I spent the night in Bac Giang at a very fancy 4 star hotel. I had a beautiful room with a spa like bathroom and they served a full dinner buffet for breakfast, which was included in the room price of $37 USD!
Before heading back to Hanoi, I was provided with more gifts... A big bag of dried lychee fruit and a crate of noodles! Upon returning to Hanoi, I had to give most of it away because I simply couldn't carry it all! I did try the dried lychee. They looked quite unappetizing but turned out to be delicious, with a flavour and texture similar to a prune or raisin.
Today I started my day with the usual lovely breakfast at the hotel. I love the passion fruit here. I then visited a nearby pagoda known for all its Buddhas on my way to do a little shopping. I bought an au dai for Maya and some lovely birthday cards for my sister and nephew. I then hailed a cyclo (bicycle rickshaw) for a ride around the lake before having lunch at a Pho restaurant that Tung had recommended. This time the pho was much more flavourful and there were lots of condiments to add.
After lunch, I took a taxi across town to the Museum of Ethnology. This was an impressive museum complex that discussed the 54 different ethnic groups in Vietnam and included several replicas of ethnic houses and a water puppet theatre outside. I thought it would provide a good primer on the ethnic groups I may see tomorrow in Sapa.
Tonight, I taking a night train to Sapa. I will post about my trip when I return on Tuesday.
Delicious full course dinner for breakfast at 4 star hotel in Bac Giang
Dried lychee fruit and noodles
Inside the dried lychee
Nearby pagoda with interesting collection of Buddhas
Taking a cyclo ride around the lake
Pho 10, the restaurant Tung recommended
Learning about the different ethnic groups in Vietnam at the Ethnology Museum
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