Hanoi West Lake Morning Walk
Some say: West Lake because it is Hồ Tây. Others say: Westlake since it is easier to write. Me too, I like the one-word word! Weh kung tutuusin ang Hồ Tây is Lake West!
West Lake or Westlake, it's the same place! But I haven't heard anyone say Tây Hồ.
Anyway...
No chance to roam the usual places-to-see of Hanoi (para sa iyo sana dear readers). But I was up early one morning, so I went a walking around Westlake from my hotel.
Not the whole Westlake ha? Just the area of P. Từ Hoa, in Quảng An, where Intercon Westlake and Sheraton Hanoi are at. This lake is about as wide as San Juan City eh.
Westlake is the biggest freshwater lake in Hanoi. Mga half ng Caliraya Lake ang size nya or halos kasinglaki ng Lumot Lake (adjacent to Caliraya). But Westlake is urban.
What is there to see at Westlake? Nothing yet that the world goes gaga about.
But the local government is promoting it as the 'Creative Cultural Space of Westlake' - di ko pa alam kung ano ang "that means nyan", kaya wag nyo muna akong tanungin!
What I do know is: as of now, surrounding this lake are event venues, cafes, resorts, luxury brand hotels, restaurants, a water park, etc. Plus, more are coming soon daw.
Near the southern bank of this lake is actually Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and those other attractions in that area. But, those places are about 4 kilometers from where I was, and I only had time for my usual "early-morning walk" before breakfast (6AM).
Istorbo ang tarbaho 'no?! Kaso, laman-bulsa din yan. Wag kalimututan hehe!
So I walked... just around this 'island' on the lake with a circumferential street called P. Từ Hoa. My phone said the total distance of that planned walk was 1.5 kilometer.
Update: here's a map illustrating the area I walked, and places described below.
①From the hotel's entrance, I turned left. First that caught my attention was this...
Kainan! Hmmn, name written in English says Salt n' Lime, and there's a Mexican flag. Important find! Why? In case ayoko kumain sa hotel, ayan steps away lang, sa gilid!
Bakit, di ba masarap ang pagkain sa hotel? Masarap. Hotel Intercontinental yan eh! Kaya nga club member tayo dahil dyan. IHG yan. Kaso, ano akala nyo sa akin, rich?!
Not all times should I/we eat at just the hotel where we are staying. Explore - for the variety in taste, the culture, the crowd, the local vibe, and... the wallet. Sa totoo lang!
Aha! Another very veeery important find! At the corner beside that eatery is this:
They have SanMigLight and Marlboro Lights, both of which were non-existent at the hotel on the night of my arrival. Being an IHG hotel, in the morning they already had those, and concierge eagerly told me about it! Kaso nakita ko na 'yang si Red Apron!
Note that across it (left edge of picture) is one of the 'back-buildings' of Intercon. Ah in any case, it is just beside the hotel! It's actually even a "fine wines & spirits" store.
Then there was a better discovery... as you can see, it is a street corner. Just after a beauty parlor, pagka-kanan dyan, there is a mini mart that has just about everything like chichirya, lip-balm, softdrinks, wines, but of course SanMigLight and Marlights!
So, kinalimutan agad si Red Apron that is just about 4 or 5 steps away hahaha!
②Few steps onwards (after that minimart) I saw this on the right side of the street.
I got curious about those Chinese characters on the gate. Ah modern times, we now have ways of knowing those, right? The reply I got was "kung wala na mga bahay sa loob ng gate na yan, wag mo nang intindihin. Kaartehan lang yan ng old Chinese clans".
That's because I said parang wala nang bahay as I couldn't see anything of that sort. What dominates (as viewed from outside) are the back of Sheraton Hotel's facilities.
I still asked my friend on what the writings mean. He said "pavilion, parang meeting place ng families". Ah okay, in fairness, maybe there still is some "pavilion" in there, di lang makita because of the high wall. I/We know that - mahjongan ng mga intsik!
Di ba?
④Anyway, on the left side of the street, across that gate/wall, you will see this.
The back side of Intercontinental Hanoi Westlake. Ah front or back is anyone's point of view! Well, that's the side facing this narrow lakeside residential street that I was walking on. But I call it "back side" anyway, since main entrance is on the other side!
