First impression: HaNoi is insanely chaotic! We thought, considering the many cities we’ve been to, we were experienced with heavy motorbike traffic… But HaNoi Eclipses the others by tenfold.
At first I was terrified to cross the street. Drivers ignore street signals. They never stop. Crossing the street requires concentration and timing…. and a Guardian Angel! A pedestrian must keep a steady pace so that drivers will maneuver around you. It’s dangerous to panic and stop in route because the motorbike may not have time to redirect. The good news is: HaNoi drivers don’t want to kill or maim you, they just won’t stop for you! Anyway, after a couple of days we were pros and confidently traipsed all over the city! Beneath the relentless honking and screeching of traffic, HaNoi actually has a relaxed rhythm. Warm friendly people, good street food, and cheap beer! The cafes and street stalls are full with locals socializing. They like their coffee & their homemade beer! Both are delicious. One of HaNoi’s specialties is Bia Hoi beer… about 25 cents per glass, the cafe’s run out everynight but the next day there is always a new fresh batch!

The heart of HaNoi is Ho Kiem Lake in the Old Quarter. Tourists and locals alike congregate there. Maybe it’s a touch cooler. (Maybe that’s why beer tastes so good in HaNoi… The heat is so intense a cold beer sliding down your throat is a momentary relief. )
At the Lake, Vietnamese students, anxious to improve their English, approached us in hopes of creating conversation. One time, Bobby had up to twelve young people attentively gathered around while he engaged them in a language and leadership lesson.
Our lovely hotel – the Splendora – was also located in the vibrant Old Quarter of HaNoi. We were near the beautiful St. Jospeh’s Cathedral, in fact we could see it from our room. Splendora’s staff are an especially nice group. Nanny and Leoni, our breakfast servers, deserve a shout out!!
It was a pleasure to see them every morning! They took us out for the ‘original’ HaNoi coffee to the ‘in’ spot where locals pass the time. One thing you can’t miss about Vietnam: the women are working and the men are hanging.

HaNoi