Hanoi

After much thought and research on Typhoon Haiyan, we did end up making it to Hanoi as planned. Very lucky! I would have been pretty sad to miss the country that inspired the trip for me! We flew in the evening the typhoon hit Hanoi...it was dry!

Mo spotted a sign at the airport we've never actually seen written out before..

We made our way to the Meracus Hotel after a tense wait for Mo's bag. I think mine came out 20 minutes before hers! Later we would come to the conclusion that the Meracus may possibly be the best hotel ever!

They put us in the "family room" that resembled the honeymoon suite...

The next morning we had the best breakfast at the hotel. Bun Cha was my favourite at breakfast, but there was a huge spread of everything you could imagine. We booked our boat to Ha Long Bay and our train tickets to Da Nang and set out in the city. 

Crossing the street is crazy! There were even instructions from the hotel.

1. Be relaxed and self confident

2. Look two ways or make eye contact with drivers

3. Walk slowly with purpose

4. Never step back 

Following these instructions, Mo navigated us through the old quarter. 

Here, I have confidently crossed the street, leaving Mo and Sherrill behind.

We stopped for a pork bun and I ticked off one of my 30 before 30 items- eat street food in Vietnam! 

We also discovered that each street sells only one thing... We found coffee street, the hotel was on shoe street, there was a wrapping paper street, and a red and gold shiny things street! We found Pho 10 and stopped in for lunch.

Here I am, very excited for my first pho in vietnam.

It was reeeeeally good. And that red paste made it very spicy!

Later we headed out for coffee and banh mi. My caphe sua da was amazing! The banh mi was just ok. Will be on the hunt for better ones!

We stopped for some Hanoi beers at a cafe and sat mesmerised by the crazy traffic..

That night we went out for dinner - I was in search of more bun cha. We had to go to to places! We ended up at New Day restaurant and my bun cha took so long it was free! But it was tasty, so that's all that matters!

After another breakfast at the Meracus where they made us special amazing coffees, we checked out and were picked up for our Ha Long junk boat cruise.