St. Joseph Cathedral

Meeting around 8.00 am beside St. Joseph Cathedral, we tried Vietnamese coffee at a local bar where Vespa adventure has set up in advance for those who did not have breakfast to try some snacks in a private menu. From the 2^nd floor, you can have a chance to see the local life and the Cathedral bathing in green and sun. After a short visit by walking around , our 7- people group is guided by Scooter driver on how to wear Helmet in the right way and take off as well.

Here we go, the ride of your life begins.

We go through to the small lane and small streets from the old quarter, through Hang Da market and get the first stop at the train track. I have passed through this train track a thousand times, but never find that the resident here has experienced a really different life when comparing with other part of the city. Every day, they hear the sound from the train and it has become a part of their life.

End up at the conjunction between the railway and Tran Phu Street, we continued riding along this beautiful old street to go to Ngoc Ha Village. On the way, we pass through many colonial buildings and stunning destinations such as , Ba Dinh Square, President Palace, etc.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

We arrived to Huu Tiep Temple inside Ngoc Ha Village, which is famous for growing plants and flowers and the main supplier for Hanoi in the old days. And it is one of the rare temples that worships both Budda and Gods. There’s a very famous destination called B52 Lake where there is a B52 aircraft that crashed in the city during the war. The aircaft has been stayed there for years, cool and calm in the middle of the jade water.

A B52 aircraft that crashed in the city during the war

Passing beautiful streets like Phan Dinh Phung and Hoang Dieu, the next sightseeing is Long Bien Bridge, which is the most highlight of the tour in my opinion. This old bridge stays there, becomes a witness of the war and covers itself with the color of time.

Long Bien Bridge

After a soft break with coconut juice, sugar cane juice and omelet fried egg mixed with wormwood at the end side of bridge, we head to Kumquat Bonsai Village in Tu Lien. Kumquat tree and a peach blossom tree are known as 2 kinds of typical trees that Vietnamese people use as the decoration during Tet because they are believed to bring the luckiness, happiness and success for local families in the whole new year. Passing, which is constructed to celebrate 1000 Year of Hanoi gave us an amazing experience on the essence and elegant of Vietnamese traditional handy craft.

 The Ceramic road

This trip has given us a chance to explore the best sight of Hanoi, see this small but historic capital in a different way and discover the countryside areas surrounding Red River.