Hanoi, you were hot, humid, and smelly but I liked you
I had been to Vietnam before, 4 years ago. My stop included I think 2 nights in Ho Chi Minh, a visit to the Vietnam War museum (I guess it's now the War Remnants museum?), a jazz club (Sax N art), and only one banh mi and one spicy beef noodle soup. No pho ga, which is an atrocity since pho ga is one of my favorite things on the planet. It did give me an introduction to Vietnamese iced coffee but I just remember leaving Vietnam feeling like I hadn't really experienced the culture. It also was the last stop on my Southeast Asian tour and I think I had hit a wall and was ready to come home. Or I just missed Thailand. Who knows? The point is, I was ready to experience Vietnam properly this time around. I think I did it right! Our Remote Year spot was in Hanoi. Northern Vietnam vs the southern Vietnam I glimpsed last time around. The smells of the city hit you fast. Rotting fish, rancid smells, just... not good smelling things envelop Hanoi. Next that hits you is sweat. Lots of