Made it through the day yesterday, but just barely. It was wonderful to have Nellie pick me up from the airport -- I really missed her, and getting to spend some time with her before the next semester begins full steam is wonderful. We looked over all the stuff I brought back, I tried to make us some Vietnamese coffee... Going to need to work on that.
Went to bed at 8pm, slept until 4. No problem. Until it got to be about 11am, then I was wiped out! Took a nap, got up and tried to spend the afternoon in the sun. Sunlight, I recently read, it what adjusts your body's internal clock, so I wanted to give it as much exposure to natural light as I could. No real energy for the rest of the day until about 7pm, then I was wide awake.
I managed to go to bed at a respectable 10pm, and slept until 5am, with only a few wake-ups during the night. I'll also point out that I adjusted back to my memory foam ultra soft bed in no time, but I might consider getting a hard bed next new mattress that I buy...
Today I have to go to class and work, so I hope my energy keeps up throughout the day!!!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Interesting story about the Vietnamese
To be honest, I expected a little hostility to Americans from the Vietnamese. I never saw it. The only abrasiveness I felt was in the government's rhetoric in places like the War Remembrance Memorial and at Cu Chi Tunnels. But the people have all been very nice.
Most people are very warm and friendly. They are all very direct. It didn't happen all the time, but it happened frequently enough that I think I should tell you about it: More than a few times, a Vietnamese would come up and ask where I was from. Next, he or she would ask how old I was, then if I was married, then if I had kids. In this culture, family is very important, and there is some hierarchy based on age. They would want to understand these things about me because it was something they could relate to. Other visitors to Vietnam have found these questions common enough that they made up some answers. For example, if you weren't married, they would ask why not. Some who were single found it easier to say they were married rather than explain why they weren't. If you didn't have kids, they would want to know why as well. I believe it was Dr. Burr (although it could have been anyone) who told me of someone who invented 2 kids complete with life stories in order to have an acceptable answer to these questions.
In the US, we might find these kind of direct questions offensive. In Vietnam, they are normal questions, as are questions about how much money you make and how much something costs.
I think this type of directness makes them good salespeople.
Most people are very warm and friendly. They are all very direct. It didn't happen all the time, but it happened frequently enough that I think I should tell you about it: More than a few times, a Vietnamese would come up and ask where I was from. Next, he or she would ask how old I was, then if I was married, then if I had kids. In this culture, family is very important, and there is some hierarchy based on age. They would want to understand these things about me because it was something they could relate to. Other visitors to Vietnam have found these questions common enough that they made up some answers. For example, if you weren't married, they would ask why not. Some who were single found it easier to say they were married rather than explain why they weren't. If you didn't have kids, they would want to know why as well. I believe it was Dr. Burr (although it could have been anyone) who told me of someone who invented 2 kids complete with life stories in order to have an acceptable answer to these questions.
In the US, we might find these kind of direct questions offensive. In Vietnam, they are normal questions, as are questions about how much money you make and how much something costs.
I think this type of directness makes them good salespeople.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Oh, yeah. The beds...
There are two types of beds that seem to be prevalent in Vietnam. The first is a very traditional bed called a board bed. It looks like a regular bed, but instead of a mattress, it has a solid wooden "floor" with only a woven mat on top of it. Needless to say, it is a very firm bed, and wasn't the type we had in our hotel rooms.
Instead, we had the second type of bed. It was like a board bed, but with a thin mattress instead of the woven mat. More cushion than the board bed, but still VERY FIRM! I slept fine on them even though they are a far cry from my memory foam.
Just something to know about when you come, because you shouldn't be expecting anything similar to what you sleep on in the US unless you sleep on floor!
Instead, we had the second type of bed. It was like a board bed, but with a thin mattress instead of the woven mat. More cushion than the board bed, but still VERY FIRM! I slept fine on them even though they are a far cry from my memory foam.
Just something to know about when you come, because you shouldn't be expecting anything similar to what you sleep on in the US unless you sleep on floor!
Ethnic Diversity and Race
We visited a museum dedicated to the different ethnic minorities in Vietnam. It was eye-opening. First, I assumed that everyone in Vietnam was Vietnamese. I viewed them as homogeneous. Apparently, that isn't the case. There are about 54 different ethnic groups in the country.I have included some of the pictures of the different type houses to give you an idea about how unique and different these groups might be from what we would traditionally think of as Vietnamese....
Don't think it is all one big happy family, either. The minorities suffer persecution from the government, and obviously don't have the same political clout that the Viet have.
One interesting observation, with is consistent with what I've seen in most cultures: Fairer skin color is highly esteemed in Vietnam. Women will often were long gloves and face coverings when driving on scooters to avoid getting sun exposure, and therefore darker skin. Fair skin shows you are wealthy enough to not work in the fields. It signifies some level of education and affluence. I thought that was interesting...
Buildings and Commerce
Most of the buildings that you would see around Hanoi, and the rest of Vietnam, are very narrow in width. They are only about 10 ft wide, but go back fairly deep, and up quite a few stories.
Our hotel in Hanoi, Rising Dragon III, is this same dimension. Obviously, with only 10 feet in width, there are challenges with maximizing the space. The hotel has 9 stories. The first one has a small reception area, the front desk, the elevator and stairs, and then a small eating area. (Everywhere we have stayed provides a pretty good sized breakfast
for all the guests.)
There
are then 8 floors with rooms. The elevator and stairs divide the hotel in half, and each floor has two rooms. It is very different than the traditional American hotel.I asked about the size of the buildings as was told by someone (I don't remember who) that it originated in the countryside, where minimizing the amount of land used was important in order to keep land available for farming. The narrow width and long depth "fit" with a rice field. Don't know if that is accurate, but it makes sense.
