Back in Manila, we’d schedule our cafe or bar dates at least once a week. The prospect thrills us and the actual experience is always a delight. On our trip to Sapa in Northern Vietnam, we spent an entire afternoon for our post-lunch cafe crawl. We haven’t had a proper dessert since we got here but first off, we just had to try the popular egg coffee and coconut coffee.
Cong CafeCoconut Coffee now tops my list of iced coffees
This is our first time to try coconut coffee. Cong Ca Phe is 👍that we recommend it — iced! More dessert than coffee, actually. Back in Hanoi, we tried egg coffee but it wasn’t the best so we went in search of good egg coffee here in Sapa. Found one in Le Gecko. In both coffee shops, we took “front seats” to appreciate the street scene. People-watching can be habitual if I were to live here. The cars and motorbikes with passengers or cargo (unbelievable!) passing by is what life is all about here. Sapa may be 6 hours away from cosmopolitan Hanoi but it certainly isn’t a sleepy town or ghost town. Sure, it’s in the boondocks but commerce and tourism has touched this mountain town and even the hill tribe folks are quite comfortable plying their wares in the streets here.
The street scene from Cong Ca Phe. Inside Cong Ca Phe
Cong Ca Phe is in a two-storey building, but the best seats in the shop are those in the porch. There is even a resident fur baby who seems so “at home” here. As for Le Gecko Cafe, it’s in another busy section of this mountain town near the pond area. Again, we took the “front seats” from where we enjoyed our egg coffee and an apple crumble pie.So yum! The egg coffee here is more dense, foamy and frothy than the one we tried in Hanoi. So so good that we actually thought of heading back after our dinner!
El GeckoEgg CoffeeOh, that apple crumble!
P.S. We actually trooped back the following day for another iced coconut cafe and to try the Cot Dua Com Xanh or Coconut Green Rice Coffee. So so refreshingly good!
We are actually headed for Sapa in Northern Vietnam, some 5-6 hours away from Hanoi. But there’s time enough to check out some Hanoi eats before the “nature trip” up North starting with this Hanoi signature dish called Cha Ca. Served with dill, spring onions and vermicelli, this turmeric fish is a classic. Cha Ca La Vong is its full title but in Hanoi, they simply call it Cha Ca. One of the popular restos serving this Hanoi specialty is just right across our hotel. The Cha Ca Thang Long Restaurant in the Old Quarter of Hanoi has 3 outlets IN THE SAME STREET but the one across our Hotel Peridot has a tiny, narrow courtyard leading to a two- storey French-inspired structure in faded yellow hues. The main ingredient is the grilled catfish marinated in turmeric and cooked with dill and spring onions right on the table. We were taught to fill our individual bowls with vermicelli before spooning in the turmeric fish with dill and other herbs like coriander and mint. There were also peanuts one can throw in with some fish sauce mixture to taste.
Cha Ca Vermicelli goes into bowl first, then spoon in the fish and herbs. Next, throw in the nuts and some sauce.
If you’re dining here, don’t think there are many menu options. People come here really for the Cha Ca dish. You may order some fried rolls just for variety but I didn’t find them particularly good. The Hanoi beer is a good accompaniment, or you can go for some tea instead. This is not my first time in Hanoi but it’s my first time to try this Hanoi dish.
Egg Coffee Hanoi Beer
Post-Chaka lunch, we trooped to the cafe a few meters away to try the EGG COFFEE. Introduced way back in 1940s during the French war, egg as a milk substitute just burst out as the perfect remedy at a time when milk was in truly serious shortage. I can’t say I was floored, but under the conditions when it was resorted to, I bet it was a hit! Now a popular Vietnamese coffee aside from that which uses condensed milk, the egg coffee is bold, foamy, dense, and syrupy. Best spooned than sipped. Almost like a dessert. An experience, if you like.
Rolls and Prawn Pad ThaiChicken in Skewers
After Sapa, we’d stop by Hanoi again before flying out. Let’s see how we make out in the dining department. In the same hotel where we stayed, I wouldn’t mind repeating some of the dishes we enjoyed in the lovely Grand Peridot Boutique Hotel. Not exactly traditional Vietnamese cuisine, but the prawn pad Thai, rolls and chicken in skewers made for a delightful dinner with all the theatrics in presentation, capped by a dramatic cocktail concoction. Xin Chao!
