Michi Photostory

There was no direct flight from Manila to Da Nang so to make our life easier, my husband booked our ticket via travel agency. He purchased our ticket four months before the trip but despite that, our airfare is still not cheap. In fact, this is the most expensive airfare ticket that we purchased for an Asian trip because there was no seat sale, we booked via a travel agency and we rode two airplanes. 

Vietnam is just a few hours away from Manila but because there is no direct flight from Manila to Da Nang, we need to ride two airplanes; one international and one domestic flight. From the time we left the house until we reached Sheraton Grand Da Nang, we’ve traveled for more than 14 hours so it was really a long day for us. 

We had an early flight and fortunately, our flight is on time. There was no monitor on our seat so for entertainment, we used “myPAL Player” app to watch movies. 

It’s been a long time since our last international trip via Philippine Airlines so I was surprised when they serve the food. What!?!, nasa paper na lang yung meals nila. The taste of the food is just okay. Nakakadisappoint lang kasi hindi naman budget airline ang Philippine Airlines so bakit kaya nagkaganito, malayo ito compared sa Bangkok, Thailand trip namin. 

On our way to Saigon, I’m happy to see part of the Mekong River; it is a transboundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. This river flows through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The Mekong River is the third longest river in Asia and the 12th longest river in the world. 

After a few hours, we landed at Tan Son Nhat International Terminal which is the Ho Chi Minh City Airport; we passed immigration, got our luggage, and looked for Foreign Exchange Kiosk. We exchanged some US Dollars for Vietnamese Dong and we also bought a sim card for 300,000VND. 

From International Airport Terminal 2, we need to transfer to Domestic Airport Terminal 1 for our Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang flight and it was a long walk. We have more than 5 hours of layover and looking at the Domestic Airport, there is nothing to do. We immediately looked for the Vietnam Airlines counter and we were so happy because we could already check in so we were able to go to Menas Mall Saigon Airport. 

You can already see this mall from the airport, during our trip there are only a few shops that are open so we went straight to the 5th floor where the Menas Food Village or Yum Food Village is located. This food court offers traditional Vietnamese dishes, international cuisine, and fast food. 

My son ordered Beef Pepper Rice at Pepper Lunch for 95,000VND and my husband ordered Lau Thap Cam or Asian Hot Pot at Saigon Bistro for 160,000VND. Softdrinks in can is 20,000VND. Since we frequent Pepper Lunch, one thing I noticed is the price because if I will convert it to Philippine Peso, hindi nalalayo sa Pilipinas so Vietnam is a budget-friendly destination. 

I was excited to try the Asian Hot Pot but unfortunately, it was not a clear soup and I can’t take spicy food so I went to Pepper Lunch and ordered Beef Pepper Rice too. Hindi yata nagkaintindihan sa pag-order. 

What is nice about this food court is the view, you have a nice view of the airport while eating. We took our time eating while waiting for our next flight. 

Two hours before our boarding, we went back to Domestic Airport and passed Security Check. Our flight was delayed by 25 minutes and the boarding gate has been changed too. 

It was our first time on Vietnam Airlines and upon seated the flight attendant gave wet wipes to all passengers. No meals for this flight and we only got bottled water. 

After 1 hour and 25 minutes, we landed at Da Nang International Airport, from sunny weather in Saigon to cloudy and rainy weather in Da Nang. 

From the airport to Sheraton Grand Da Nang, we availed hotel transport service. Travel time is more than 30 minutes.

The first one is when I was still in High School, my mom’s cousin lives in Trondheim so she invited us to stay in their house and she toured us around Trondheim pero sa sobrang tagal, the only thing that I can remember is Royal Residence and Tyholttårnet. Tyholt Tower is a 126-meter tall radio tower and it is currently the tallest building in Norway that was built in 1985. It has an observation deck and a revolving restaurant at an altitude of 81 meters. A complete revolution is every hour. 

The second one is when my husband is flying back to the Philippines so before he rode the bus to the airport, we had a quick tour of Trondheim city. You can check my Day Trip in Trondheim blog post to see the different tourist attractions that we have visited even for a limited time. 

For the past several weeks, I’ve been contemplating revisiting Kristiansund, Oslo, or Trondheim but the weather is not cooperating because, since the last week of April, the weather is either cloudy with flurries or rainy so even we wanted to travel to different places we can’t go out. I was already losing hope so I gave up on planning but God is good because out of the blue, my mom received a message that she has a doctor’s appointment in Trondheim so we had reason to go to Trondheim. Yey!

We left the house around 7AM to catch the 7:30AM Ferry Boat Trip from Brekstad Hurtigbåtterminal to Trondheim Hurtigbåtterminal (Ferry Boat Terminal). Travel time is more than an hour because of the two stopovers at Hasselvika and Lensvik. The ticket price is Adult NOK277 and Student 129NOK. 

We started our walking tour at Trondheim Ferry Boat Terminal and we went straight to Nidaros Cathedral. Five years ago, we visited this cathedral but we were not able to enter because it was already closed, check the opening hours below so you can plan your trip. 

