Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi is best visited in winter, when temperature cools down to the low 20s. This visit highlight is certainly my lunch with business partners at the local food stalls serving noodles (bun) with pork or meat. After asking me whether I'd mind sitting on the floor (it was a very funny translation of sitting on a very low stool), and making sure I was comfortable with not eating at a proper restaurant, my business partner took me through a maze of little alleys leading to a small tree-shaded square where they serve only two dishes: bun with pork, bun with meat.

I learnt that pho (flat noodles in soup) are best for breakfast, while bun (thin noodles without soup) are best for lunch.

In typical Vietnamese style, my friends order both dishes as they want me to indulge.

The food was delicious, the company pleasant (we also met some former colleagues who keep going back to this place even after having moved company) and the setting very peaceful. Certainly an experience I'll try again and I'd recommend to anyone visiting Vietnam.

Hong Kong, China

Completely unplanned night in Hong Kong. I am flying from Manila to Hanoi, via Hong Kong, my flight get cancelled and I have to spend a night in Hong Kong before I take the first flight tomorrow morning...well there could be worse in life!

A very cute and kind Cathay Pacific employee escorts me through immigration and I walk straight out the airport (after 2 years on the road I have finally learnt how to pack smart and not to check luggage!).

I'd usually go straight to the Conrad, but due to the economic crisis and the tightness of my CFO I stop by the hotel reservation desk asking for a hotel within ...ehm....100-150 USD....I feel even ashamed to ask...come on this is HK! Anyhow, the lady proposes Lang Kuai Fong Hotel, around 170 USD per night, not bad.

http://www.lankwaifonghotel.com.hk/

The hotel is actually very nice, the room is small, but very clean, chinese style with lovely decor. Location is fantastic, just 8 mins walk to Lang Kwai Fong bars.

I get on with some work, move the next day meetings according to the new plan, get over with my 9.30pm conference call (!) and finally I have some time to walk around.

I'd feel like dim sum, but it's too late for that, so I just wander around without any specific goal, looking at Hong Kong little alleys, where some people are still packing their stalls after a long day of hard work. I like these alleys, they make me think for some reason of the book I once read "The World of Suzie Wong".

I take some pictures using some garbage bins as tripod and head to Lang Kwai Fong area.

After a few tours of Lang Kwai Fong bars I decide I don't really want to hang out in a crowded place with loud music full of Western expats, so I head back towards the hotel.

On the way back I bump into one of the best wine bars I have ever been...Tastings Wine Bar.

Great concept, you can either order a la carte, or you can get a tasting of 40 something wines on display (tasting portion, half glass, full glass).

The owner Charlene is very knowleadgeable and pleasant to talk to. She recommended excellent wine. The snacks are good to, I didn't risk the buffalo mozzarella (being an Italian there is a high risk of disappointment), but had prosciutto and melone and the prosciutto platter (yes I like ham!).
http://www.tastings.hk/

After a few glasses and a nice chat with the locals, I walked my 8 mins back to the hotel, happy for the pleasant unplanned night in one of my favourite cities in this world.