I went to Hanoi before going to Hanoi became cool. Long after the Vietnam War but before the United States normalized relations with the unified communist nation, my first major trip out of the country was to a place that remains very much foreign to most Americans.
I posted about the trip two years ago but since then much has happened and many new people have come into my writing life. So I’m linking to the two posts below for those who may not have seen them.
Part 1: Hanoi on a Half-Shell: My initial impressions, the “shoe road,” and handmade silk shirts.
Part 2: A Cup of Tea and a Conversation I Didn’t Understand: Eating noodles while squatting on the street, and the best conversation I’ve ever had in which I didn’t understand a word that was said.
I hope you enjoy reminiscing with me…and getting a glimpse of a place most people will never see in person. I’ll have more on Vietnam (and other places) in the future here on Science Traveler.
David J. Kent is an avid traveler and is currently working on a book about his experiences traveling in Argentina. He is also the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and the ebook Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time.
