Hanging out in Hanoi
I'm from Bombay (now Mumbai) and it can be a pretty extreme city. Traffic, crowds, summers all connive to drive you crazy. Hanoi was like Bombay on steroids. It can be an overwhelming city - the first thing that hits you is the sheer number of bikes and scooters on the streets. Unlike here, all the bikers wear helmets. And thank God for that, because traffic sense isn't really Hanoi's strong point. And then there was the gloomy weather - grey skies and no sun in all the days we were there, plus lots of pollution (many bikers wear pollution masks). And then the hawkers who want to make a quick buck off you knowing that you don't know the language. All that and I still loved it. Hanoi is a tough city, but something about it that draws you in. And it's hard to put a finger on what that is. Is it the long and violent history, which stays with you no matter where you are - be it a museum or pagoda or church? Is it the great food? Maybe the famous ca ...