Hanoi and Halong Bay

I arrived in Vietnam's capital city a few days ahead of my mother to get the 'lay of the land'. There is no better way to do that than with a night street food tour of some of Vietnam's most famous dishes.

I'm glad I took the tour, so I was able to take her on a similar trek of my own filled with amazing pho, banh mi, and spring rolls.

After seeing the sights of Hanoi including the 'Hanoi Hilton', Ho Chi Min Mausoleum, and Military Museum, we had a delicious French tasting menu dinner at La Badiane and bid farewell to Hanoi for a few days. 

Halong Bay's 3000 limestone islands rise out of the Gulf of Tonkin.

We boarded the Azalea Cruise for two days and nights of cruising, biking through villages, hiking caves, and kayaking. 

After reluctantly leaving the fabulous cruise, we headed back to Hanoi for one more night to say goodbye to the city (and all the friends we made?).