Part Two
I went to meet Lilli at the Vin Com Towers and had a bit of a check around to start with, Vin Com is Hanoi's newest shopping plaza, and people do love it, it has the Megaplex, great cinemas and a bunch of name brand shops, but no real 'core'.
Lilli met me at Highland Coffee but we didn't stay there, instead we chose more genteel surroundings for our afternoon tea..the gorgeous Metropole Hotel, the most beautiful hotel building in Hanoi, with a glass conservatory that is the setting for afternoon serving.
They have a chocolate buffet, if you wish , all you can eat chocolate served in exquisite morsels..but we declined and instead opted to share an afternoon tea of petite sandwiches, fruits and teeny weeny delicious cakes, and because it must be a Sofitel, their famous macaroons in miniature..Lilli made a real iced coffee and I had Darjeeling and we spent over an hour having, what I consider , perfect afternoon tea conversation..that is discussing destinations, Lilli recently visited a friend in Kabul and has lived in Yangon and Dehli, and she was in Bali in 1978..we have friends in common and share a love of exploration, and although Lilli went to Kabul she was not keen on Komodo a friend of a friend having been eaten by a Komodo Dragon!
Following our tea I walked back towards the Old Quarter passing street badminton games
until I came to a park that was jumping full of roller bladers and skate boarders. Hip healthy and happening, the youth of Hanoi, at least this particular group were really taking their sport seriously.
I was a little concerned about one young man who lay down in the midst of all the action and allowed himself to be leaped over by bicycles, skateboards and roller blades..I think they call this "Tianemen Square" but I couldn't be certain...
A wander beside the lake at sunset was lovely and I kept going as I could, determined to walk off the afternoon tea..too much good stuff! I skirted the Old Quarter and ended back at the Metropole, so circuited the lake again before deciding to go the movies in a cab..unfortunately the movies were sold out so I returned to the Old Quarter and had a further wander around the small streets off the busy main drag that was pulsating with people..I came across a 7 Eleven that stocked an odd selection of wine and an unusual looking Russian Vodka... then passed a man smoking an opium pipe before returning hotel-wards for night of World Cup soccer...IF I can stay awake...
Lilli met me at Highland Coffee but we didn't stay there, instead we chose more genteel surroundings for our afternoon tea..the gorgeous Metropole Hotel, the most beautiful hotel building in Hanoi, with a glass conservatory that is the setting for afternoon serving.
They have a chocolate buffet, if you wish , all you can eat chocolate served in exquisite morsels..but we declined and instead opted to share an afternoon tea of petite sandwiches, fruits and teeny weeny delicious cakes, and because it must be a Sofitel, their famous macaroons in miniature..Lilli made a real iced coffee and I had Darjeeling and we spent over an hour having, what I consider , perfect afternoon tea conversation..that is discussing destinations, Lilli recently visited a friend in Kabul and has lived in Yangon and Dehli, and she was in Bali in 1978..we have friends in common and share a love of exploration, and although Lilli went to Kabul she was not keen on Komodo a friend of a friend having been eaten by a Komodo Dragon!
Following our tea I walked back towards the Old Quarter passing street badminton games
until I came to a park that was jumping full of roller bladers and skate boarders. Hip healthy and happening, the youth of Hanoi, at least this particular group were really taking their sport seriously.
I was a little concerned about one young man who lay down in the midst of all the action and allowed himself to be leaped over by bicycles, skateboards and roller blades..I think they call this "Tianemen Square" but I couldn't be certain...
A wander beside the lake at sunset was lovely and I kept going as I could, determined to walk off the afternoon tea..too much good stuff! I skirted the Old Quarter and ended back at the Metropole, so circuited the lake again before deciding to go the movies in a cab..unfortunately the movies were sold out so I returned to the Old Quarter and had a further wander around the small streets off the busy main drag that was pulsating with people..I came across a 7 Eleven that stocked an odd selection of wine and an unusual looking Russian Vodka... then passed a man smoking an opium pipe before returning hotel-wards for night of World Cup soccer...IF I can stay awake...
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