The Land of Pho

It was the first time the three of us were going out of India together, and that too with the entire gang from Ritika’s side! We flew from Kolkata to Hanoi and spent a day there. Hanoi was a colourful city with the familiar buzz of big cities. On the very first evening, we went for the traditional Vietnamese food- pho ga (the chicken soupy noodles) and Banh xeo (a Vietnamese crepe).

Pic 1: On our way to Hanoi

Pic 2: First dinner in Hanoi- Sipping a beer while Ritika keeps our toddler engaged!

Pic 3: Where taste meets simplicty: Pho ga (left) and Banh xeo (right)

The Banh xeo was a learning experience though- we had to combine the leaves with the crepe and dip it in the sauce before eating. It’s always interesting when you are exposed to different cuisines; you not only taste something new, but you also have to learn how to eat it. Just like ilish mach (the Hilsa fish found in Bengal). Just because someone from Kerala or Goa eats fish, they can’t magically come to Bengal and start eating ilish. There is a certain technique to debone and eat it, which most Bengalis have mastered over the years. Not something easy to master quickly.

Anyways, back to our trip. After dinner, we rode their version of a cycle-rikshaw around Hoan Kiem Lake. In this version, the passenger’s back faces the driver, giving an uninterrupted view as we travel.

Pic 4: Cycle-rikshaw ride in Hanoi

Pic 5: Arhat enticed by the fire on Hanoi streets

The next morning we went to the ‘Temple of Literature’, which is dedicated to Confucius. Built around 1070AD, it also hosted Vietnam’s first university for over 700 years.

Pic 6: At the ‘Temple of Literature’, Hanoi

And before meeting up with the rest of the family who were travelling from Delhi, we sat at a cafe next to the gorgeous St. Joseph’s Cathedral, trying the egg coffee for the first and last time! Not suitable for my taste buds.

Pic 7: St. Joseph’s Cathedral (left), the famous Vietnamese egg coffee (right)

We finally met as a group and travelled to Ninh Binh. It was a quaint little town where rice fields, wetlands, rivers and limestone towers all merge to form a beautiful landscape. We visited the Mua Caves and the Bich Dong Pagoda, a Buddhist complex built inside a limestone mountain. Here Tintin climbed the stairs with utmost enthusiasm, and even we struggled to catch our breath.

Pic 8: Entrance of the Bich Dong Pagoda

Pic 9: Trekking the pagoda (left), after the descent (right)

Pic 10: Entrance to the Mua caves, Ninh Binh

Our last stop, also where we spent most of our time, was Lan Ha Bay, which was next to the Cat Ba islands. We gave Halong Bay a pass because we wanted a place with fewer crowds, and Lan Ha Bay was a perfect match. The resort was right next to a secluded beach and overlooked the emerald blue waters and karsts emerging from the water in the distance.

Pic 10: Arhat with his cousin, Ved, at the Flaming Cat Ba resort, Cat Ba Island

Pic 11: View from the resort, Cat Ba Island

We went on a cruise, and it was probably one of the most beautiful scenes I witnessed on the water. Karst limestone towers emerged from the water. They have stood there for hundreds of thousands of years, though in a different form. These structures are skeletons of an ancient seabed. The water was uncannily quiet as the limestone towers absorbed any waves.

Pic 12: View from the cruise deck- the jagged limestone karst towers emerging from the blue waters

Pic 13: The rare times he poses for the camera!

Pic 14: Cruise control- Arhat enjoying the captain’s view

There is a Vietnamese folklore that says dragons descended from the heavens to protect the country and spat out jewels, which are these islands!

We also did our first kayaking in these waters, where Ritika and I questioned the strength of our relationship based on how uncoordinated we were (yes, we were in a fighting phase for a few days!). On the last day, we discovered a wonderful trek next to our resort that led to some beautiful views of the ocean.