Hanoi

I started my trip to Vietnam in Hanoi, the country's capital city. Hanoi is a truly fascinating place and I hope to go back soon.

I only had one full day in Hanoi and spent the majority of it in and around the famed Old Quarter. The Old Quarter was a great introduction to the city and a good jump off point for visiting some of the city's main attractions.

The Temple of Literature was probably the most impressive of the major attractions we saw in Hanoi. It's one of the few remaining traditional Vietnamese style temples left in the country.

In my opinion, Hanoi's most interesting aspects lie within its smaller details of its daily life. People sitting on tiny plastic stools eating pho and sipping locally brewed bia hoi fill Hanoi's sidewalks. Women balancing baskets over their shoulders in scale like fashion shuffle through the streets and people riding bikes piled high with everything from bunches of flowers to wire baskets filled with live cats (really) make up Hanoi's relentless traffic flow.

What's more, Hanoi's cuisine is damn good. I didn't eat enough. I think I will go back just to gobble down more. When you go you must try the pho bo (beef noodle soup) and fresh spring rolls.