitors. And above all, it is ridiculously cheap. For 10SGD you will eat like a king!

The Hawer Centres are everywhere from fancy Raffles Centre to suburbs. It all depends where you are and how 'local' you can bear to go. Be prepared to share a table, use plastic plates and brave the heat with NO air conditioning or napkins.

They are maid of a combination of food specialists. I say that because these people have been cooking one type of food or some times one dish for their whole lives. They cook each dish to perfection or at least a lot of them do.

The most famous dish in Singapore: Chicken Rice. Tian Tian for example is No1 Chicken Rice but Wee Nam Kee is pretty amazing too and they have several outlets.

Other very famous dishes that are not to be missed are: murtabak, roti prata, Chili Crab, Laksa, Sweet n Sour pork and Satay.

Recommended Hawker Centres in order of fanciness:

• Gluttons Bay: anything is good here. It was chosen by food critics of Makansutra guide. The diference here is that you eat by the Marina Bay. Wee Nam Kee is supposed to have one of the best chicken rice.
• Food Republic @313 Somerset. Have handmade noodles done by this guy. So thick and delicious.

• Maxwell Food Court: Tian Tian!!!! And go at lunch time to catch the lady that makes Malay sweets called Ondeh Ondeh! Little coconut gummy sweets to die for!

• Bukit Batok Food Court: our local Not to be missed. Prata and Murtabak are amazing here and a mst stop for our guests.

As the locals would say: Makan! (Eat on!)

I am not sure we can beat what is written here but I shall try. On the way back I might make some comments myself. Enjoy!

(just realised it is in portuguese but by the titles, non-portugues speakers can get the gist)

Museus

* – Metropolitan: tem um pouco de tudo. É lindo, bem cuidado, bem organizado e tem ótimas exposições (ver no site).

* – MOMA: obviamente, de arte moderna (não contemporânea!). É ótimo! Tem muitas obras famosas (a lojinha é muito legal….).

* – Museu de História Natural: vale a pena pelos dinossauros (começar por eles no último andar, o resto é secundário).

– Guggenheim: arte contemporânea. O que vale mesmo é o prédio e dá pra entrar para ver de dentro sem pagar entrada. A coleção não faz muito meu estilo.

– Cloisters: ala do MET de arte medieval. É longe, então não sei se vale para uma primeira viagem, mas é lindo (fica dentro de um parque).

– Frick Collection: museu pequeno em uma casa ao lado do Central Park. A coleção não é grande, mas o museu é bem simpático.

– The Morgan: outro museu pequeno, na casa do coitado do JP Morgan. Tem exposições legais, mas o highlight é a biblioteca.

Turismo

* – Rockfeller Center ME: subir em um dia de sol (Top of the Rock). Parece bobo e caro (uns 25usd), mas é muito, muito legal. Tem as melhores vistas de NY (mas depois de ir lá, vc vai ter um pouco de raiva da MetLife). A melhor vista do Empire State.

* – Central Park: passear. Sheepmeadows para um picnic (lembra que não pode beber bebida alcoólica abertamente) e Reservoir (lago) para andar. É fácil se perder no parque, então um celular com o mapa carregado e GPS é útil. Se não tiver, fique perto das laterais com referência nas ruas.

– Ponte do Brooklin D: É bem legal atravessar por ela, mas é uma bela caminhada.

– Estátua da Liberdade D: Ir até lá é um pouco turístico demais, mas dá pra ter vistas ótimas do Battery Park (parque na pontinha da ilha, perto do buraco).

– Times Square M: Eu odeio, tenho claustrofobia só de pensar, mas não deixa de ser a cara de NY….

– Lincoln Center UW: É onde fica o ballet, a ópera e Julliard School de música. Mesmo que não vá assistir nada, vale a pena dar uma passada para ver os prédios, sentar e descansar um pouco. (tem a Epicerie do Daniel Boulud na frente, então dá pra pegar um docinho e ir comer no Lincoln).

Beber

* – Mc Sorleys: é a cervejaria mais antiga dos EUA e mudou pouco nas últimas décadas. Vale a pena de verdade. Ir de dia (deve até fechar cedo).

– Pravda: bar de vodka.

Comer Mega

* – Daniel UE: restaurante lindo, serviço perfeito, comida delicia. Vale uma parada no bar para tomar um drink.

* – Le Bernardin MW: restaurante essencialmente de peixes. O chef Eric Ripert é sensacional, todos os pratos são uma delícia.

– Per Se UW: deveria ser o melhor, mas me decepcionou…. Muito bom, mas nada de absurdo.

– MASA UW: japa mais conceituado de NY (e caro, a degustação custa 400 usd só pra começar). Nunca fui, mas está nos planos…

– Eleven Madison Park LE: mais moderno que os outros, mas muito bom. Tem um ótimo menu no almoço.

Comer bem

* – BouludSud UW: comida mediterrânea muito boa. O bar é ótimo!

* – Red Rooster Harlem: comida americana com ótimo bar. Parece bizarro, mas é um passeio que vale a pena (além de ser fácil de chegar de taxi, tem metro na porta).

– Momofuku Ssam Bar LE: comidas deliciosas e ligeiramente estranhas (pescoço de galinha, pork bun).

* – Ma Peche UW: do mesmo dono do Momofuku, mas com foco em comida tailandesa.

– Del Posto LW: italiano high profile. Lindo de morrer e com comida muito boa. O bar tb vale uma parada.

