#Vietnam #Hanoi #FreeTravel

Day 2 of my independent travels in Vietnam Morning, I had rice noodle rolls near my accommodation. They come in three flavors: meat, shrimp, and wood ear mushrooms. The meat-free ones were my favorite, though I preferred the wood ear mushroom flavor. The fried meat patties came with or without shrimp, and the squid was sweet and sour. They were delicious with sauce, raw chili peppers, and kumquats. The kumquat juice was refreshing and delicious. This was $155 for 134,000. It was my first time trying Communist coffee. I ordered a small hot coconut coffee. The coffee had the aroma of coconut milk and a sweet taste, but the milk wasn't overpowering and was quite fragrant. The coffee foam was quite bitter, but stirring it blended the sweetness and bitterness, which I found excellent. Two cups cost $112 for 98,000. The Communist coffee dripper is made of aluminum and is quite exquisite. The young waiter at the coffee shop speaks English perfectly and even a little Chinese. Ho Lo Prison is a historical museum in Hanoi. It was built by the French to detain political prisoners and was used by North Vietnam to hold prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. It's called the "Fire Furnace" because it was once a village with kilns for making ceramics. Tickets: $115 There's an almond tree inside, used to treat local ailments. My friend told me while viewing the exhibit that he felt like crying. I bought a bamboo coaster and a coin-sized piece of Tiger Balm. St. Joseph's Cathedral was built by the French. It also has stained glass, but the materials are different. The layout and decorations are less ornate, lacking Western sculptures. Because I was wearing a sleeveless top, I was asked to wear a shawl, so I ended up wearing my own jacket. I went to Gong Café again. The staff initially said they were full, so we found a street-side table. We then went to the second-floor restroom and moved inside. Gong Café has electrical outlets, but some of the young staff still don't understand English. This time, I tried the coconut smoothie, which was a little less sweet and delicious. The coconut milk was rich, not cloying, and very fragrant. I loved it! Two cups for $159. It was my first time exchanging currency at a Vietnamese silver shop. The exchange rate was 840, and I got 2,000 Taiwan dollars, or 1,680,000 Taiwan dollars. Thang Long Water Puppet Show: Tickets for two people cost $345 at the door. The water puppet show had amazing sound and lighting, the instruments were beautiful, and the singing was excellent, with penetrating voices. The puppets seemed to be controlled by long bamboo poles, and the movements and tricks were varied and exciting. There were puppets stacked together and then lost their balance and fell into the water, or a fisherman accidentally put his bamboo basket on his fellow fisherman's head, and a phoenix fell in love and laid eggs, which then hatched into a baby and performed a water-sleeve dance. It was super cute. The pizza at Pizza 4P's Bao Khanh was delicious! Ever since I had pizza in France, I've never forgotten it. I ordered a two-piece pizza (salmon and ham), a shrimp pesto pasta, and a cola. While taking photos on the second floor, a foreigner commented that the view I had found was a great spot for photos. The noodles, as soon as you put them in your mouth, burst with shrimpy flavor, almost like the shrimp dancing in your mouth. Then, you're greeted by the aroma of basil. The dough, asparagus, king oyster mushrooms, and shrimp are crispy and sweet, creating a layered texture. The pizza was delicious. 6296400$800 They were preparing for their 80th National Day celebrations, and the streets were decorated with national flags. It felt very patriotic, with locals wearing clothing featuring the national flag. Hanoi's population density reminds me of northern Taiwan, but the city is dotted with hipster shops, reminiscent of southern Taiwan. A friend said it resembled Taiwan 20 years ago, and I found this scene very homely and full of human warmth, which I really enjoyed. I felt the shops were quite repetitive today, a bit like the same souvenir shops you see over and over in Paris. Perhaps this is a tourist destination.