That veranda with plants, is an open-area portion of one of the spacious restaurants (Café du Lac?), where bountiful buffets are served every breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Not sure if that's forever. I didn't ask. Maybe because it was "the holidays"?
⑤That main building is long, this is the remainder to the right...
There'd be 2 (or 3 more?) restaurants. I know that one at the edge is called Saigon, a fine dining restaurant. There's also Milan, for Italian and European cuisine like pizza.
Note that where I was walking, is a sidewalk garden (parang boardwalk natin) of this lakeside street (P. Từ Hoa) maintained by the city. That fence is all around this lake.
Yes, the entire lake (it seems), not just the island where I was.
Island? Let's go back to that google map above without my lines and numbers. Eto:
It is technically an island inside the lake. O sige "islet" lang, kasi maliit, at only about 1.5 kilometer in circumference, with a perimeter road under one name, Phố Từ Hoa.
Oy I learned only today that a "P." means Phố - [pronounced as in our "po" and "opo"] meaning kalye o kalsada. Abbreviation pala yan. Same as "St." means "Street". O ha!
Oops oops, iba yan kesa doon sa Phở nila na ang ibig sabihin ay noodle soup! What is different? Yung mga guhit-guhit at sombrero ng letter "o" - that means the accent.
Iyong Phố na kalsada is medyo pataas ang bigkas, parang nagtatanong ang tonog. Iyong Phở na masarap, pababa ang bigkas, parang Tagalog na "oo" pero 'di excited.
Ayan, dalawang Pho yan. Pag nakakita pa ako ng isa pa, tatakbo na ako palayo!
At least we now know a little something in Vietnamese!
③But after looking at my hotel's "back view", I turned back to the Phố and saw this:
Daanan din yan, only for people, motorcycles and bicycles. Parang hindi yata kasya ang tuktuk o tricycle. But look at the corner signage (at upper left of photo). NGÕ 44.
Syempre "call-a-friend" uli. Aw, send via "FB Msgr" hehe. So, ang that means ng Ngõ na yan is parang Soi sa Bangkok or Calyehon/Eskinita s'atin usually sa mga looban!
"Alley" or "Lane" daw ang English equivalent ng Ngõ. That is the daanan from point ③ to point ⑥ on my map above. Lahat pala ng mga looban na yan, Ngõ ang tawag!
One more discovery: every Ngõ is a number (e.g., Ngõ 44) not a name. And I noticed too, a Ngõ gets its number from the "House Number" immediately beside that alley.
Maayos. Magaling. Mahusay!
Unlike in Bangkok, me Soi Sukhumvit 59 (number), meron din Soi Chumbala (name). At sa atin, "Street" pa rin ang tawag, usually santo, tao, hayup o bagay. Hindi number.
Well, this made me smile! Orderly, even scientific sila, kasi madaling maghanap. But, I think It's Still More Fun in the Philippines. Dahil sa street names natin? Ngingiti ka na lang talaga - kung ayaw mo humalakhak - as we have lots of funny street names!
Have you heard of Kalye Buntisan near Pogi St.? Anong panama ng Ngõ 44 dyan?
⑥ Alright, I walked the circumference of this "islet" and reached the other side.
Note: where Ngõ 44 ends on the north side, isn't the usual street corner for vehicles.
And oh, there are more dainty little coffee shops that line this circumferential road.
There's that taco bar, and there are many more little restaurants and snack houses.
Oist, I also saw that many folks walking around are of the "K-Pop denomination" - if you know what I mean heheh! And they looked like they lived here somewhere. Aliw!
Feeling ko I was all of a sudden back home at Mango Green Village hehe! Pero teka, are they also here to study English? In Hanoi? Hmm, di naman siguro. Tourists lang.
Basta, there were lots of Koreans I saw during this walk!
Okay and anyway, on with my walk. I was now heading east to round the island.
That's P. Quảng An on that other side. That means andyan yung UAE Embassy.
This lakeside area is developing fast. Many buildings with notable names are rising!
Oops teka.., tingin sa kanan.., a gate to "another notable name of repute" hehe!
