We have reached the end of our second full day here in Hanoi, and we remain in awe of this city and the people who live here. On one hand, this is the capital of Vietnam….home to government offices, foreign embassies, and a rapidly growing number of corporate headquarters. At the same time, it is a city with deeply rooted traditions that date back hundreds of years. We are staying at the Sofitel Metropole–a lovely hotel built in the early 1900s. If you walk out the door and turn left, you will find yourself in front of the offices of Citibank. Walk a half block further, and a local woman will be roasting corn on the sidewalk while another woman wearing the traditional conical hat balances a bamboo pole across her shoulders bearing fruits and vegetables at both ends. The elderly still practice Thai Chi in the parks, and you’ll find locals playing badminton on the sidewalks after 4pm. People in the old French Quarter of the city live in three-story homes with the ground floor housing the family business…..shoe makers, tailors, silks, toys, etc. The local cuisine runs the gamut from the ladies roasting the corn on the sidewalk to French gourmet. Farmers and fishermen transport their goods into town on bicycles and cycles or, in many cases, on their backs. The streets are packed with bicycles, cyclos, minibikes, and automobiles from the Kia to Mercedes. Crossing the streets here in Hanoi takes a courage, faith, and a heartfelt prayer–especially the first 10 times. There is a constant flow of traffic from both-and sometimes all four–directions. We were advised to wait for a “break” , then proceed slowly into the street holding up your hand, palm facing out. They slow up….but they don’t stop. Cars, bikes, motorbikes–you name it–horns blowing, and you’re right in the middle of the street with little hope that you’ll be as lucky as the proverbial chicken who made it to the other side. When you reach the other side, look up, and you’ll stand in total amazement at the electric/telephone grid that criss-crosses the city. It’s a mesmerizing tangle of wires that conjoin in a massive tangle atop very fragile-looking wooden poles. At the end of each block, you’ll notice a pole with a loud-speaker that still blares the local news twice a day. We’re told this continues for the benefit of the many street vendors and their patrons. The most amazing aspect of all of this is that it actually seems to work. No one seems to be overly worried about safety, liability, or convenience for that matter. You don’t hear a lot of shouting or angry voices, and if those drivers are making obscene gestures, we haven’t recognized them. Everyone just seems to coexist, and for the most part, they seem pretty chipper about it all. We thought we would share a few snapshots from life here in Hanoi. Just wish we could share the aroma of fresh corn and chicken frying ……..
French Quarter Market Vendors
Presentation is everything!
Grocery shopping Hanoi-style! Never complain about “trunk space” again….
The locals unwind with a game of badminton on the sidewalks.
Getting it there the hard way. We couldn’t believe this one!
Step off the curb slowly and proceed into traffic with hand out, palm up…REALLY????
Doubt this would pass ‘codes’ in the US, but it seems to work just fine.
If you need a haircut on the way to work…you’re in luck!
The one thing we were told about crossing the street was to start, make steady consistent progress, and don’t stop. The traffic will split for you. It does take a lot of nerve at first to be sure. HA.