Hanoi

The ceaseless honking and seemingly never ending smog welcomed us to Hanoi.  However, we weren’t deterred that easily.  Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, with 7.7 million people and over 5 million motorbikes inhabiting what doesn’t feel like that large of a city.  Crossing the street is a feat all on its own, much less navigating the city without getting turned around.  Small alleyways and cobblestone streets meander through the city, reflecting the French Colonial period through the architecture.  We spent a few days here awaiting my mom’s and her partner, Phil, arrival.  Due to the family and friends arriving, our blog post is extremely delayed and we took far fewer photographs than usual.

Where to stay:

Our first Airbnb was quite a ways out of the Old Quarter, where all of the main attractions lie, but it was our favorite place.  Nestled in a local neighborhood with plenty of street food options nearby, we were able to take a much needed breather after our adventure in Ha Giang.

Where to eat:

Bahn mi 25

Excellent bahn mi’s, for less than a dollar.  There was an English menu which was very helpful because it allowed us to chose what we wanted in the sandwich rather than risking the mystery meat option most stalls offer.

Huong Viet

Fantastic fried rice and spring rolls in a dingy hole in the wall.  Despite appearances, this was by far our favorite restaurant in Hanoi.

Red Bean

We ate here while staying in the accompanying hotel, Hanoi La Siesta Hotel & Spa- which was absolutely luxurious.  The food was very high end, but still had the classic Vietnamese dishes and flavors.  This was such a treat, and absolutely worth it.

Little India Restaurant

Delicious comforting Indian food.  Only downside was the overbearing host who demanded we leave a positive TripAdvisor review- which I would have done either way.

Hanoi Street Food Tour

This was such a treat!  We were met by a young woman named Rosie, who quickly told the group that when we were to cross a street she would yell out “sticky rice!” so we could all stay together.  We enjoyed a three and a half hour street food tour of all sorts of classic Vietnamese foods that we would have never been able to find for ourselves.  This tour was a highlight of Hanoi and Vietnam overall.  If you are a foodie- I would recommend this tour a hundred times over.

What to do:

Street Food Tour

Again- this is something to do, and shows places to eat!

Old Quarter

This is the classic area of Hanoi that is full of small touristy shops and souvenirs.  In the evening the streets close down and the restaurants spill out into the streets with plastic stools and beer kegs.  Theres many cute cafes and bars, and even an entire silk street to shop your heart out.

American War Museum (“Hanoi Hilton”)

Wow- this was shocking.  As someone who did not know much about the Hanoi Hilton and John McCain, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into here. The museum claimed that John McCain had a “wonderful” time there and returned to visit because his experience was so superb.  There was even an exhibit about the fact that the museum was nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton” because prisoners’ experiences there were similar to staying in a Hilton.  This information was all presented in contrast to how the French held Vietnamese prisoners in the same prison prior to the “American War.”  The French were said to be horrific and treated the Vietnamese prisoners with brutal force.  The Vietnamese prisoners were always resilient and never cowered in the face of their enemies- they claim.  I did not expect a museum to blatantly lie about historical events, and left feeling shocked and confused.

Ha Long Bay

We took Swan Cruises, which was a three day cruise.  A driver picked us up at a hotel, drove us to the bay (about a three hour drive) and then we spent two nights on the boat and about three days doing various activities.  The views were stunning and this boat was very pleasant.  I think three days and two nights was a little too much, but it was still incredibly enjoyable.  The food served on the boat was plentiful and decent- but not exquisite.  We were able to kayak and see a pearl farm, which was an unique experience.  Most of our time was spent lounging and reading- as there is no wifi on the boat!  Obviously Ha Long Bay is a must see while in Vietnam, and this tour did not feel too touristy or grimy, which is an issue with many other cruises in the area.

After three long months, our Vietnam adventure came to an end.  I find myself struggling to convey my feelings about Vietnam.  While some cities were magnificent, others left me continually homesick and experiencing extreme culture shock.  I always felt on edge as I had to be constantly aware because scamming and short-changing is extremely common.  There is a lot of pain and desperation in the people, left over from the “American War” and communism- which seems to have mostly given way to extreme capitalism.  The damage from the Americans using chemical warfare has lasting effects that are visible today even in my generation.  Children with deformities from “agent orange” were not uncommon.  I remember seeing a little boy in raggedy clothing watching kids his age in uniforms at a private school play on a shiny playground.  We saw many old women with extreme hunchbacks who could only look at the ground, probably from working in the fields picking rice their entire lives.  It is important to remember that among all this pain, we saw so much beauty too.  We met many kind people along our journey and saw so many beautiful sights.  I’m trying to let the good experiences outweigh the negatives. The nature in Vietnam is stunning, and makes Vietnam worth the trip.  There are kind people everywhere, and its important to remember their kindness rather than the times we were mistreated.