Hey good morning everyone. You must be wondering why I woke up so early during the Sunday morning. Well, actually I woke up for photoshoot, but it was disappointing where the sky was just plain and dull. I ended up walking to the mosque area and came back with no decent photos. Such a 'lovely' morning.

Anyway, to make myself feel productive for this early morning, I dig out my Vietnam photos and finally started to edit my Ha Long Bay photo. I mean photo, not photos. It is singular and more will come hopefully. You know life has been quite hectic when you are in the final year. So have to deal with it.

Now I am eating V2 breakfast and will head back to my bed after this. Hope you guys enjoy your week ahead. Cheers.

An unexpected street without any traffic.

The junction near our hotel.

A lady was selling some vegetable.

Motorcycles parked near the market.

An old lady with bicycle.

Train stopped for goods loading.

A Colosseum look alike building, according to the map, it is a post office. 

In the market.

View from the top of whole sale market.

It was the second day and we decided to explore Hanoi town by ourselves. The only vital tool we brought along was a map, a paper printed map. Surprisingly, getting lost wasn't our main concern. Our main concern was the traffic - how to cross the forever-busy streets. It was quite a challenge where you have to be extra alert and brave simultaneously to cross every streets. The traffic in Vietnam is different from Malaysia where they are using right lane instead of left. So, you need to adapt to the flow of the traffic from time to time.

Unfortunately, second day was a rainy day or should I say, the whole week was a rainy week. If you notice my photos, they are a little misty and blur. It was due to the rain and my camera as well. I probably didn't tell you that my auto-focus of my camera is mulfunction. I had to rely on my manual focus throughout the trip which always caused me to fall behind of the group.

Anyway, we managed to go to the wet market, whole sale market, train station, lake and so forth. Visiting the market is the most exciting one. The market was so crowded where we had to squeeze our way through every walk way. Everyone was looking at us in a funny way. They must have the thought that we are some bunch of lost foreigners  To think about it, it was quite an achievement. We walked for the whole day. We search the food using nothing but the map (of course we did ask the recommended places for good food). And the most important thing is we managed to find our way back to the hotel. Exploring the town in rainy and freezing cold weather is probably the thing you don't get to do in Malaysia. It is simply memorable. 

Before we went back to our hotel, we stopped by City View Cafe for some hot drinks. This is the view of Hanoi at night.

Oh yea, before I forget, I was nearly knocked by a motorcycle during that night. There is one thing about the motorcycle in Vietnam, the motorcyclists like to honk to alert the people around which is super annoying. But, if they don't, they are just like a stealth motorcycle. Moving behind or beside you without any sound. When I wanted to cross the road after dinner, I did not notice this particular motorcycle was coming from my left side (my blind spot). So I crossed without any hesitation and suddenly, my gang shouted the longest "Yu Han" I have ever heard. Luckily, the motorcycle managed to stop just beside me. And the thing is, my gang did not even try to push or pull me. All they did was shout at me. They said, I shouldn't be alive that night. Oh well. I survived maybe not because the motorcyclist is skillful nor the shouting, but the brake was in good shape for emergency brake.

The entrance of the first university in Vietnam I think.

Some buildings in the university.

Group shot near the lake.

Handsome Ryan for sales, S&A.

Some miniature I notice in the university.

Edmund and Kerry welcoming everyone.

The place the scholars took examination if not mistaken.

We went to visit the first university in Vietnam, Temple of Literature (according to the internet) after Ho Chi Minh mausoleum  Well, the first time we walked into the place, we had this feeling that we were in those Chinese drama settings where all the scholars are taking examinations to serve the nation. It was incredible experience. And again, I wandered off somewhere else to take photos instead of listening. Instead of the buildings, you get to see some carving of literatures on stones too.

Pagoda in West Lake.

Temple in West Lake.

Gigantic tortoise in Hoan Kiam Lake.

Group shot by Hoan Kiam Lake.

Apparently Hanoi is famous of lakes. We visited West Lake and Hoan Kiam Lake. There are pagoda and temple by West Lake, however, Hoan Kiam Lake is an eye opener. Hoan Kiam Lake has literal meaning of Sword Lake which involves the tale of magical sword and tortoise. And if you think the tortoise is not real, please have a closer look. It is a preserved gigantic tortoise. Too bad, the tour guide said the chances to see a real one nowadays are way too slim. Trust me, it is very huge and it is a must to pay a visit if you are there.

The first thing I noticed when I reached Hanoi Guest House.

Everyone was listening to the tour guide's explanation.

Kerry with his camcorder.

Group photo at the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum.

More explanation by tour guide at Hanoi Residential Palace.

I think is Ho Chi Minh's residential area.

Another side of it.

Some interior view of the residential area.

Some antic car.

Lake view in the palace area.

Group photo by the lake side.

Just some random fire extinguishers.

One pillar pagoda.

Hey peeps, it has been a while since the last update. Life has been quite busy in my final year. And now I would like tell you guys about our Vietnam trip (assuming there are still people reading my blog). The trip was like months ago, before my final year started. Yea, it was ages ago and I am digging the photos out. Overall, I love Vietnam pretty much, the food, the people and the place, except the weather and the traffic. You can't blame me because I was just like a camel landed on north pole. It was freezing cold and we barely saw the sun throughout the trip until we reached Danang. About the traffic, I shall tell you guys later where I was nearly involved in an accident.

But this post is mainly about Hanoi, our very first day in Vietnam. The first place we visited was the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. I can't explain the place much because I was spending my time taking photos without listening to the tour guide. However, the place is built in remembrance of Ho Chi Minh, a great leader of Vietnam. We visited his residential area where the car, reading room, hall room and meeting room can be seen. That's what I can recall now for our first visit, so I hope the photos can tell you a little something about the place.

By the way, the last photo is the One Pillar Pagoda. A temple built on a single pillar and rested in a small lake. If not mistaken, this temple is for the prayer of those who wish to bore children. And according to the tour guide, it is suitable for bachelors like us.

Before I end my post, there are still some photos. The photos can tell you how huge is the mausoleum. Hopefully more updates will come. Cheers.