Once you cross 50 years since graduation, you treasure every moment, every minute, every get-together not knowing when the next one would be. Nor who’d be around at the next reunion. This sentiment prompted many based abroad to come home, and for the core organisers to line up as many events. Any excuse to see each other in the limited time everyone is around. Amazingly, the adrenaline of seeing each other again must have pumped up these “energiser bunnies” as every event, every single affair proved to be well-attended, well- organised, and superbly enjoyed! Best of all, that very same energy pushed these senior ladies to brave the long drive to LAIYA, San Juan in BATANGAS and to pull an overnighter in this wonderful paradise of a beach resort.
As one rolls into their 70’s, the service demands grow several notches higher. Food, customer service, cleanliness, convenience and leisure/entertainment option all become mandatory rather than simple wish lists. It would be a nightmare to fail their standards. But The Resthouse truly delivered. The 9-hectare beachfront estate provided the sea breeze, stillness, tranquility and scenic views to soothe the nerves after long drives. The memory of a beach affair among giggly, life-loving, cheerfuland cool, rocking grandmas is a gift made possible by The Resthouse management and staff. Five stars won’t suffice. And the fond memories will last for a very long time.
Thank you, The Resthouse, for granting our wish of this lifetime memory. We treasure our time spent in this slice of heaven on earth. Till our next gathering there!
The Bac Ha Market some 3 hour drive from Sapa totally overwhelmed me. But what’s most interesting isn’t so much what they sell but how the hill tribes of Northern Vietnam have created a community here. The Flower H’Mong, the Phu La, the Black Dao, Tay and La Chi Nhung minorities. How to tell one tribe from another? Don’t ask me 🧐
The forecast was one rainy WEEK, but we’ve been enjoying sunshine since we reached Sapa here in Northwestern Vietnam. On the day we visited this Sunday Market, it was totally humid. The animal trading — horse, buffalo, dogs, etc — wasn’t my cup of tea. So my travel mates and I spent more time in the fabrics/textiles area. Along the way, we passed some organic plants, herbs, nuts and fruits. There was a display of assorted natural “viagra” and the sales pitch is one for the books. We chanced upon a couple on a mission to stock up on a few of these herbs and the entire sales spiel was quite an entertaining spectacle. 😜
Local Color To The Core
The once-a-week market is truly both a community and commercial affair — a social and trading event that has lasted over a century now. It’s a privilege to witness this exotic cultural experience. The open, outdoor market stretches over an expanse that it would be easy to get disoriented. In particular, I enjoyed the local color and flavor such as finding a “barber shop al fresco”. It’s your mobile barber in action! Or a motorbiker with a basket full of chickens. I didn’t have the heart to try horse stew there though. Not for moí. Sorry.
Bac Ha Sunday MarketBarber Shop?
After lunch somewhere within the Sunday Market’s periphery, we headed for the Ban Pho village just a few minutes away. Corn wine was available but I took one sniff of the stuff and promptly avoided it. Must be over 50% alcohol, enough to knock one out after a few sips. If you ask me, you can give this visit a miss. The market is quite interesting even if some of the products can be found in the town and city malls, but the local color and experience cannot be replicated in the more cosmo and commercial spots. Nor the local herbs and ethnic vibes. The locals are also very friendly yet not pushy to make a sale which I like. The “pros” in the city shops give me a headache, actually. I’m glad we came despite enduring 6 hours on the road. Along the way, we also checked out the Vietnam/China Border. Separated only by a river, it’s amazing how these “neighbors” can literally wave to each other across the river. 👋
Too much excitement in one day! The Fansipan adventure involved cable car and funicular rides to reach Fansipan Mountain, the highest mountain in Vietnam. Touted as the “roof of IndoChina”, it is actually higher than Machu Picchu at over 3,000 meters. Hoang Lien Son mountain range spans the horizon as the cable car climbs up to the peak. Once there, some 600 steps await you. Along the way, there are temples, outdoor Buddhas and restos. One can even ride horses in the complex run and operated by Sun World Legend. We were a big group of adventurers who endured the long drive from Hanoi to Sapa just to get here. Seniors, young professionals and toddlers all out to enjoy each other’s company and savor the sense of family we’ve come to adopt, having traveled together way too many times and seeing the family grow.
