Random Hanoi

Scenes from my trip to Hanoi, Viet Nam last month.

My Final Meal in Hanoi

I was very tired by the time I was ready to have dinner on my final night in Hanoi, Viet Nam, which included flying out of the city, Tokyo bound, around midnight.  I also did not have much cash on me.  All things considered, I decided to stop by this restaurant which vaguely seemed familiar from my first visit to Hanoi.

Eating out in this kind of restaurant when you’re one is difficult as you are expected to share what you order and it ends up feeling overpriced.

Whatever.  All was good. ^^

 

Getting Your Hair Done in Hanoi

My first visit to Hanoi was in 1999.  I remember seeing this kind of hair salon for men on many street corners.

Fast forward to 2015, it hadn’t changed much except for the sign in English!

Lunching in Hanoi: It’s Bun Cha Time!

“Bun Cha” is a Vietnamese dish said to have originated in Hanoi for which I had no prior knowledge from my previous trip to the city or from visiting Vietnamese restaurants in general.  Out of several eateries outside the wholesale market, I found my perfect bun cha stall.

A covered alley outside Đồng Xuân Market featuring a variety of food stalls

My bun cha lady with her grilled pork

My bowl of bun cha. Sweeter than one would expect and it’s cold (i.e. not warm) broth.

Stalls offering other dishes.

To Market! in Hanoi

The big market in Hanoi is a wholesale market called Đồng Xuân Market in the old section of the Vietnamese capital.