Airport
The Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi is one of the newest airports in Vietnam. It looks big but a bit dimly lit. I immediately sensed the difficulty I will have with the language barrier when the immigration officer asked for my passport but I gave him my Arrival-Departure Declaration, my Boarding Pass, my baggage claim tab, everything I am holding except the passport. So with a louder voice with matching head-scratching and dagger look, he repeated what sounded like “chupepa” and waved in front of me a passport. Silly me finally understood.
After waiting for about 45 minutes for our taxi, we were finally off to our hotel.

Tien Hung Hotel
Upon arrival, the nice guy at the Hanoi Guesthouse (Tien Hung Hotel) named Zhum welcomed us with 2 glasses of water and offered to help us with our tours. But we were too tired to decide. Expectedly, we drowsed off to sleep effortlessly.
We have decided not to waste any precious time since we have a very tight schedule to follow so we started our day early on Day 1.
Motorcycles

motorcycle overload
One cannot help but notice the abundance of motorcycles plying the road. Though I am already aware of this, I was still blown away by their number. There should be around 10 motorcycles, cyclos and cars at an intersection at any given time, going in all four different directions. Traffic lights are mere suggestions. But somehow, they manage it. I haven’t seen any road rage nor accident.
I have seen a family of 5 on a motorcycle. There was also this high-heeled lady using a cellphone zooming by. My friend even saw a pregnant girl driving herself to somewhere.
Food
It seems Pho can be bought from any food place in Hanoi. And by food place it can be a 20-seater restaurant or a simple set-up of boiling tub of water, raw noodles, raw meat and the Pho will be cooked in front of you in 3 minutes top. Amazingly, buyers of this dingy-looking food place come one after another. There is one just outside our guesthouse.

Pho sold in the streets
We tried eating at their KFC. It was a bit bland for my taste. I still prefer the KFC of the Philippines.

KFC in Hanoi
For only VND25,000, one can already have a decent and delectable authentic vietnamese beef pho (with very generous chunks of sliced beef).
We also got a chance to eat their version of atis. Only difference is it is not opened lengthwise, but to be peeled like a banana. A kilo costs VND20,000.

snake aphrodisiacs
For the bravehearts, or should I say brave-intestines, they also have this snake wine. Actually it is just rice wine with a dead cobra inside. Sometimes the cobra has company. Either a dead gecko, a dead bird or a dead seahorse. The preserved cobras are in i’ll-bite-you poses, making them more realistic and frightening.
Language
If you are good in playing charades, you will survive. Most Vietnamese are not english-speaking. Those who do pronounce the word differently, thus understanding them can be a problem as well. When we bought some souvenirs, we talked using the calculator. Sometimes, some animated and imaginative actions can help you get your point across.
Shopping

souvenier items

Thai Son pots
Unarguably, goods and services are cheap in Hanoi. The Old Quarters alone is a haven of cheap and nice goods. Exchange rate when we were there was VND16,500 to 1 USD. We became instant millionaires when we exchanged our 100 dollars!

travelling essentials: passport, map and pocket money
One just has to be very patient in scouting for cheaper prices. And never haggle too low. This we learned the hard way when two vendors got furious at our desired prices. But some vendors are very nice and give fair prices cheerfully.
Women
I admire the women of Vietnam. They are very down-to-earth and industrious. My initial thought was gender equality is being observed at great length in Vietnam. I was amazed seeing Vietnamese women carrying bricks…

labor not only during childbirth
..but I got a lot more surprised when I saw this woman mixing cement on the side of the road.

But hands down, Vietnamese women are really beautiful..