Pinasok.., nag-osyoso.., ah yes, the side entrance (to the pool) of Sheraton Hanoi!
The tallest structure on this little island, but nice that they green it where they can!
That is their Deja Vu Bar at left, and the swimming pool is by that long roof at right.
I had a quick little funny incident in this dainty little garden. As I walked about, I saw from a corner of my eye, at least 2 crews, hesitant if they should approach me hehe!
I saw one go inside, and in a moment a more senior staff (hindi pool attendant tulad nila) smilingly approaching me with that almost singing "helloooo good morniiiiing"!
I wasn't even acknowledging yet, it was followed by "can I help you with anythiiing"!
In case you're not familiar, that's the '5-star-hotel version' of: "hoy, kinsa kang animala ka ga-unsa ka diri perteng sayoha pa sa buntag?"! I know, as I teach their bosses that!
That's a standard "KYC Spiel" - very important for SSCC of hotel and guests.
Executed perfectly promptly, therefore.., excellent Sheraton, excellent!
Na! Kung s'atin yan, ano sasabihin nung jaguar? Yes yung dya-gwar, si Manong Blue Guard! Surely me dalang baril at sasabihin "pssst, NO ID NO ENTRY get out" hahah!
Anyway, saving that staff the trouble of asking his next line on that memorized spiel. I already told him what he needed to know. I said "sorry I am not a hotel guest, I just came in from that open gate, to see this lovely garden, I am checked-in at Intercon"!
He said "oh I see, luxurious place, but you may want to try us next time"! Aba, sume-sales-talk! Well-trained ito! So I said "yeah, maybe next time, as I'm a BonVoy Gold".
I'm sure that triggered something in him - since Sheraton is new to BonVoy (2016) - ayun nakipag-daldalan na - kesyo bestfriend nya daw nung nasa Middle East pa sila was Pinay, pumunta pa nga daw sila sa Palawan noong ikinasal yun, etc, etc! Hiyay!
I had to say "babu" to continue my walk. And he replied "sige po, see you soon"!
"Sige po" daw o! Well, that only shows he liked something in the Philippines!
Walk!
Until I reached the northeastern-most limit of my walk, teka ibalik natin ang mapa!
🞷Can you see that blue asterisk near the top of the circle? I went there. Ito yun!
To be noted and recorded in my diary because... that is the farthest that I went, away from my hotel hehe. Yan lang ang 'busy part' ng Hanoi na nakita ko in all of my stay!
Pramis, yan na ang heaviest traffic na nakita ko during this visit, until umalis ako!
🞷Can you see the green asterisk on my map? I paused there and said "ay, pabalik na sa hotel, ambilis naman"! So I went on 'til after the pizza place, then turned right and down that diagonal road, going back to the water's edge. Eto, kita ko na si Intercon.
A few more steps and I was back to where I started this "circumferential walk"!
Yep, straight there, beyond the red car, the road (P. Từ Hoa) that rounds this "island".
Back in time for the buffet breakfast!
Note of notes: December mornings in Hanoi are chilly. Take note - especially if you come from warmer places. On this walk, at 6AM, it was 11°C but not breezy ~5kph.
Kung Pinoy ka, mag-patong ng jacket o wind breaker sa thermals.
I'll tell you more about the cold wind in my next story.
West Lake or Westlake, it's the same place! But I haven't heard anyone say Tây Hồ.
Anyway...
No chance to roam the usual places-to-see of Hanoi (para sa iyo sana dear readers). But I was up early one morning, so I went a walking around Westlake from my hotel.
Not the whole Westlake ha? Just the area of P. Từ Hoa, in Quảng An, where Intercon Westlake and Sheraton Hanoi are at. This lake is about as wide as San Juan City eh.
Westlake is the biggest freshwater lake in Hanoi. Mga half ng Caliraya Lake ang size nya or halos kasinglaki ng Lumot Lake (adjacent to Caliraya). But Westlake is urban.
What is there to see at Westlake? Nothing yet that the world goes gaga about.
But the local government is promoting it as the 'Creative Cultural Space of Westlake' - di ko pa alam kung ano ang "that means nyan", kaya wag nyo muna akong tanungin!