The Fansipan Complex is huge! The cable car and funicular rides are run efficiently and the dining outlets and food courts within the entire park look promising. There are also snack booths and massage chairs to fill up one’s time and the crowds seem to be manageable. The entire time we were here, the day grew from cloudy to sunny back to sunny with some breeze. Luckily it didn’t rain. Just a slight drizzle.
Fansipan Funicular
Easily, one can spend 3 hours or more here. Longer, if you linger over lunch or snacks or if one is doing the temples. The ride to the peak via the funicular can be crowded and once at the top, it is quite magical to see, even feel, the fog envelop the area where one finds the tallest flagstaff of IndoChina. Be warned though : it can get windy and cooler once you reach the top so be sure to wrap up.
Glass-Bottomed Bridge
After Farsipan, we took on another challenge. The Bach Long Glass-Bottomed Bridge is touted as the longest in the whole world. Not one for the weak of heart. Nor one short of patience. We took too many transfers — 2 short van rides, an elevator that took all of 3 minutes, along with some waiting time in between transfers. Now, this phenomenal structure left us confused and inconvenienced. There are vans to take visitors from one level to the next. An elevator that takes a full 3 minutes to reach the suspension bridge. Why was this built, you’d ask? Just to land in the Guinness List? To draw in tourists, visitors seeking thrills and excitement? We found many locals when we visited. Thrill-seekers? I took a few steps and that’s enough. Why walk the entire stretch of 700 meters, pray tell?
Glass BridgeNearly 1 Kilometer Suspension Bridge
So there. Two major altitude challenges in one day. The first challenge was justified by the magnificent view of the mountain range. As for the glass-bottomed bridge, we must be insane to even consider coming here. 🤣
We are home, and still dreaming of the sites we visited and the food we enjoyed. Times are better and “lost in translation” is soon a thing of the past. Google translate and the young helpful Japanese make life so much easier. When we touched down and trooped out of the Namba train station, we couldn’t figure out which direction to take to reach our hotel. When the map says it’s near, hailing a cab is out of the question and that means we should drag our luggage to our hotel just a couple of blocks away. A pair of young Japanese happily walked us to our hotel — crossed 2 streets with us and even offered to take my suitcase. Using Google translate, the young fellow asked if there’s some other place we’d like to pass by before checking in at our Namba hotel. Bless their hearts!
Love how these young Japanese ham it up!
On the way to our hotel — both in Osaka and Tokyo — we took note of all those red and gold lanterns, lightings, food stalls and shops where purchases are so neatly wrapped. Those snack foods packed in cute boxes and bags, as well as young adults in twinning outfits or in school’s winter uniforms. I just love how traditional structures, decor and traditions have survived and withstood the onslaught of modernity in all aspects of Japanese life. Like onsen, tea ceremonies, food alleys, Shinto and Buddhist shrines, temples and pagodas dotting the city landscapes. And how the locals show respect with a bow after rendering service even when no one is looking!
My love affair with Japan began long before I started traveling. Back when I was still in school, I had a weekend foster brother who is Japanese. Kazuhiro is from Osaka but we’ve lost touch many years ago. How I wish we remained in contact. My father who never had a son readily welcomed this Japanese lad on the many weekends he spent with us in our ancestral home in the province. I remember his fastidious attention to cleaning the bathroom that our family made sure he bathed LAST. My father would egg us all to hit the showers before Hiro — as we fondly called him — took his bath. Invariably, Hiro left behind him sparkling clean bathroom tiles after all the scrubbing. And that includes brushing the bathroom slippers squeaky clean!
My only regret was that we were too busy feeding Hiro with local delicacies instead of leaving him to try his kitchen skills. Back then, we weren’t too keen on Japanese cuisine. Sushi and ramen were totally not favoured over mami and siopao to ignoramus like moí and eating raw would have been unwelcome even to my Pa and Ma. Too bad. At the time, what I considered “unmistakably Japanese” then was limited to thoroughly clean, a manicured and pebbled garden, a bow to show appreciation, welcome, and bye, perfectly-cooked riceand good tea!
