Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas everyone. Have a wonderful time and happy travels!

Hoi An Vietnam part 3

After checking into the hotel I jumped on the hotel shuttle to the historic town centre. Feeling peckish I started to look for something to eat. Then I saw this little stall with a crowd around it and I was introduced for the first time to Ban Mi.

Heaven in a baguette can be found here

Ban Mi is the Vietnamese term for all kinds of breads, or more specifically the baguette. The baguette you get in Malaysia is really a poor example of the lovely french bread. A good baguette in my book is one that still has a nice crunch on the outside even though it is at room temp. The baguette here is as good as the French. Crisp crunch on the outside, nice and soft inside. The Vietnamese take the humble baguette sandwich to the next level with "mystery" meat pate, grilled meat, fresh cucumber slices, cilantro, pickled carrots and daikon. Then they add spicy chili sauce, sliced chilis, mayonnaise, and cheese. OMG this is heaven sandwiched in a baguette.

My Ban Mi coming together in the hands of the experts

I ordered my first Ban Mi, paid and start to walk and eat it. Took the first bite and I stopped dead. There I stood with chilly sauce running down my arms, I ate that Ban Mi like I had not eaten in months. Once the last morsel made it's way into my mouth, I walked back to the stall and ordered another and inhaled it the moment it reached my grubby hands.

My first Ban Mi. I dream about it still!

  This is comfort food that I will come back for again and again. The rest of my trip was discovering many mouth watering Vietnamese food. I haven't an idea what I ate or what they were called but I loved them all. Sitting on those short chairs can be a bit a gymnastic performance for someone my size but the meal  would always make up for it.

Had this in what was more like someones home

 

 

Spring rolls that were fresh and light. Delish!

Dining table for little people

Meal with a view and tranquility

Beef with pineapple

 I have found Vietnamese food to sophisticated. The subtle flavours and simplicity has won my heart and tummy!

Hoi An Vietnam part 2

I was lucky to find a great hotel on AGODA.com for my stay in Hoi An. It met the most important, criteria.....cheap hahaha errr I mean value for money! A two night stay was only going to cost RM328 in a superior room. The hotel......Ancient House Resort.

It's called Ancient House because a 200 year old house is located within the hotel compound. More about that later.

The back of the hotel is on the banks of a river. Cua Dai beach is 3km down the road. You could take a hotel bicycle to get there or the hotel shuttle that will drop you off at a beach restaurant.

The town centre is 1.5km in the opposite direction.

The rooms are laid out around a lush garden with the pool in the centre. My room was on the first floor.

View of the pool from my room

The rooms from the hotel lobby

Lush greenery all over the hotel

The lobby is up the stairs

   The "wow" moment came the minute I stepped into the room

The room was tastefully decorated with a colonial style. The four posted bed took pride of place. There were flowers from the garden and a nice touch were some local cakes and fruits.

The TV has satellite channels but you could also buy some DVD's and use the DVD player that comes with the room.

The bathroom was just great too

Breakfast was simple and wonderful, a mix of local and western food. Loved it!

The restaurant where breakfast is served

 The friendly staff were always happy to explain about the local food served. I stuffed my face each morning!

At the back of the hotel is a 200 year old house and rice paper noodles are made there. A lovely lady took the time to explain the whole process to me. A tourist attraction right in the hotel.

This little charming hotel is 5 star in my book!

Hoi An Vietnam Part 1

This time last year, I made my first visit to Vietnam and unlike most, it wasn't to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh, my pick was Hoi An. It's located on the coast about 30 minutes by car from Danang. It is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Picture Melaka but better managed and that is Hoi An. It is a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port of the 15th to 19th centuries, with buildings that display a unique blend of local and foreign influences.

The best part, the heritage area is a Vehicle Free Zone!

Unlike the crazy streets of Melaka choked with cars and motorbikes. Here hotels loan bicycles to guests to explore the streets of Hoi An

The streets are free of fast food outlets and foreign brands. Instead it's tailors, shoes makers, cafes, museums and souvenir shops that I enjoyed walking around.

To visit the museums and the Japanese Covered Bridge is by purchasing a coupon for 120,000 dong. The Japanese Covered Bridge is one of the most beautiful places to visit.

The bridge was constructed in the early 1600's by the Japanese community, roughly 40 years before they left the city to return to Japan under the strict policy of sakoku enforced by the Tokugawa Shogunate, and renovated in 1986.

Today is it jammed pack with tourist and locals taking wedding photos.

But what I loved was just watching the locals do what locals do.