Hello Hanoi!

September 24-27, 2025

We left Calgary at 10am on September 23rd and arrived in Hanoi around midnight on September 24th. We were immediately greeted at the airport doors by several people offering us a ride. Friends of ours who have been to Vietnam before warned us about the taxi scams, and so we made a hasty exit in a marked cab (thank you Brian + Nicola!). 

Night Market

Our hotel was in the middle of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. This is the most touristy area of the city, as there is lots to see and it’s walkable. It is packed and bustling with activity from morning to night.

The people here have friendly smiles galore, and the food is hearty and simple. Joel has been using a Michelin recommended website to help us pick where to eat - which worked out well. I’ve noticed that most restaurants in Hanoi specialize in one thing, which they then perfect. So you can’t get your coffee, dinner and dessert at the same place. For example, Mien Luon Chan Cam serves eel dishes only. We had Mien Nuoc (eel and vermicelli soup), Chao Luon (rice porridge with eel) and Quay (fried dough). Joel's eel soup made me a bit squeamish so I ordered a rice porridge instead as a more familiar alternative. Surprise! The porridge had long slimy eels in it too. After Joel convinced me it was just a weird eggplant, I tried some - the eel had a tasty smoky umami flavor!

Eel Meal

There is such an arresting blend of extremes and contradictions. A delicious smell makes you take a deep breath in, but there's a sickly sweet, slightly dead aftertaste. You enjoy the crumbling French architecture and the fresh bread, before stepping in dog poop in your hurry to avoid a decomposing rat. There's little Buddhist shrines everywhere and a huge Catholic church on the corner. It's beautiful, dirty - and overwhelming. 

St Joseph's Cathedral

My main takeaway is how alive the place felt. I’m not

a city person, but I couldn’t help appreciate how Hanoi is brimming over with life. And you get the feeling that they squeeze every drop out of life, and nothing is wasted.

Bun Cha (kebab rice noodle) and Nem Cua Be (fried crab spring roll)

Temple of Literature