Mt. Fuji isn’t hiding behind any clouds this winter. From the Observatory of Metropolitan Government Building across our hotel, Mt. Fuji can be spotted clearly. One morning, we decided to hop on a JR line to reach Otsuki (pronounced Otski) for a closer view of the majestic mountain. But we found many of the other train passengers heading towards a rail express line towards Lake Kawaguchi. Seeing a poster in the station of Mt. Fuji viewed from the lake, we decided to pay extra for another hour-long train ride towards Kawaguchiko where we found a taxi to drive us around the lake then back to the station. We’re happy with the photos we snapped but knew they’d have turned out better if it was later in the day when the mountain is reflected in the lake waters. At noontime, no such dreamy reflection as the sun shone brilliantly.
Viewed from Tokyo Metropolitan Building in Shinjuku, TokyoViewed from the Train
Our taxi driver took our photos as he very kindly offered so we two can be photographed in a single frame. We tried not to squint our eyesand stood still for more posterity shots. There were not too many tourists at the time and the few we met are staying the night in one of the lakefront hotels. Next time I come here, I should do that. The view is fantastic especially when the dame shows up in all her splendour sans the clouds.
It’s a long journey to meet them snow monkeys in Jigokudani Park. The Shinkansen ride took 1.5 hours from Tokyo to Nagano where a Snow Monkey Pass can be bought to cover the nearly one-hour bus trip and entrance fee to the park. That’s not bad but you need to walk from the bus stop to the park. Should have ordinarily taken about 30 minutes of walking 2kilometers but the narrow paths are slippery with last night’s snow. Icy by the time we got there and our rubber shoes are no longer good to go. We rented snow boots and finally started walking — for a good hour! No way you can go faster as we eyed the edge of the paths that showed drops I dare not even imagine. Here and there, we dropped to our knees as we slipped and our weights carried us down the paths. At one point, our hands “burned” as we slid hanging by the ropes. It was tempting to give up but having wasted 2.5 hours on a train and bus, we decided to wing it.
Lonely walk towards the park, Snow all around!
The hot springs serve as haven for these macaques during winter. The heat keeps them warm as they frolic between the mountain slopes and the pond. Never aggressive, but it’s wise to keep a distance. On a few occasions, a couple of macaques squirrelled past me. Every now and then, there’d be “quarrels” among them — I guess claiming their onsen spots — but nothing so dramatic, nor threatening. After a while, you get used to the snarling sounds. It’s just magical just watching them have a good time.
Almost there. Finally there.
The snow monkeys are having a good life here. An onsen life in the wilds. While we stood watching, Mama Monkey and her babies are soaking warm in the pond. The park sits close to many nearby onsens catering to humans. Same hot springs, I bet, but nothing beats how these snow monkeys are enjoying their own brand of onsen-dipping. The peace and quiet is only broken by camera shutters busily snapping shots, and humans doing what they do worst — being noisy. If these monkeys aren’t quarrelling, they just sit quietly with eyes closed, seemingly meditating. You can say they behave better in onsens than many humans. 🤣
These snow monkeys are having a good life. Mommy and Baby enjoying the onsen as Papa dozes.
I’m glad we came. It’s best visited in winter when the macaques are drawn to the hot springs. But I should have remembered to wear snow boots to keep me from slipping, and a beanie to keep my head and ears warm. Well, hard lessons learned. For those of you making plans to visit this winter, pay heed. So there.
