First, it was absolutely pouring rain when the bus let us out on a random corner on the edge of town. I am certain this is all part of the plan for these companies to pass along the tourist dollars each step of the way. Next, we were met by the local taxi driver who was kind enough to offer to use the taxi meter for our ride to the hotel in the center of the Old Quarter.
Just as you may have guessed, it was too good to be true. We walked a couple minutes down the block to our hotel. Hanoi 3B Hotel is a small boutique hotel in the center of the Old Quarter along one of the many narrow streets and within walking distance of almost everywhere we wanted to go. The city was really bustling that time of day and the pelting rain made for a dreary start. The narrow streets were filling up fast and we weaved in and out of the roadway dodging the puddles, the motorcycles parked on the sidewalks and the small storefronts spilling out to the street.
Hoping to find one of the places I located on google maps prior to leaving the hotel lobby, we surely looked like we were on a mission.
As with many places in this region, they come and go and google maps tends to be a little outdated for these small places. They seemed to have just rolled up their doors as the barista was still setting up shop and laying out their tiny stools for guests.
Before she even hands us the menu, I ordered two cafes eagerly wanting that soothing jolt of an authentic Vietnamese coffee. Wow, it was strong and bitter to say the least. Whitney, worried of potentially upsetting her stomach, only had a sip. I on the other hand downed them both, paid up, and set off to try another coffee shop on the other side of town with great reviews online. The rain showers chased us as we scurried along under overhangs until we finally found a piece of home in Hanoi.