Monday to Friday - 9:00 to 14:00 

Saturday - 9:00 to 13:00 

Sunday - 13:00 to 16:00 

You can purchase the ticket at the Visitor Center, which is also a gift shop and cafe. There are three attractions that you can visit within the area, Nidaros Cathedral, The Crown Regalia,  and The Archbishop’s Palace Museum. You can purchase a single ticket or a combined ticket. It was past 9AM so we only purchased the Nidaros Cathedral because the two attractions are still closed, and the opening time is 11:00AM. The staff informed us that if we go back and plan to visit the two other attractions, she will just upgrade our ticket to a combined ticket. 

Ticket Prices 

Adult 120NOK 

Child/Student 60NOK 

Family 300NOK 

Adult 240NOK 

Child/Student 120NOK 

Family 600NOK 

Note: Family Ticket is good for 2 adults and 3 children under the age of 16. 

The staff gave us a map with tasks that we can solve to find the place where St. Olav was buried in 1030. Guided tours are available from June to August, you can choose from 4 languages; Norwegian, English, German or French. Since it was an impromptu visit, I have no idea that we need to book a guided tour in advance since our trip is outside the main season. Also, we were not able to climb the tower because it is not summer season yet. 

Anyway, we are still happy to be able to visit Nidaros Cathedral. It is the biggest church in Norway and the world’s northernmost gothic cathedral. This is an important pilgrimage site too. Do you know that this cathedral started as a wooden chapel that was built on the tomb of St. Olav, the Viking King who became the patron saint of Norway? 

Note: You can get a Trondheim City Map at the Visitor Center. 

Our next stop is NTNU Vitenskapmuseet or Trondheim Museum of Natural History, this museum exhibits archaeology, natural history, and cultural history. It is located in the Gunnerushuset building.

Adult 120NOK 

Children 6-16/Students/Seniors (67+) 70NOK 

Family (a group with children and adults (max of 5 people) 325NOK 

Groups (10 people or more) when purchased together 110/60NOK 

Children under 6, students with teachers, individuals assisting people with disabilities, and ICOM, ECSITE, Norges Museumforbund - FREE 

Monday: Closed 

Tuesday to Friday: 10:00 to 16:00 

Saturday to Sunday - 11:00 to 16:00 

The staff gave us a paper to give us an idea of what we can see inside the museum. They have exhibits for Mid-Norway’s Prehistory, Science on the edge of the word, Nature and Environment, The Man in the Well, The Amazing Forest, Wolf, The Ark, and Comb Jellies. 

The staff also informed us that we can visit the Trondheim Medieval Museum located in Suhmhuset, a few minutes walk from the Trondheim Museum of Natural History. We just showed our receipt when we entered the building. 

This museum will give you an idea of how Norwegians lived in Trondheim way back 800 years ago. You can see their house, buildings, vessels, shopping street, archeological objects, and Viking age objects.

It was time for lunch so we went to Trondheim Torg, the largest shopping center in Trondheim. We are Asians so we had lunch at Thai Thai restaurant. It is an all-day buffet restaurant that offers Asian meals. They have different branches in Norway and so far we ate at Orkanger and Trondheim branches, I will blog about this in a separate post. 

After lunch, we continue our walking tour, and just outside the Trondheim Torg, at the center of the city square, you will see the 18meter statue of Olav Tryggvason, it was a sculpture to honor him as the king and founder of the city. It also serves as a gigantic sundial which is calibrated to UTC +1. It is so high that it is hard to take a picture. 

From the statue, you can already see the Stiftsgården or Royal Residence in Trondheim. It was built in 1774 and has 140 rooms that houses royalty and their guests since 1800. This is considered the largest wooden building in Scandinavia. 

From the Royal Residence, you can walk until you reach the end of Munkegata. It is where you can find Ravnkloa, this is Trondheim’s center for trading fish and shellfish. At the square, you can find an amphitheater, Nils Aas sculpture “The Last Viking” and a copy of the old Ravnklo clock. This is also the port if you want to visit Munkholmen. 

Munkholmen is a historic island in the Trondheimsfjord which is popular for excursions in summer. This has been used as a courthouse, fortress, defense facility, monastery, and prison. Unfortunately, it was still closed during our visit so hanggang tingin na lang ako. Hehehe! 

This is a spot where you can see the Bakke Bridge, Gamle Bybro, and the colorful wharves, warehouses, and boathouses lined on both sides of the Nidelva River. The most photogenic area in Trondheim.

Within the area, you can find Vitensenteret or Trondheim Science Center. It is the place for learning Science and Technology. You can experiment with many exciting models and visit Norway’s first and only 3D planetarium. We did not enter this museum anymore and just went to Byhaven Mall. 

Another shopping center in Trondheim, this is where we kill our time while waiting for our next boat trip. Actually, we can explore Trondheim City until evening because the last boat trip is at 21:00 but my son has online classes at midnight so we need to go home before 6PM. We need to rest and sleep. 

Despite the limited time again, we're thankful for blessing us with good weather during our trip.