Waiting for Bus driver to return with train tickets. He has plonked us down outside Viet Emotion Cafe. So I'm having a Bia Lao Cai
At Lao Cai
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James McDonald
Cooking Lessons before taking the night train back to Hanoi
Today I had a cooking lesson and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe when I get home I will be able to entertain with an Vietnamese dinner night. The first dish we made was a Green Papaya Salad I found cutting everything nice and small to be challenge. My...
H’mong Retreat
H,mong retreat is nestled half way up a mountain overlooking a valley filled with rice paddies, villages, schools and a river. The cabins are constructed of palm leaf roofs, mud lathe walls and half round timber floors. During the day you can see light through the...
Sapa Rooms
At the moment we are waiting in a place called the Sapa Rooms which is a very stylish place owned and operated by an Aussie named Peter. He also owns the H'mong Retreat which we are staying at tonight. The H'mong Retreat doesn't have hifi so I'm getting my blogging...
Sapa – Clear and Sunny – Monday 26th Nov
Just in Sapa Rooms having breakfast. Lisa had Pho Nam and I had Bun Thang (Mushroom Noodle and Chicken, mushroom, egg and noodle respectively) The bowls are huge We are currently waiting for our Sapa Sister guide to take us to Ta Phin a town north of Sapa for the day...
Sapa – Peasoup and fantastic views
Yesterday we went for wonder around Sapa town and saw the Black H'mong a mongolian looking racial group with a skill in weaving and embroidery that allows them to make delightful blankets, hats, purses and clothing. This was in the morning before 8AM. The reality of...
How to change Google Chrome Interface Language from Vietnamese to English
Click the three bar button on the top right of Google Chrome. Click on Cai dat (which is in the Settings option in English) Scroll down and click the "Hien thi cai dat nang cao" link (which is Advanced Settings in English) Under the Ngon Ngu heading click the "cai dat...
Vietnamese Celebrity
This woman is a celebrity in Vietnam. When the locals find out she speaks Vietnamese they spend the time to find out why she can speak the language and as a byproduct they are especially helpful. Which I find really comforting because I get stressed when I dont know...
Arrived in Sapa
Took an overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai and a minibus to the Sapa Eden Hotel which currently overlooks a misty valley. We have arrived early 5:30AM so we have to wait till about 11AM to check into our room. So for the moment we are having breakfast in the top...
Hanoi – Old Quarter
Arrived in Hanoi yesterday at about 3. Had a small hickup at the airport when we went to get our visa the cost was 50USD for both of us but we didn't have any cash. So we had to wait until a customs agent was available to take one of us (Lisa) out into the airport to...