Who: Kristi Petersen from Denver
Where: Tho Ha village. The Buddhist Goddess of Mercy in the oldest community center, built in 1518. It is northeast of Hanoi about one hour by car.
Best meal: At Cha Ca La Vong. A laminated plastic card (in English for my table) notes they serve one dish for 75,000 dong (about $4.70). The restaurant has been owned by the same family since 1871. The one dish, Cha Ca, is a marinated fried white fish with lots of fresh dill, scallions, holy basil and cilantro that is cooked and served in a very well-worn frying pan on a charcoal brazier placed on each table. One adds more herbs, roasted peanuts and nuoc cham to the bowl of rice noodles that is part of the meal. You may order beer or water and can eat as much as you want. It was fresh, full-flavored and delicious.
Best deal: Silk anything – beautiful, large, jewel-colored shawls can be bargained down to $1 or less in any market.
Best time to go: November and December are probably the best. It is cool in the north during winter, but hot and humid in the summers.
Best travel tip: Don’t drive yourself anywhere! Traffic signs or lights are rare, highway markings seem to be suggestions only. Motorscooters, bicycles, pedestrians, cars and trucks and the occasional ox cart (in order of numbers) are all vying for space, even on some four-lane highways.
