Hanoi by Motorbike

On my right, a motorbike stacked with flowers honks and cuts me off, followed by a mother riding with her kid in her lap. On my left, a motorbike skirts by with 3 empty “Bia Hoi” kegs strapped on each side. The road is chaotic, and to quote Anthony Bourdain, “One of the great joys of life is riding a scooter through Vietnam; to be part of this mysterious, thrilling, beautiful choreography, thousands upon thousands of people: families, friends, lovers; each an individual story glimpsed for a second or two in passing sliding alongside, pouring like a torrent through the city.” The day has just begun, and I am ready to explore the beautiful city of Hanoi. I have entered my happy place.

Wallpaper bricks line the walls of the banh mi stand I stumble upon, and tiny plastic stools are scattered along the street side. Behind glass, there are four trays — one with a mix of vegetables, and the other three stacked high with meat cutlets. From the outside, it doesn’t appear to be much. On the inside, however, a friendly Vietnamese lady prepares one of the tastiest banh mi sandwiches in the city of Hanoi. The sound of traffic and the scent of baking bread fills the 3-square meter restaurant, and the price of a full meal comes to $1.50. This restaurant is not unique, however; there are hundreds, if not thousands of banh mi stalls around the city, each with its own identity, and each with a happy person ready to serve you. With enough parking room for two bikes, I pull up and order the only thing on the menu.