First impressions: Vietnam

Whats the first thing that’s hits u as you come out of the Hanoi airport – shit did I land in Chandigarh instead of Hanoi!!!! You see Toyata Innovas and Chevrolet Optras roaming around – loads of them. Welcome to Hanoi the Capital of Vietnam where I recently went for a 3 day trip.

Its difficult for an amateur traveler (and all the more an amateur writer) to comment on a country based on a 3 day trip that too a business one and so this is in no way a “Lonely planet guide to Vietnam” but simply an Indians inadverent urge to compare his country with others.

So the next thing I notice in Vietnam is that they already have a well established network of Radio taxis and the average cab is a Hyundai Verna/ Toyota Corolla – the cars which we tout in India as the upper middle class aspiration. And to think of this in a country whose local currency Dong stands at ~17000 to a USD.
A certain politician in Mumbai who opposes the High Court directive for replacement of cabs older than 15 years needs to visit Hanoi – I will sponsor the trip if he promises not to come back ;-)

Roads are better than Mumbai. I fail one more time in finding a city on earth which has roads worse than Mumbai ;-). I think I need to plan a trip to the interiors of Congo next to succeed in my mission.
The trip of 40 minutes from Airport to the Sheraton hotel costs me 300,000 in local currency – and I pay him in 3 notes since they have notes for 100,000. It felt strange for all three days to stay there and talk in millions and thousands for a cup of tea or a short cab drive.

The outskirts of Hanoi could be easily mistaken for the outskirts of any Indian city – agricultural land with small 1 storied houses with thatched roofs. Cows tied in cattle shed and the ubiquitous Innova !!!

You see the conventional headgear of sloping hats and people carrying agricultural produce in baskets hung at both ends of a long bamboo – the image which is unmistakably conjures memories of Vietnam. The people well look the same to me like most others in the region.
I always wonder if I will ever be able to distinguish between a Chinese, Vietnamese or a Japanese face. Try as I may they look same to me. Though people have tried explaining to me several times the difference in the length, width, cheek bone profile etc of the different geographies.

A stroll through mid-town the next day was entertaining and shocking at the same time. Entertaining - The city of Hanoi –as with the entire country – is abundant with small lakes and water bodies which have been converted into parks. The French architecture – they were the former colonists- is beautiful and is evident in the floral patterns and arches. The new architecture retains the old world charm but adds a utilatarian touch to the landscape. There are lake side open pubs and eating places buzzing with young couples and joggers. Though level of physical intimacy is again something at which our high moral ground seeking politicians would smirk at.

Shocking - The retail revolution so evident in neighboring nations seems to have skipped Hanoi. Vietnam it seems doesn’t have a MacDonalds though we did encounter a 3 storied KFC. There isn’t a single shopping mall or a multiplex – atleast I didn’t see any in there shopping district and the trips across town. Most districts is still made up of smaller shops and road-side vendors. There was a brand new CK showroom visible though, so hopefully this is the inkling of the retail revolution.

English is not a common language here and you better be good at explaining in “gestures” to get around, though a lot of people know Mandarin. One thing which is beautiful –As is for me in most countries – is the local food. Its not spicy and is mostly comprised of rice in various forms with roasted meat. A lot of hotels we went to served Pigeon though not sure if it’s a delicacy.

Enquiries with the concierge and locals revealed there is no “watering hole district” or a location in town where the city descends on weekends or nights. This is surprising since generally every city I have visited till date has such a zone e.g. Lang Kwai Fong in HK, Bandra in Mumbai etc. The city doesn’t really have nightlife, though the globally ubiquitous prostitution phenomenon is evidently visible.

Locals were of the view that Ho Chi Minh City is a much more happening place since that’s where the better part of corporates and jobs are. Maybe some other time and some other day I would have a chance to visit HCMC to change my first impressions of Vietnam as a staid place which has still to catch on with “life”