The Old Quarter’s Hang Bac Temple

This was definitely the last temple of my Vietnamese visit. At least that’s what I told myself during my final days in Hanoi. I was enticed by the narrow passageway and then up steps.

A Hanoi Traditional House

Inside Ma May’s traditional two-storey house I ran my hand over the iron wood trimmings. I walked to the back of the hundred year old house where the kitchen stood in an open courtyard, sun streaming down from the open square.

Foods I’d never tried (or maybe wouldn’t)

I didn’t notice any fruits or vegetables I hadn’t seen before as I wandered through Hanoi’s Old Quarter. As for meats, I didn’t want to go there, especially after walking past barbequed dog. When I approached brains or large chunks of meaty red legs, I looked the other way.

How much can you pile on a bike?

I took the Lonely Planet’s suggested walking tour through the Old Quarter of Hanoi. I zigzagged from footpath to road to avoid bikes and cars or because there was no sidewalk at all.