An Overnight Stay in Haiphong

And then there was a big surprise! After a few days in Ho Chi Minh, we needed to fly to Haiphong and depart from there going to the majestic island of Cat Ba. We were at the check-in counter when my travel buddy was beaming with smile telling me that we were flying business class. That was a big surprise, indeed! And my face totally lit up because of excitement.  I couldn't wait to board the plane. There were curtains that divided economy and business class. The meal was yum yum, there was wine, and the sunset was at its gold-est that served as the back drop. Isn't that romantic?

The French influence didn't stop in Saigon as the hotel we stayed at in Haiphong was French-inspired too. If I remembered it right, we stayed at Harbor View Hotel, just very close to the port! My buddy's friend, Miss Thuy (pronounced as Twee) collected us from the airport and took us to our hotel using her Volkswagen beetle. She was very kind, accommodating, and very posh-looking lady, very gracious. She waited for us at the lobby while we readied ourselves for dinner, which was, by the way, very decadent. We then met her students who happened to have worked with my buddy in the Philippines a few months back. We wished we could stay longer, but we had to take the ferry to Cat Ba the following day. 

Haiphong is the third largest city in Vietnam. The name Haiphong means coastal defense. The city is Vietnam's most important seaport with it's deep-water anchorage and large maritime facilities. It's also known as "The City of the Red Flame Trees." There's more to come in my Vietnam diaries, but let me just share to you, for now, some photos we've taken in this wonderful city. 

Aerial view of Ho Chi Minh as we fly to Haiphong.

The business class meal of Vietnam Airlines.

The sunset photo I took while on the plane to Haiphong.

Getting comfy.

The master photographer and our friends from Haiphong. Miss Thuy is sitting in the middle. 

Flowers on display at night time in the park.

The fountain at the park.

One of the best spots in Haiphong city central especially at night. The river at the park.

Photo credits to @AlexanderTravels of Instagram. Follow him and see his travels from all over the globe. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram @RedEye0920 :-)