“Motorbike exhaust, fish sauce, incense, the faraway smell of something — is that pork grilling over charcoal?…It could be no place else.” ~Anthony Bourdain

WARNING SO MANY FOOD PICTURES AHEAD

Our final big city stop in Vietnam was Hanoi.  Of course when I think of Hanoi I think of motorbikes and that episode of Parts Unknown where Anthony Bourdain ate a meal with Obama.  Thus, our stop here was primarily focused around food.

Upon arrival we dropped our bags off at the hotel before check-in and sought out Bun Cha Huong Lien, to try out the combo Obama.  For those that have been following along from the beginning, it shouldn’t be all that surprising that I sought out another TV (or movie) tie.  I just love that sort of thing.  Although, it was a tad bit touristy the bun cha was delicious and turned out to be one of our favorite Vietnamese cuisines.

There are about 5 million motorbikes in Hanoi and it’s the easiest and best way to get around, so we thought the best way to see this city was on the back of a bike enjoying a food tour.  We went to about 10 different places, tried all kinds of food, and managed to get our names on the Long Bien Bridge, aka the love lock bridge.  Which doesn’t actually have any locks on it any more, since people started selling locks, but would turn around and pick them to re-sell them, the idea didn’t last very long.  However, the name stuck and people stop on the bridge all the time just to write their names on the rail.  It was a bit cheesy, however fun to part-take in the activity.

Hanoi is definitely worth a stop in Vietnam, it was probably my favorite city we visited.  We stayed in the Old Quarter, on a street literally called “beer street”, and for a solo traveler or a couple looking for great food and good time, I highly recommend this area, it’s super alive with lots of cheap beers, bars, and restaurants.  Overall, Hanoi is a must for anyone traveling through Vietnam.

Until next time! じゃまた！Ja Mata!