It’s been a little over eight years since we were last in Asia and while many aspects of our honeymoon remain fresh in the mind, the culture shock was the one that I completely forgot about. In other parts of the world, it’s easy to blend in with the crowd but the drastic difference between the west and the east makes it impossible to do so. The bright spot so far is locals have yet to come up to us and speak Vietnamese and instead immediately start with English.

It took us a little over 25 hours in traveling time to get from Phoenix to Hanoi but luckily we landed the evening of the 26th so after an uneventful boarder crossing we were able to go straight to bed to help with the acclimation to local time. In the past we’ve typically traveled on our own or booked with a private tour company but for this trip we decided to pivot and join a group tour so we wouldn’t have to share these experiences on our own. Joining us on this trip are six folks from London, one from Boston and DC most of whom are traveling on their own. After introductions and a quick spiel from our guide Sonny we were off to explore the streets of Hanoi and experience their very best offerings of street food.

Hanoi’s population exceeds eight million people and over half of them own a motorbike so navigating the streets of the city is….an experience. From everything I’ve been able to surmise, there aren’t any traffic laws and it seems to be a complete free for all with motorists weaving between pedestrians, shops, workers and the odd rickshaw. Only the busiest intersections have signals so walking around the city requires the upmost confidence and an unwavering sense of purpose. However chaotic it may seem, the elegance and skill with which the drivers flow through the streets is almost ballet like with very few collisions between other vehicles or pedestrians.

In addition to the population’s insect like transportation patterns, Hanoians live in very small spaces, with several other people so between the lack of space and oftentimes lack of kitchen, the vast majority of folks eat out which makes for a fantastic (and cheap!) food scene. Vietnam has a strong coffee culture with coffee plantations in the highlands and cafes seemingly everywhere in the city. What’s stronger than their coffee scene is the coffee itself, brewed in ridiculously potent batches with robusta coffee which is extraordinarily unpalatable, even by my standards. To offset the strength, it’s standard to add sweetened condensed milk to their black coffee in lieu of the cream and sugar we’re used to. It does take some getting used to but since this ‘brown coffee’ is a Vietnamese staple, there aren’t many alternatives. Seeing how strong their coffee culture is, it was fitting that our first stop was Hanoi Coffee Culture for Hanoi’s own, Chicken Egg Coffee. Originally invented as a substitute for milk during shortages in the early 20th century, this coffee is made with whipped egg yolks, caramel simple syrup, vodka, condensed milk and Vietnamese coffee. Served in a bowl of hot water to retain temperature the drink itself is reminiscent of an egg cream or other whipped egg with the addition of coffee. The egg was a great additive to the notorious strong coffee in the region with just enough sweetness to offset the bitterness of the black coffee, so I would absolutely have it again. I was even more surprised by Lauren’s reaction, which did not include a face of disgust.

Our next few stops were more traditional fare; the first at Bun Cha Hanoi serving grilled pork noodles or buncha in Vietnamese (shocking, I know) and a traditional pork Bahn Mi at Bahn Mi 25 (business naming is very much on the nose here). The grilled pork was deliciously but the Bahn Mi (essentially a sub sandwich in a baguette), underwhelmed. We topped off the evening with an Oreo cookie and chocolate shakes and a Hanoi beer at Laila cafe. If you ever thought that ice cream and beer don’t go together, well…you’re right.

The following day we took an hour drive to the newer part of Hanoi for a cycling tour that would lead us through new condo construction and historic villages that are all within a walking distance of each other. Weaving through the city streets alongside the numerous motorbikes we visited one of the oldest Buddhist pagodas in the area, hundreds of acres of farmland containing crops like cabbage, corn, papaya and pumpkin, a floating village – several homes floating within the red river and a visit to Mr Long’s house – a Vietnam/US war vet whose family has lived in his residence for over 150 years.

The highlight of the day was Hanoi’s ‘train street’ located in the French Quarter, a three kilometer street, lined with cafes and restaurants all huddling an active train line. Twice a day, locals and tourists alike find a comfortable spot along the tracks for a drink and anxiously await a passenger train, traveling at 40 mph pass within inches of their table. If this sounds dangerous, well…it is. Our group grabbed drinks at Cafe Ga dong Duong and just before the train, cafe owners were pushing folks back so they didn’t get hit by the train. I was even told to uncross my legs and am very glad I did.

Even though Hanoi’s population density is much higher than in the states, the city has done an incredible job adding in green spaces and millions of trees to provide a less hectic environment. Our hotel was located just a few blocks from Hoan Kiem Lake, one of hundreds of lakes within the city, and is a magnet for community gatherings. Many small shops speckle the parameter, but many families, friends and school children were spending hours enjoying the water and making the most out of life. Many young women used the unique landscape for formal pictures as we navigated our way for our evening meal…at McDonalds!

Ever have fried chicken at McDonald’s? Well here, it’s the mainstay of the menu with burgers being a less popular option but fries on the other hand retain their global popularity and are even enhanced with a ‘shaken’ method of coating them in what could be best described as a cheesy, Cheeto flavoring.

We ended our time in Hanoi with a late evening snack with our group of Pho, Vietnam’s most famous and transplanted dish. Rice noodles and chicken in a broth flavored with stock, cilantro, chilis and other spices gets its namesake meaning ‘fire’ by how the soup is cooked over an open flame prior to serving. Interestingly enough, Pho has three separate meanings depending on the inflection of how it’s said. The riskiest of which meaning ‘prostituite’ so when I’m ordering it at a restaurant with a woman serving, correct pronunciation can stave off my embarrassment and a potential face slap.