Well, back after a 21 hour trip home from Hanoi to Atlanta. Only in Hanoi for about 2 days. City is reasonably clean, people are friendly. Very interested in helping Americans. The high tech factory I visited was about 20 miles out of town. Once you get out of "downtown" it goes rural almost immediately. Rice paddies, etc. HOT, HOT, HOT temp wise. Most of my time was in buildings or cars. Did not get to sightsee this trip, but will do so next visit.
My one thought was that it was hard to imagine Hanoi as a warzone target these days. Very little evidence in the city, though I know from online images, the country is littered with salvage from the war, ranging from bomb casings, drop tanks, all manner of military vehicles from both sides, etc.
I stayed at the JW Marriott, which is first class... somehow it didnt seem appropriate to stay at a Hilton.
Eric