A short series of texts about a short trip, and a light-speed 'feasibility' study on Hanoi's airfare and hotel, and we confirmed the booking for a six-day trip in three week's time.
<<Amazing fast decision - Jen with food in mind, Lil - a break, me - first time to Hanoi, to clock miles and hotel 😋😌😙>>
Attractions
Hanoi Train Street - where trains zoom pass at regular intervals between two rows of shop houses on a narrow street track. It was an interesting experience (and rather risky too?).
Hoan Kiem Lake
It means "Lake of the Returned Sword" and is one of the major scenic spots in the city.
It takes less than an hour to walk around the lake (~2km). <<I would have liked to walk around it but food had higher priority>>
St.Joseph Church
It is the oldest church in the bustling Hanoi city centre. <<We were looking for La Flora for a massage, and we happened to catch it as we passed it>>
The temple of literature
It was founded and first built in 1070, and was one of the several temples dedicated to Confucian sages and scholars. <<we planned to visit it since we would be early for our lunch - TamVi>>
Day Trip - Ninh Binh
We rented a car, and set off for a day trip to NinhBinh. After about 2 hours, we arrived at the park entrance, paid the fee and drove to river side to board one of the long paddle boats.
Ninh Binh is known locally as "Ha Long Bay on Land". The river cuts through sheer limestone mountains, and from afar we could also see Hang Mua.
After lunch, we climbed up Hang Mua, and had a spectacular view of the river, mountains and the farmland.
Food <<Main theme>>
There is a wide variety of food to be found in Vietnam, including many well-known local dishes such as pho, bun cha, rolls(banh con) and banh mi, coffee and french food too.
Rolls - Gia Truyen Thanh Van - delicious even though it was our second round of breakfast.
Pho - Pho Ga Nguyet - Michelin chicken noodles, dried and soup version - inviting and tasty!

sticky rice - moi yen - mouth-watering and good for breakfast (ate twice here)
Banh mi - Banh mi 25 - delectable

Michelin's traditional vietnamese food - Tam Vi
Bun Cha - Bun Cha Ta
Traditional Vietnamese restaurant - Quan An Nong 😋👍
We ate here most often (~ 4 times?) because it was within walking distance from the hotel, and it opened at 8am for breakfast.
French - La Badine
We had a very early birthday celebration for Lily (when is your birthday hah?)
French - Alex
Our first french meal and it was appetizing and reasonably-priced.
Coffee Break - almost all the time
Cafe Dinh - egg coffee, facing the Hoan Khim Lake
Lotte Mall - croissant and fried chicken set

Gau(?) - coffee along main road
Coffee Highland - Across the train station
There was also interesting street food being sold along the roads.Most of the street side stalls have low tables and stools <<I had difficulty standing up after each meal (with core muscle? 😒). Thus salute to the locals who use the low stool effortlessly>>

Shopping
Lotte Mall - supermarket shopping for titbits
Shophouses / roadside stalls - for all others
Dong Xuan Wholesales Market - for bulk purchase and others
Massages
We had massages almost nightly. <<It's tiring to eat and walk >>
We revisited La Flora on our last evening. 😚Interesting - A fair number of different breeds of dogs on the streets... and a cat

Transportation - It's rather stressful to cross the roads as there is also a non-stop flow of motorcycles and cars, and have to take in account buses, trishaws and bicycles too in the 'cross-the-road' strategy 😕.
Finally, with Jen planning the food, and Lil doing the walking route (and also being the treasurer), it was been a nice and rather relaxing trip.
Oh, my role?... adding salt and spices? ... initiating the trip la...
I was pondering whether to travel to Hanoi to clock the last few hundred miles and 3 nights to maintain my airline and hotel membership. I texted into the group about this, and the rest was history (as above 😚) . Thanks Jen & Lil... another short impulsive trip next year? 😉😙
Itinerary
<<Insert (eat x 2) in between each activity>>
Day 1 : Singapore - Hanoi
Hanoi Old Quarter (Hotel )
Railway
Hoan Kiem Lake
Saint Joseph's Cathedral
Massage
Day 2 : HangDa Market (closed)
Temple of Literature
Hoan Kiem Lake (Evening walk)
Massage
Day 3 Dong Xuan Market
Lotte Mall
Day 4 : Ninh Binh
Massage
Day 5 : Free and Easy
Eat-eat-walk-eat-eat
Nail/massage
Day 6 : Hanoi - Singapore
Lodging : Mercure Hotel la Gare