Local women carting goods via bike in Hanoi
Joe and I are back from Bangkok, Thailand... what a crazy city! We encountered lots of traffic and lots of crowds. It was certainly another eye-opening experience in Asia. More to come on this trip later, because I need to catch you up on our experience in Hanoi, Vietnam.
My first impression of Hanoi as we drove through the city is that it is really different from Ho Chi Minh City. There is far less development in terms of office buildings and nice shops. Instead, it has a local, nitty gritty feel to it and I thought we got a good sense of how the locals live.
Our first day in the city was cut a little short thanks to a two-hour delay at the airport (boo on Tiger Airways), so we didn't have time to explore the historical sites we had originally planned to see that day (we had to squeeze these in on our last day in Hanoi). Instead, Joe and I decided to do our own little walking tour... we literally walked for hours and must have covered almost every city street! First on our agenda was a late lunch at Pho 24. After loving this little fast food joint in Ho Chi Minh City, we couldn't resist the tasty pho bo (beef noodle soup).
My first impression of Hanoi as we drove through the city is that it is really different from Ho Chi Minh City. There is far less development in terms of office buildings and nice shops. Instead, it has a local, nitty gritty feel to it and I thought we got a good sense of how the locals live.
Our first day in the city was cut a little short thanks to a two-hour delay at the airport (boo on Tiger Airways), so we didn't have time to explore the historical sites we had originally planned to see that day (we had to squeeze these in on our last day in Hanoi). Instead, Joe and I decided to do our own little walking tour... we literally walked for hours and must have covered almost every city street! First on our agenda was a late lunch at Pho 24. After loving this little fast food joint in Ho Chi Minh City, we couldn't resist the tasty pho bo (beef noodle soup).
 Enjoying Pho 24 |  Pho Bo |  Mini pagoda in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake |
Hoan Kiem Lake
Pho 24 is right across the street from Hoan Kiem Lake, a serene body of water with a nice park area. We admired the greenery and the many random displays around the lake, including a statue of earth, topiaries in the shapes of different animals, and mini temples (I think they were strictly artistic pieces rather than religious shrines). As we strolled around, we saw many wedding parties taking photos by the lake.
On one end of the lake, we came across Ngoc Son, a temple dedicated to Confucian philosophers. Although we didn't actually go into the temple, we enjoyed seeing the many gates that lead to the entrance.
On one end of the lake, we came across Ngoc Son, a temple dedicated to Confucian philosophers. Although we didn't actually go into the temple, we enjoyed seeing the many gates that lead to the entrance.
 Joe poses with an edifice on the sidewalk |  Earth statue with dragon topiaries |  One of the gates of Ngoc Son |
The peacefulness of the lake was a stark contrast to the busy streets and shops of Hanoi. One of the main shopping drags was right across the street from the lake, which is where our trekking adventure began... but crossing the street was an adventure of its own. Traffic is nuts in Hanoi and we had to dodge the many motorcycles and cars that seemed to disregard any traffic laws that might exist in Vietnam. The video below gives you a taste of our experience.
How the locals in Hanoi eat their meals
The shops in Hanoi sell every type of cheap, touristy trinket you can imagine as well as knockoff goods. Joe struck gold when he found his new favorite travel accessory... a mini Northface backpack that is perfect for exploring the world. He got it at a bargain, only five US dollars! I'm not sure if the bag is real or not (it had a very convincing Northface tag on it that looked original) but it looks authentic. I love great finds!
Not only are the streets in Hanoi crazy, but the sidewalks are also difficult to navigate. As you can see in the photo to the left, there is little room to walk on the sidewalks. Aside from motorcycles using the space as a parking lot, many local restaurants set up shop. Locals eat on little plastic chairs and stools that look like Fisher Price children's furniture. Although everyone in Hanoi seemed to be comfortable in a squatting position (they are also tiny people, which I'm sure helps), I don't think I could enjoy a meal this way!
The smells of the local restaurants were quite delicious. I use the term "restaurant" loosely in this case, because most of these spots were more like holes in the wall where cooks would literally cook in pots or on grills on the sidewalk. I drooled over the smells of fried spring rolls and grilled meat. I'm not sure how sanitary the food was, but it sure looked good!
Not only are the streets in Hanoi crazy, but the sidewalks are also difficult to navigate. As you can see in the photo to the left, there is little room to walk on the sidewalks. Aside from motorcycles using the space as a parking lot, many local restaurants set up shop. Locals eat on little plastic chairs and stools that look like Fisher Price children's furniture. Although everyone in Hanoi seemed to be comfortable in a squatting position (they are also tiny people, which I'm sure helps), I don't think I could enjoy a meal this way!
The smells of the local restaurants were quite delicious. I use the term "restaurant" loosely in this case, because most of these spots were more like holes in the wall where cooks would literally cook in pots or on grills on the sidewalk. I drooled over the smells of fried spring rolls and grilled meat. I'm not sure how sanitary the food was, but it sure looked good!
 Joe's new backpack |  Lady cooking springrolls on the sidewalk |  Joe the laborer |
Ca Fe Pho Co
We took a break from our trek to hit up a local coffee shop called Ca Fe Pho Co, which came highly recommended by many people online. The coffee shop was definitely not like the cute little coffee shops I'm used to. In fact, it was the exact opposite of a Starbucks... a grungy setup in what looked like an old garage, a dirty floor, and liquor cabinets full of booze. But I'll give it to the reviewers who recommended the place... I thought the coffee was good. Vietnamese coffee is thick and sweet, almost syrupy, which I love. Joe, however, isn't a fan and didn't finish his drink.
The highlight of our pitstop may have been the awesome, mangy cat that lives in the store. He was sleeping in the funniest position on a chair near our table when we first sat down. And when he woke up, he paced back and forth, meowing at the top of his lungs.
The highlight of our pitstop may have been the awesome, mangy cat that lives in the store. He was sleeping in the funniest position on a chair near our table when we first sat down. And when he woke up, he paced back and forth, meowing at the top of his lungs.
 Crazy cat pose |  The inside of Ca Fe Pho Co |  Enjoying our coffee break |
Newday Restaurant
We ended the night at Newday Restaurant, another establishment that came highly recommended on the web. At first glance, the restaurant looked really small and it was packed. I assumed we'd have to wait a while for a table. However, I was wrong. When we walked up to the door, we were whisked up several flights of stairs and seated right away on the third floor. It turns out that the restaurant is way bigger than it looks.
We had a feast that included mango and avocado salad, vermicelli with pork patties and spring rolls, and vietnamese fried rice. It was a delicious meal and a satisfying way to end the day!
We had a feast that included mango and avocado salad, vermicelli with pork patties and spring rolls, and vietnamese fried rice. It was a delicious meal and a satisfying way to end the day!
 The Newday Restaurant kitchen, which we passed on our way up to the third floor |  Enjoying our dinner |  Vermicilli with pork patty and spring roll |
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