North to South

Although Halong Bay is the big draw to Vietnam for most tourists, there are plenty of other parts of the country that have a lot to offer. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are loaded with history, delicious food, and even a little bit of charm. 

Unfortunately, my time spent in Hanoi was accompanied by a typhoon, so I hid under my raincoat for a good portion of my visit. I stayed at the Essence Hotel, which I highly recommend to anyone visiting. This place has top notch service, a great location in the Old Quarter near Hoan Kiem Lake, a killer breakfast spread, and is a steal at a mere $60/night. For those looking for a one or two night stop over before heading to Halong Bay, this is a great pick.

After Halong Bay, I headed down to Ho Chi Minh City. I stayed at the Lotte Legend Saigon, which was very conveniently located, and I walked just about everywhere on my stay. After a good nights rest, my first stop was the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, which is one of the many architectural manifestations of the French influence in Vietnam. 

After that, it was just a short walk to the Reunification Palace. I would definitely recommend taking one of the free tours that they offer at the main entrance. It lasts about an hour and the tour guide has a lot of interesting information, but may only be meaningful if you have a basic understanding of the history behind the war. 

For a more thought provoking experience, I headed over the the War Remnants Museum. It is a bit emotional wandering through the halls looking at pictures of everything from the My Lai Massacre to the victims of Agent Orange. But, all in all, I think the experience helps put the culture and overall feeling of Vietnam in better perspective. 

Almost everyday I was in Saigon I ate lunch at Quan An Ngon on Pasteur St. in District 1. The pho, vermicelli, and rice dumplings were some of my favorites, but everything was delicious and they have something on the menu for everyone. My dinner highlight would be my meal at Opera located in the Park Hyatt. While it's not traditional Vietnamese cuisine, it's still absolutely delicious and worth a visit.

Pearl of the Orient

My first meal in Hong Kong was on Gough St. at Kau Kee Restaurant (九記牛腩 ). They are famous for the beef brisket noodles, and for good reason!The place gets a line about 45 minutes before they open, but the wait is well worth it. You and your friends won't be getting a table all to yourself because the owners fill every seat to make sure that they can serve as many people in there as possible. Not a bad system if I do say so myself. Pretty sure the two people we had to share with were calling me an obnoxious gweilo the whole time considering how many pictures I was taking. Luckily, I had my friend Christy to guide the way. She was so great getting me set up in Hong Kong; she hooked me up with an amazing apartment in Central and turned me on to a new company called Handy, which is a must if you are visiting Hong Kong! For about $10 (US) a day you get unlimited 3G and international calling. You can also set up the phone as a WiFi hotspot so you can blog, work, or cruise the internet wherever you are! Each Handy device comes with a built-in city guide, with categories covering restaurants, shops, experiences, bars, and attractions. With just a few clicks, you can pinpoint your exact location on a map, reserve a table at a waterfront restaurant, or navigate your way to the nearest attraction. Genius!

After lunch, one of Christy's friends took me over to Kowloon (or more commonly known in Hong Kong as TST). While he was getting a suit tailored, I walked the Avenue of Stars which is their version of the Walk of Fame. There are a couple of fun statues, but the real treat is the view of the city!

After taking in the views, I grabbed an egg custard (a HK staple) and stook the Star Ferry, which is the oldest form of public transportation in the city, back over to Central. 

Later that night, Christy and her boyfriend, Ben, took me up to the Peak to see one of the best views of the city. After walking around for a bit, we cabbed back down to Duddell's where we shared a few delicious cocktails. 

That first day really set me up to fall in the love with the city. While it's not so big in size, there was so much to explore and experience. Can't wait to share my adventures from the days to follow.

Kick ass view from my apartment (Precinct Serviced Apartments) in Central HK. 

On a separate note, here's to the Red Sox demolishing the first game of the World Series! I was that weird American cheering at 8AM down at the breakfast buffet. It was a little reminder that while I am having a blast on the other side of the world, there are still some things I miss about home. 

Get the Look: Shirt, Joie // Scarf, Old Navy

Hong Kong in Black & White

I really loved my time in Hong Kong. The city was full of color and character. Because it is an amalgamation of so many different cultures, you got the best that every one has to offer. I can't think of another city where you can go from the best dim sum, to the best charcuterie shop, to the best sushi in a couple of metro stops. The city can certainly be a little overwhleming, so instead of my first round of photos in color, I decided to simplify things a little. Photographing in black in white forces you to see the world more graphically; taking in shapes, textures, and in this case, some movement as well.