Our first home base was in Osaka. Right in Namba’s Dotonbori area. The aroma of food wafting from the food stalls and restos kept us going especially on our first night. We have made our wagyu dinner reservations but ended up in the wrong resto branch. And that’s after some time looking all over the place, scanning all the alleys. We were tempted to just skip it and instead check out the many ramen or yakitori or crab places but how can we give up on matsusaka beef 🥩? The staff in the “wrong branch” took us to the right outlet just a few meters away. Seemed like they’re used to guests getting lost or missing the right branch. The night ended well and we were satisfied with our first dinner in Osaka. 👌
Wagyu Dinner at Matsusaka-gyu MFushimi Inari Looking Empty of Visitors
Woke up early the next morning for a train ride to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, but it seemed most everybody had the same “brilliant idea”. Walked all around until our knees went jello, then moved to Fushimi Inari where once more, a long line of visitors have already assembled. Alas, the gods smiled on us and we found a break in the line so we promptly took snapshots of the shrine’s vermilion gates looking empty. By the time we were done, we took the Keihan Line to Kyoto’s geisha district, Gion. This time, we failed to spot any geisha, geiko nor maiko. But we enjoyed Hanamikoji alley in peace as the sun set in Kyoto.
Another Tourist Trap: Arashiyama Bamboo ParkSundown in Gion District
Osaka and Kyoto are just 15 minutes apart via Shinkansen. So convenient. And from the JR Namba Station near our Osaka crib, we took the rapid express train to Nara Deer Park the next day. Just under an hour. Easy. But not as easy is the trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima. Took the 1.5 hour Shinkansen, the half-hour local train from Hiroshima to Miyajima and finally the 8 minute ferry ride to the island. But hey, if you have the time, and the JR Pass, it’s worth visiting. The pass is good for the Shinkansen, local train and ferry. Just make sure you don’t doze off on the ferry ride or you’d end up making a round trip!
Miyajima IslandNara Deer Park
On our way to Tokyo, we broke our journey in Kyoto for a quick visit to Kiyomizu-dera and to enjoy some Uji matcha delights. Suitcases left in the station’s coin lockers, we were off to take the local train from Kyoto Station to Kiyomizu-gojo via Tofukuji. The uphill climb from Exit 4 took a half hour. The thick crowd we met served no encouragement to truly explore this beautiful temple but we’re not complaining. Time enough for a visit and catching our late afternoon Shinkansen to our next crib, Tokyo. Watch this page for more of our adventures!
This 2022 is a better year judging by how the pandemic woes have eased and how international borders have opened up. Soon after we returned from our Nile cruise early in 2020, we survived a lockdown which saw us cancelling as many as 3 international trips in 2020 and staying in for much of the time throughout 2020-21. Sad news from family and friends we haven’t, couldn’t visit reached us and all we could do was pray and try to stay healthy. My annual visits to my family in Sydney was put on hold until OZ borders opened up in February 2022. I wasted no time and secured a visa to visit Sydney last May 2022. Stayed a good 6 weeks and felt gratitude seeping in that our family is well and in good health.
La Familia. OZ Chapter. It was winter that mid year in Sydney. Lovely to bond with family again, especially since there are just 2 of us sisters in the original branch of the family.
Soon after, it was time to visit a niece now based in Guam. Renewed my US visa to visit this territory in the Northern Pacific and spent a month, thinking there isn’t much to do in this tiny island. I was prepared to get bored and promised not to whinge. Well, I must have done whatever there is to do in Guam from hotel staycations, duty-free shopping, watching a musical, binging on movies in the nearby cinema, trying Chamorro meals, driving and touring around the island, swimming and other water adventures. There were a number of family friends to meet up so there’s aplenty to do and catch up on. Besides, there was a birthday to celebrate!
A day excursion to Bikini IslandAnd a birthday to celebrate!
In between these visits, I made 2 domestic trips. One to holiday in Boracay with dear friends who are my extended family, and another to Cagayan de Oro in Southern Philippines to celebrate a friend’s retirement and birthday. My relationship with these extended families makes me feel so very thankful for their friendship and the bond that ties us forever. Their children are all my godchildren — from baptism to wedding — and our friendship counts decades with the younger members forging an equally strong bond among themselves. This relationship will last beyond our lifetimes!
And then there’s our Fukuoka trip this last month of the year. Not our first time to Kyushu Island in the southern part of Japan, but we were just too eager to travel again as a group. Who cared who was guiding us or where we were going? Destinations hardly mattered. There were just 3 major sights: a garden in autumn foliage, an active volcano and a gorge, and a canal cruise. And onsens and kaiseki in between. Enough. In the company of these travel buddies, we’re good. Fun as always. More fond memories. We are blessed.
lifeisacelebration 