What I do know is: as of now, surrounding this lake are event venues, cafes, resorts, luxury brand hotels, restaurants, a water park, etc. Plus, more are coming soon daw.
Near the southern bank of this lake is actually Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and those other attractions in that area. But, those places are about 4 kilometers from where I was, and I only had time for my usual "early-morning walk" before breakfast (6AM).
Istorbo ang tarbaho 'no?! Kaso, laman-bulsa din yan. Wag kalimututan hehe!
So I walked... just around this 'island' on the lake with a circumferential street called P. Từ Hoa. My phone said the total distance of that planned walk was 1.5 kilometer.
Update: here's a map illustrating the area I walked, and places described below.
①From the hotel's entrance, I turned left. First that caught my attention was this...
Bakit, di ba masarap ang pagkain sa hotel? Masarap. Hotel Intercontinental yan eh! Kaya nga club member tayo dahil dyan. IHG yan. Kaso, ano akala nyo sa akin, rich?!
Not all times should I/we eat at just the hotel where we are staying. Explore - for the variety in taste, the culture, the crowd, the local vibe, and... the wallet. Sa totoo lang!
Aha! Another very veeery important find! At the corner beside that eatery is this:
Note that across it (left edge of picture) is one of the 'back-buildings' of Intercon. Ah in any case, it is just beside the hotel! It's actually even a "fine wines & spirits" store.
Then there was a better discovery... as you can see, it is a street corner. Just after a beauty parlor, pagka-kanan dyan, there is a mini mart that has just about everything like chichirya, lip-balm, softdrinks, wines, but of course SanMigLight and Marlights!
So, kinalimutan agad si Red Apron that is just about 4 or 5 steps away hahaha!
②Few steps onwards (after that minimart) I saw this on the right side of the street.
That's because I said parang wala nang bahay as I couldn't see anything of that sort. What dominates (as viewed from outside) are the back of Sheraton Hotel's facilities.
I still asked my friend on what the writings mean. He said "pavilion, parang meeting place ng families". Ah okay, in fairness, maybe there still is some "pavilion" in there, di lang makita because of the high wall. I/We know that - mahjongan ng mga intsik!
Di ba?
④Anyway, on the left side of the street, across that gate/wall, you will see this.
That veranda with plants, is an open-area portion of one of the spacious restaurants (Café du Lac?), where bountiful buffets are served every breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Not sure if that's forever. I didn't ask. Maybe because it was "the holidays"?
⑤That main building is long, this is the remainder to the right...
Note that where I was walking, is a sidewalk garden (parang boardwalk natin) of this lakeside street (P. Từ Hoa) maintained by the city. That fence is all around this lake.
Yes, the entire lake (it seems), not just the island where I was.
Island? Let's go back to that google map above without my lines and numbers. Eto:
Oy I learned only today that a "P." means Phố - [pronounced as in our "po" and "opo"] meaning kalye o kalsada. Abbreviation pala yan. Same as "St." means "Street". O ha!
Oops oops, iba yan kesa doon sa Phở nila na ang ibig sabihin ay noodle soup! What is different? Yung mga guhit-guhit at sombrero ng letter "o" - that means the accent.
Iyong Phố na kalsada is medyo pataas ang bigkas, parang nagtatanong ang tonog. Iyong Phở na masarap, pababa ang bigkas, parang Tagalog na "oo" pero 'di excited.
Ayan, dalawang Pho yan. Pag nakakita pa ako ng isa pa, tatakbo na ako palayo!
At least we now know a little something in Vietnamese!
③But after looking at my hotel's "back view", I turned back to the Phố and saw this:
Syempre "call-a-friend" uli. Aw, send via "FB Msgr" hehe. So, ang that means ng Ngõ na yan is parang Soi sa Bangkok or Calyehon/Eskinita s'atin usually sa mga looban!
"Alley" or "Lane" daw ang English equivalent ng Ngõ. That is the daanan from point ③ to point ⑥ on my map above. Lahat pala ng mga looban na yan, Ngõ ang tawag!
One more discovery: every Ngõ is a number (e.g., Ngõ 44) not a name. And I noticed too, a Ngõ gets its number from the "House Number" immediately beside that alley.
