Bia Hoi

I've been in Hanoi ten days now. It's been nice to relax and take it easy, explore the city, and meet a lot of people passing through the hostel. I've been staying in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, which has a great atmosphere--lots of small streets, old buildings, small street-side restaurants, etc. And motorcycles, lots of motorcycles.

While I've spent much of my time in Hanoi doing the occasional bit of sightseeing (including seeing Ho Chi Minh's mausauleum), I also drove out to Halong Bay (three hours to the east) for a day where we cruised around on the water and had a spectacular seafood lunch.
One Hanoi specialty is Bia Hoi, a daily brewed beer available at many streetside stands throughout the city; a glass goes for 1500 dong or about 10 cents US. One intersection in particular is known for its Bia Hoi, with makeshift beer cafes on each corner; locals and tourists alike congregate here each evening and it's a great place to meet people.
I'm off to Sapa, in the mountains, today.