* – Sushi Yasuda ME: japa simples, mas muito bom. Diversos tipos de salmão, atum etc., muito diferente do que no Brasil.

* – Prune LE: comida “caseira”. A chef é muito respeitada e as comidas mega gostosas, mas o lugar é simples.

– Lincoln UW: restaurante “contemporâneo” gostoso e bonito (o teto é de grama….).

– Artisanal LE: na verdade é um restaurante de queijos. Vale a pena fazer uma degustação, tomando vinho….

– Balthazar Soho: inspiração do Astor. Comida gostosa. Serve para almoço.

– Bar Boulud UW: mais um do Daniel Boulud. Bom bistro.

* – Eataly LE: é uma mega operação do Mario Batali. É um supermercado com vários restaurantes dentro e uma “cervejaria” com comidas (Birreria) no rooftop. Tudo vale a pena, inclusive comprar guloseimas para trazer….

– Grand Central Oyster Bar LE: como diz o nome, o foco são os vários tipos de ostras, mas tem outras coisas (e a Grand Central vale uma visita turistica).

– John Dory LE: mais um para comer ostras e coisas do mar em geral. Bom para snack antes do almoço no Eataly.

– Marea: especializado em peixes e frutos do mar. Gostoso, mas não espetacular.

– Rouge Tomate: restaurante sazonal, comidas organicas (mas é um restaurante de verdade!)

– WD50: comida molecular. Se estiver no clima, é bem divertido.

– Babbo: italiano que deve ser o melhor do Mario Batali. Nunca fui, mas deve ser bom.

– Scarpetta: outro italiano. Tb não conheço, mas só ouço falar bem.

– The Modern M: é o restaurante bom detro do Moma. Nunca fui, mas deve ser bom.

Comidinhas

*- Epicerie Boulud UW: tem comidas o dia todo, café bom, doces deliciosos. Serve para café da manhã, lanche e até um almoço rápido.

– Boucherie Bouchon UW: idem acima, mas é no shopping (gosto mais das comidas do Boulud).

– Le Pain Quotidien: agora que vai abrir em SP, é mais sem graça, mas é uma bela padaria, que serve para café da manhã, lanche e almoço (saladas e sanduíches).

*- Magnolia: os melhores cupcakes do universo. Coma o red velvet, sem preconceito.

– HH Bagels: caso vocês queiram provar os famosos bagels.

– Shake Shak: dizem que é o melhor hamburguer de NY.

– Sigmund Pretzel (fora do MET): vale a pena para provar.

Compras

– Rockfeller Center: ali nas redondezas tem todas as lojas importantes. A maior Banana Repuplic, uma mega J Crew, Anthropologie etc.

– Time Warner: fica no Columbus Circle e é um shopping fechado. Não tem muito charme, mas tem várias lojas boas e é fechado para um dia de chuva…

– Woodburry Outlet: sim, vale a pena. Alugue um carro (uso a dollar.com).

– Century 21: é tipo um outlet dentro de Manhattan. Eu odeio, mas…

– Bloomingdales: é minha loja de departamentos favorita. Tem um bom tamanho e tem tudo (cosmeticos, bolsas, roupas, ternos…).

– NikeTown: eu sempre dou uma passada (é do lado da Bloomingdales).

– Madison Ave (e um pouco da Lexington): parte fashion…. O famoso Upper East.

– Soho: é uma área mais alternativa, mas com muitas lojas legais. Não sou muito especista…

– Williams Sonoma: loja de coisas de cozinha. Eu amo… (tem no shopping).

– Para crianças: FAO Schwartz e Toyz are Us.

– Bed, Bath and Beyonds: é a loja mais bizarra. Tem de tudo pra casa (tudo). Vale a pena pelas roupas de cama e banho.

– Eletronicos: JR lá do lado do buraco ou BH (judeus do lado da Penn Station). As duas são boas, mas a Amazon pode ter preços melhores.

– Vinhos: Sherry Lehmann e Crush.

– The Meadow: loja que vende sal, chocolates especiais e bitters (para drinks). Bizarra e mega legal. Os chocolates são absurdos (de todos os lugares do mundo).

– Colony MW: loja de discos e coisas de música enorme, mas bem desorganizada e feia.

– The Strand: livraria gigante, com tudo que você possa imaginar, mas na linha do desorganizado e feio…. É uma loja de meninos, mas é bem perto da Union Square onde tem várias lojas de meninas.

Noite

*- Dizzy's Club Coca Cola (Jazz at Lincoln Center): Bar de jazz com vista linda do Central Park. Normalmente, tem 2 shows por noite, servindo drinks, ate comidinhas. Vale mega a pena, até pq os shows sao curtos.

– Village Vanguard: outro bar de jazz, bem tradicional. Mais feio, mas tem bons shows.

– Blue Note: esse é o mais turístico deles. Só vale se tiver algum show que voces queiram ir.

– Smoke: é meio fora de mão, no meio do nada, mas é legal.

Esportes

– NBA: Knicks. Madison Square Garden. É no meio da cidade, então vale a pena.

– NFL: Giants ou Jets. Isso já fica mais longe (em Jersey), mas eu achei demais.

– MLB: Yankees ou Mets. Também é longe (um no Bronx e outro no Queens), mas é uma experiência divertida. Ir com fome.

– Tenis: em setembro tem US Open.