Random thoughts

A bit of time to kill in the heat of the afternoon with free Internet at the hostel, so a few random thoughts as I wrap up my stay in Hanoi.

I'm trying to get a handle on the Vietnamese. Here are a people who have successively kicked the Chinese, Japanese, French and Americans out of their country, and are very proud of their recent achievements in rebuilding Vietnam to compete in the modern world. While ostensibly a Socialist Republic, there is a very strong market trading system with privately held plots of land. Nothing like collectivist farms of the Soviet era. "The best of both worlds", said my bike tour guide Han. "No one goes hungry, and no one is really wealthy".

And I'd have to agree with her - there's the odd beggar (some sadly with Agent Orange type deformities), and the odd black Mercedes whistling past, but uniformly people are poor but not in poverty, eking out a living trading whatever commodities they've got. Interesting that I saw a lot more beggars on the street and a lot more ostentatious wealth in Vancouver.

I visited both the Revolution Museum and the Hanoi Hilton (prison) this morning to try and understand recent Vietnamese history. Daunting seeing the appalling punishments meted out to the Vietnamese in this French-built prison, which was also used to house US pilots shot down over Hanoi during the American War.

Both Hanoi and HCM are very safe places to wander around even at night - at no time have I felt threatened or concerned for my safety. Part of this is the harsh penalties for assaulting/robbing foreigners, but it also seems part of their nature - I haven't seen any altercations between locals either. I put this down to a combination of their Buddhist religion, and the lack of disposable income to indulge in alcohol or drugs.

And talking of Buddhism, the pagodas are little oases of peace, calm and tranquility while life roars on outside. And they're well patronised - lots of locals coming in to burn incense, say prayers and make offerings.

Obesity is almost unknown here - I think I've seen just two Vietnamese who I'd classify as overweight. Guess what - not a McDonalds or a KFC to be seen either! The most popular takeaway is pho - a steaming bowl of soup full of noodles and veges, with a little chicken or beef. And delicious too. Diet plus regular tae kwon do (or similar) exercises on the lake front seems to keep everyone in trim.

Hygiene isn't so hot though. In the older part of town the sewers are box culverts with concrete slab lids, but they seem to be regularly flushed with water, so they don't smell too bad. You can't drink the tap water - everyone drinks bottled water, with fruit smoothies, fresh coconut milk and beer making pleasant alternatives. Frequent washing hands, squatting rather than sitting, and not licking fingers are the Vietnamese personal hygiene recommendations.

Pollution is the worst problem - traffic fumes, cigarette smoke, rubbish just lying around in the street. If there's anything the authorities should tackle in the cities it's air quality. I'm not surprised quite a few moto riders and pedestrians wear masks.

Motos. Motos bloody everywhere! Streaming down the streets. Taking off from intersections like a grand prix start. Loaded to the hilt with passengers, chooks, bails of hay, bonsai trees, and whatever else they can precariously perch on them. Parking on the footpaths so pedestrians have to walk on the road. Could be worse though - if they all traded their motos for cars the place would come to a complete stop.

So it's a place with a character all its own. I could never live in a city like Hanoi, bit it's a great place to visit.