A couple of addenda to my first post. I got selected at the Beijing airport for extra screening going back in (had to change terminals between planes)…seems that every little piece of metal, and some plastics, set off the detectors. OTOH, when I entered both China (technically, while changing terminals) and Vietnam, Customs didn’t seem to care at all what one might be bringing into the country. There were two aisles to go through, one for declarations and one without, and both times the no-declaration aisle was staffed by a very bored person who looked like (s)he had 100 better things to do. I could have been bringing a howitzer in without a problem.
Fellow passengers on the Beijing-Hanoi flight took a lot of interest in me. Most were VN nationals returning from a quick hop to China, and I took a few pats on the shoulder as they seated themselves. That flight also had a rather extensive market research survey that they seemed to give only to the few obvious foreigners, but I’m glad to see they are at least asking opinions.
In bed at 10:30 and awoke at 7:15…as of this point, I don’t seem to have jet lag. We shall see how tomorrow’s 11-hour day full of meetings goes.
Now for today.
Started with a hot (unlike Baku) shower, and to the free breakfast buffet at the hotel. A good spread: seven kinds of pastry, eight local fruits, 4 cereals, omelettes, sausage, cold cuts, 4 juices, yogurt, and excellent coffee were among the offerings. Eating there daily will certainly reduce the impact on the daily food per diem.
Our host from the bank picked us up at 9:30 for her tour.
We grabbed a taxi ($2.00 for the 15 minute ride) to the Old Quarter of Hanoi, where the commerce is never ending. Name something, and it can be purchased at any of a dozen shops within 100 meters of any point. Of course, I am sure all of the designer labels are legit! :>) Bootleg DVDs were hawked for $1-2, t-shirts typically listed for $5., and every other storefront was a café of some nature. Eating at many cafes can be hazardous, as the seating is on plastic stools that are only about 15 inches tall. Definitely not built for elderly legs.
I didn’t buy anything today, but targeted several potential Christmas gifts for purchase before leaving. Will have to hone my bargaining skills before buying. While I am willing to leave some money on the table while bargaining (the locals need it more than we tourists do), I must at least play the game.
One very interesting item for purchase was a litre bottle of rice wine with a 6-inch scorpion and 1-foot cobra in the bottle amongst the liquid. It is supposedly a local delicacy, and certainly looks interesting. Just a step up from the old Mexican worm-in-the-tequila approach. Both fauna are common in the nearby jungles.
Totally dark now at 6:03.
We stopped at one sidewalk stand for drinks (hydration is definitely a concern here), and purchased iced concoctions of freshly-squeezed sugar cane and limes. Delicious! The squeezing machine was probably last cleaned in 1803, and the tourist warnings tell one to never use ice cubes, but what the hell. I’ll know by tomorrow afternoon if my immunity has built up.
Next was a taxi to the local lake (perhaps 10 acres) which is the popular strolling area in the Old Quarter. We took a tourist vehicle for a 30-minute tour of the lake and surrounding streets. Not all that exciting as lakes go, but it’s a nice bit of green in this bustling city. Speaking of bustling, my estimate is that there are roughly 3 motor scooters per resident on the roads at any given point in time.
Lunchtime. We went to an Old Quarter restaurant that is Raymond’s favorite. Raymond is working for Ernst and Young on a separate project at VietinBank, and is a Chinese Malaysian who is on his 20th trip here. The restaurant was everything he claimed, and more. Old time Chinese décor (even darker atmosphere than Victorian). Hai (our bank/tour host) ordered communal dishes of papaya salad, squid, rice, and platters of pork, beef, and chicken. The spices, particularly those in the beef, cleared my nostrils of any clogging on the spot. The bill for the four of us, including five bottles of local beer, came to $17. That’s right – just over $4 each. Hai also taught me the best way to use chopsticks, a skill that had eluded me in my many years on this orb. I shall practice often over the next month.
BTW, tipping is unknown in this culture. That explains why the server at last night’s dinner was so happy when I paid the bill.
Next venture was a taxi to the Museum of Literature, a garden park that spreads over about 3 acres. This was the site of the first university in Vietnam, dating to 1076 A.D. The local emperor (this area was under Chinese rule at the time) set the grounds up as his primary educational institution for people desiring to be his top advisors. Stone monuments are set up for the few who attained top status (known as doctors, but in the Ph.D. sense), and only about 40 attained that status over several centuries. Aspiring advisors spent seven years enduring monthly quizzes and quarterly exams…the latter were administered verbally by the emperor himself. The grounds are also a popular venue for formal photos of newlyweds and high school students celebrating graduation – we got pictures of both groups, adorned in traditional VN garb.
Hydration loomed again, so we stopped at another small café for their iced concoction of strong coffee and freshly-squeezed coconut juice. Another winner! That was also our decision to end the tour, as Howard was running out of steam and I needed to do some prep for tomorrow (it sucks to actually have to earn one’s pay).
So, my initial impressions after a whole 23 hours in this country? A wonderful, friendly people with a tremendous work ethic and sense of national pride. There are many problems here, but most people go through their daily task of hawking enough product/service to be able to eat tonight, and do not get embroiled in the long term. Work is high energy, and relaxation only a small step down. Air pollution is even worse than Baku because there are no strong consistent breezes to waft the crap to another province. Construction is everywhere and the streets are incredibly confusing to navigate. So, it will be a fun-filled four weeks here and I will be much better off for the adventure. If my immune system so wills.
I have finished my chicken sandwich, and lightning is on the horizon. A good reason to pay the bill and retreat upstairs for the night. Until the next post.
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