Infinity & Beyond
My Dinh is far more than an area of transformer-like, interplanetary high-rises sprouting out of fields of cement. Kaitlin Rees speaks to some of the people who spend their time there. Photos by Aaron Joel Santos
Hanoi Goes West
Depending on traffic and your competitive spirit, it takes roughly 45 minutes to travel from downtown Hanoi to Vietnam’s tallest building in My Dinh.
Though a categorically unpleasant xe om ride in the rush hour, or an equally frustrating journey by car, these minutes are negligible compared to the leap in time completed over the course of the journey. Entering Hanoi West from the aged constructions and colonial designs of Hoan Kiem can trigger science fiction fantasies; the blocky, high-rise buildings at first seem incongruous with the architecture we traditionally associate with this city.
Hanoi's Best Pho
Everywhere sells great pho, right? Not so. We decided to dispel the myth and went on a tasting session to discover which joints truly sell the best pho noodle soup in this city. Words by Hoa Le and Nick Ross
Stock Up
From rau sach and rau an toan through to rau huu co, Hoa Le trawls the city to find out where to buy your organic fruit and vegetables
Make it Organic
There’s nothing like locking eyes with a pig strapped to a motorbike on its way to slaughter to make you think about where your food comes from. On the road to Tuyen Quang, to visit the organic farm and eco-lodge Green Vietnam, I contemplate the bun cha I ate for lunch and wonder if it started like this. My stomach rumbles. I avert my eyes.