Oh Man. I Could Eat a Buncha Bún Chă

The next stop on our Hanoi foodie tour is the one I’d been looking forward to the most – Bún Chă. Westerners are familiar with bánh mì. They know about phở. But not very many Westerners have heard of a dish that Hanoi is famous for: Bún Chă. Continue reading “Oh Man. I Could Eat a Buncha Bún Chă”

In the Heart of Hanoi

We’re staying at the Sofitel Metropole Legend Hotel, in the heart of Hanoi. From here, it’s a short walk to the Old Quarter, just on the other side of Hoan Kiem lake and a park. This isn’t the most glamorous part of the city, but it might be the area with the most character. Continue reading “In the Heart of Hanoi”

Hanoi after Dark

We’re on a bus, returning to Hanoi at the end of a one-day visit to Ha Long Bay. It’s dark as we approach the outskirts of town. I think everyone on the bus is asleep except me. I’m gazing out the window, taking it all in. It will be interesting to see Hanoi after dark.

Long before we reached the city itself, we passed numerous centers of activity along the roadside. Just about everything appeared to be open. There were lots of open-air eating establishments where families appeared to be having dinner. Continue reading “Hanoi after Dark”