All through Ha Noi, we have seen phone numbers and names graffitied on walls. After a bit a research, we have learned that these are advertisements for local businesses- usually plumbers, electricians, etc. The colours and textures here are an example of Hanoi’s beauty.
This is my kind of wall.
So, we arrived in Ha Noi almost three weeks ago with the intention of immediately renting an apartment and finding an English teaching job for me. The goal was to live and work in Ha Noi for about three months before beginning a month long tour of the rest of Vietnam.
Yeah… that was the plan. That’s not going to happen now. We’ve decided, after much thought and discussion, to begin our tour of Vietnam right now, rather than remain in Ha Noi.
We came to this conclusion for several reasons. It’s really polluted in Ha Noi and I found walking around caused some yucky coughing. We found an apartment we liked, but it wasn’t in our favourite part of town. Finding non-dodgy English language schools was proving harder than we anticipated. And, the weather. It’s been grey and damp and cold almost every day since we arrived. We’re still getting out and making the best of our time here, but we didn’t pack for this type of weather. I’ve worn nothing but my fleece jacket and a pair of jeans since we got here. This isn’t really what we signed up for.
This isn’t to say that we haven’t had a blast in Ha Noi. We have really enjoyed our time here. The street food is incredible, fresh and cheap. The people are very kind and friendly and welcoming. The city is fast paced, fun to walk around and full of tucked away temples, pagodas and cafes. Ha Noi is a great city; it just isn’t for us.
Bun Cha is a favourite dish of ours here in Ha Noi. We had it for lunch recently, where I got this picture. The small mince patties are made of seasoned pork and grilled over charcoals. You eat it with fresh herbs and rice noodles.
An outstanding lunch!