Hanoi Day 4: Silk, Ceramic Village & Porcupine for dinner!

Gotta clear this travel backlog on Hanoi before we share our post on Bali!

The last day in Hanoi was spent mainly on emblematic or symbolic site visits;

What else?

Silks and ceramics.

Van Phuc Silk Village

We headed to Van Phuc which is situated on the bank of Nhue River, 10km from Hanoi on the southwest motorway. The village is centered in a town known as Ha Dong, Ha Tay Province, and is well known as the biggest silk production village in Vietnam.

The main road is surrounded by greenery, ponds, and architectures with Chinese civilization.

the Silkworms

Silkworms spinning their cocoon around themselves, forming every thread.

How silk are formed? It is actually hardened silkworm saliva that has been secreted from the silk worm's mouth :)

and I'm busy picking up my favourite piece of colourful silk ;p

Stopped by a moderate Vietnamese restaurant for lunch before moving on to the ceramic village; the Bat Trang ceramics village. It is a 500-year-old village located on the left bank of the Red River, brimmed with shops selling ceramics of different types and colours.

Dinner at Phố Núi Restaurant

A Vietnamese friend brought us to this restaurant, with a surprise for us all.

A staff then brought in a sack, with an animal inside.

"It's our dinner tonight" said the Vietnamese friend.

We were told that it was a PORCUPINE!

before

after

The Red Pudding?

It's the coagulated porcupine blood. Gosh! According to Chris, he could feel he's chewing on its tiny veins!

Ready to 'dissect' the cooked portion.

It tasted like pork but it's skin was too hard. Equal thickness of its skin and meat as you can see......

Our starters

love the crunchy sesame seeds crackers with minced dried prawns fillings!

stir-fried porcupine's intestine with vege

and their not to be missed staple food

This ends our 4D/4N stay in Hanoi, Vietnam :)

Please feel free to click onto ♥ Our Travelogue ♥ for easier browsing (will update the Vietnam badge soon)

Also read:

• Hanoi Day 1: Leisuring with Coffee, Food & Night Walks (Stayed at Sofitel)
• Hanoi Day 2: The Bay of Descending Dragon, Ha Long
• Hanoi Day 3: One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh's tomb, Temple of Literature & endless Food Trail