The homes in Hanoi’s Old Quarter still reflect the family-driven architecture of the late 19th century. Many are three to five stories tall, but very narrow in the front while stretching deep into the lot. Properties were taxed based on width, so buildings were constructed with the narrow faces. The first floor typically contains a shop on the street side with a workshop in the back. The family resides in the upper floors, with as many as three generations living in the same home.
While orienting ourselves in the Old Quarter, this man came up and pointed out our current location on the map. He then gestured several times to our camera, indicating he’d like us to take his photo. We obliged and he said goodbye, heading back into his shop. I guess he wanted us to have something to remember him by… done and done!On Hang Dau (Shoe Street), brand name shoes made in Vietnamese or Cambodian factories spilled out onto the sidewalks. The authenticity may be dubious, but the prices are not. Unfortunately, larger Western-sizes for men are pretty hard to come by.At Ngoc Son (Temple of the Jade Mountain), a visitor left an apple on the tiger’s head as an offering. The tiger is a symbol of stability in feng shui.The Hanoi Opera House was built over the course of 10 years beginning in 1901 during the French colonial era. The opera house still hosts both Vietnamese and Western productions today.Hanoi is teeming with posters and in-construction decorations in preparation for the country’s 70th anniversary of independence on September 2. Should be quite a party!Walking toward Hoa Lo Prison (better known as the Hanoi Hilton where U.S. senator John McCain was held captive with other Americans during the Vietnam War) the skies began to turn a dreadful shade of purple. We managed to grab a taxi before it got too bad and watched the streets of the Old Quarter turn into a river from the dry hotel lobby. It was easily the most amount of rain I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying something coming from a Cascadian!
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On our first full day in Hanoi, we wandered the Old Quarter. With a history spanning more than 2,000 years, the streets are a living, breathing history lesson. Each street is named for the types of items sold on the ancient streetsーHang Gai (Hemp Street) is now a silk paradise while metal workers now reside in the shops of Lo Ren (Blacksmith Street).
We started the day at the Ho Chi Minh Museum, part of the Communist leader’s mausoleum complex. The museum leans heavily toward Communist propaganda, but with a conceptual art twist. The story of Vietnam during the Uncle Ho (as he’s lovingly referred to by the people) era is told through abstract sculptures and immersive pieces. It’s also full of school children who we were told visit the mausoleum annually.Uncle Ho’s Soviet counterpart, Vladimir Lenin, has his own ominous statue in a park across the street from Hanoi’s Army Museum. Workers are preparing for the 70th anniversary of Vietnam’s post-World War II independence.A woman selling vegetables on a busy street near the Old Quarter.A parked bicycle is transformed into a fruit stand on a sidewalk on the outskirts of the Old Quarter shops.The Vietnam flag flies proudly from many homes. There’s a widely accepted story about the origins of the flag, but we haven’t heard much about the conflicting accounts of that story.Another mobile fruit market attracts customers.A flower vendor sizes up a pair of bouquets for a customer on the ever-present scooterIn the afternoon, we took a street food tour through Hanoi. Our first stop was for Pho Ga Tron, made, a popular summer dish made with cold noodles, veggies and peanuts. For three hours, we ducked into various stalls, apparently-empty shops and even through a garage into the second floor of a shop/home for some of Hanoi’s best eats.Hanoi’s version of green papaya salad, a dish that’s also popular in Thailand. Our guide told us it’s called the “single woman’s snack” in Hanoi because it keeps women slim and also has bust-enhancing superpowers. Who knew?Vietnam is one of the world’s major coffee producers and they do some unique things with it. This artful drink is called egg coffee and is served with whipped egg yolk on top. It was surprisingly good!
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After a week in Hong Kong, we headed west to Hanoi, Vietnam. After an easy flight, we boarded a city bus for a one-hour ride through countryside and small townsーthe only foreigners on board, although nobody seemed to notice. Soon, the roads grew more crowded and motorbikes appeared in droves as we approached Hanoi. We alighted at the final bus stop and walked through Hanoi’s Old Quarter toward our hotel. Along the way, the pace of life at dusk left our photos with blurs representative of the activity on the street.
The facades of the homes throughout northern Vietnam maintain influences from the French colonial era, while the sides of the home are often plain concrete. It’s hard not to stop and photograph each of them.We followed this balloon vendor for a few blocks as he tried to unload one of his many Minions.He finally made a sale of a red rooster!Hungry and in street food heaven, we stopped at the first banh mi stand that looked good. Banh mi is like a Vietnamese submarine sandwich, usually made with a pate spread on a fresh baguette topped with meats, shredded daikon (big white Asian radish), cilantro, jalapeños and mayo. We went with the fried egg and a couple local beers, which were served hot from a crate beside the stand.
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