Maayos. Magaling. Mahusay!
Unlike in Bangkok, me Soi Sukhumvit 59 (number), meron din Soi Chumbala (name). At sa atin, "Street" pa rin ang tawag, usually santo, tao, hayup o bagay. Hindi number.
Well, this made me smile! Orderly, even scientific sila, kasi madaling maghanap. But, I think It's Still More Fun in the Philippines. Dahil sa street names natin? Ngingiti ka na lang talaga - kung ayaw mo humalakhak - as we have lots of funny street names!
Have you heard of Kalye Buntisan near Pogi St.? Anong panama ng Ngõ 44 dyan?
⑥ Alright, I walked the circumference of this "islet" and reached the other side.
And oh, there are more dainty little coffee shops that line this circumferential road.
Oist, I also saw that many folks walking around are of the "K-Pop denomination" - if you know what I mean heheh! And they looked like they lived here somewhere. Aliw!
Basta, there were lots of Koreans I saw during this walk!
Okay and anyway, on with my walk. I was now heading east to round the island.
That's P. Quảng An on that other side. That means andyan yung UAE Embassy.
This lakeside area is developing fast. Many buildings with notable names are rising!
Oops teka.., tingin sa kanan.., a gate to "another notable name of repute" hehe!
Pinasok.., nag-osyoso.., ah yes, the side entrance (to the pool) of Sheraton Hanoi!
The tallest structure on this little island, but nice that they green it where they can!
I had a quick little funny incident in this dainty little garden. As I walked about, I saw from a corner of my eye, at least 2 crews, hesitant if they should approach me hehe!
I saw one go inside, and in a moment a more senior staff (hindi pool attendant tulad nila) smilingly approaching me with that almost singing "helloooo good morniiiiing"!
I wasn't even acknowledging yet, it was followed by "can I help you with anythiiing"!
In case you're not familiar, that's the '5-star-hotel version' of: "hoy, kinsa kang animala ka ga-unsa ka diri perteng sayoha pa sa buntag?"! I know, as I teach their bosses that!
That's a standard "KYC Spiel" - very important for SSCC of hotel and guests.
Executed perfectly promptly, therefore.., excellent Sheraton, excellent!
Na! Kung s'atin yan, ano sasabihin nung jaguar? Yes yung dya-gwar, si Manong Blue Guard! Surely me dalang baril at sasabihin "pssst, NO ID NO ENTRY get out" hahah!
Anyway, saving that staff the trouble of asking his next line on that memorized spiel. I already told him what he needed to know. I said "sorry I am not a hotel guest, I just came in from that open gate, to see this lovely garden, I am checked-in at Intercon"!
He said "oh I see, luxurious place, but you may want to try us next time"! Aba, sume-sales-talk! Well-trained ito! So I said "yeah, maybe next time, as I'm a BonVoy Gold".
I'm sure that triggered something in him - since Sheraton is new to BonVoy (2016) - ayun nakipag-daldalan na - kesyo bestfriend nya daw nung nasa Middle East pa sila was Pinay, pumunta pa nga daw sila sa Palawan noong ikinasal yun, etc, etc! Hiyay!
I had to say "babu" to continue my walk. And he replied "sige po, see you soon"!
"Sige po" daw o! Well, that only shows he liked something in the Philippines!
Walk!
Until I reached the northeastern-most limit of my walk, teka ibalik natin ang mapa!
🞷Can you see that blue asterisk near the top of the circle? I went there. Ito yun!
Pramis, yan na ang heaviest traffic na nakita ko during this visit, until umalis ako!
🞷Can you see the green asterisk on my map? I paused there and said "ay, pabalik na sa hotel, ambilis naman"! So I went on 'til after the pizza place, then turned right and down that diagonal road, going back to the water's edge. Eto, kita ko na si Intercon.
A few more steps and I was back to where I started this "circumferential walk"!
Back in time for the buffet breakfast!
Note of notes: December mornings in Hanoi are chilly. Take note - especially if you come from warmer places. On this walk, at 6AM, it was 11°C but not breezy ~5kph.
Kung Pinoy ka, mag-patong ng jacket o wind breaker sa thermals.
I'll tell you more about the cold wind in my next story.
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