Not every building is a hotel, however.
In 1986, the Vietnamese government instituted a reform called Doi Moi. (Click Here to read the Wikipedia article about Doi Moi.) This step allowed some market-based economic orientation, which started in farming and grew to the cities. Suddenly, people were looking for opportunities to open businesses and begin making more money. This country is full of small business owners, and is very capitalistic for a communist country. I guess everyone is a risk-taker in Vietnam: maybe they are comfortable with business risk because the driving risk may make the risk of running a business seem so small in comparison.
What people do is use the front of the ground floor of their buildings for store fronts, and they live in the rest. Walking down the street, you see everything. Small grocery stores, liquor stores, restaurants, cafes, tea stalls, fresh vegetables, raw meats, seafood, barber shops, motorcycle repair shops, etc...
We spoke with a small business owner today. A Spanish couple who design dresses and manufacture them. (Click Here to visit the website.) I asked a lot of questions about corruption and difficulty in running a small business here. One of the things I gleaned is that small businesses fly under the radar. They don't get the same bureaucratic red tape that a larger business would have to deal with.
I suspect that most of the small businesses we saw aren't "official." This also creates a large difficulty for the government. These small businesses don't pay taxes, so a large part of the tax base in the country is ignored. Larger businesses must bear the brunt of the responsibility for generating the tax revenue...
Friday, January 14, 2011
Kopi Luwak Coffee: 780,000 dong for 1 kilo
I just got back from the last of my excursions while in Vietnam. I had seen coffee for sale that said "Weasel Coffee," and I was curious, so I asked around. Ends up, this is the very expensive kopi luwak coffee, made famous in the 2007 movie "The Bucket List" with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. I had considered buying some in the US, but the price was $60 for 3 oz., so I took a pass. But the price of the coffee here was probably cheaper since it was being sold in regular shops, so I decided to check it out, give it a try, and, if good, buy some. 
Well, the coffee is great. Very mellow, no bitterness at all. A regular cup of coffee sells for 20,000 dong, this coffee was 50,000 dong. Expensive in Vietnam, but a bargin compared to Starbucks. A kilo of the coffee costs 780,000 dong, whick was less than what 3 oz would have cost in the US. So I bought it!By the way, to get to the coffee shop, I had my first scooter ride in Vietnam. Very scary!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay, which means "descending dragon," has an interesting legend behind it. (Click Here to go to the Wekipedia article about Ha Long Bay.) I'll just tell you that the pictures don't do justice to how beautiful the place is. It takes about 3.5 hours to drive there from Hanoi. And it was cold when we arrived, plus a little foggy. It had been raining in Hanoi, so I thought we might get more bad weather for our stay. Other than it being cold, it was great, and the second day there it warmed up a good bit.
We stayed overnight on a large Vietnamese Junk with cabins. The first day, we went out to a very scenic area where there was access to kayaking, a beach, and other assorted things. Primarily, though, it was an opportunity to see incredible views! Everybody else went kayaking while I stayed on the boat. (I was cold, and didn't think that getting in the water was going to help that at all. To conserve energy, the Junk captain did not turn on the heating for the cabins until after 5:30pm, so I was just trying to get warm as best I could.) When everyone got back, we went to a nearby island to scale a mountain and take some great pics before we lost all the light.
An interesting observation of the entrepreneur spirit of the Vietnamese. The bay we anchored in isn't anywhere close to land that I could tell. It was a popular site, however, and our boat was just one of maybe two dozen in the bay. There were probably 6-8 small rowboats that Vietnamese women had stocked with all sorts of items: chips, cookies, beer, soda, pearl necklaces, and shells, just to name a few. These women would go from boat to boat, trying to sell to the tourists on these boats. The rowboats didn't have motors, so they used oars to row around, and would try to outmaneuver the other rowboats to get to the new boats first. It was just interesting to me how hard they worked, and that they had found a need and were supplying something that a command economy probably wouldn't have supplied. In this country, it looks like everyone is doing something, opening some storefront, selling something... whatever they can to make more money...
After dinner, we began singing karaoke. This was my first time to sing karaoke, and it may be my last. I learned that, if you stay up late singing karaoke for 3+ hours, you might wake up the next morning with a massive headache, queasy stomach, a little dizzy, very low energy...
Thursday morning, we went to see the "Amazing Cave," which isn't the same one that was in National Geographic recently, but a small (but nevertheless still spectacular) cave on one of the islands. Then we headed back to shore for our drive back! Oh, I almost forgot. We stopped at a little restaurant outside of Ha Long Bay to eat lunch. They have a hotel attached to the property, overlooking a fantastic view. A deluxe suite that accommodates up to 4 people: $75 per night. Getting here is expensive, but a dollar goes a long way once you are on the ground!
I thought that this excursion was great, and the pictures are incredible. Like with Iceland, however, I feel like it was hard to capture the essence of the view with a camera....
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Changing perspective on the war
Vietnam has a history of conflict. For hundreds of years or more, Vietnam fought to stand independently as its own nation, and unification of the country has been something that it seems all Vietnamese have desired. But there has been a lot of interference, primarily with China who treated Vietnam as a vassal state for centuries. When Europeans began searching for riches in the East, Vietnam was used for political gain as Portugal, Spain, France, the Dutch, and England all sought to gain power and leverage over each other. Seeking to free the country from Chinese control, the Nguyen (pronounced like the english word "win") Emperor asked the French for military assistance against China. Out of the frying pan, into the fire! So from about 1860 until about 1950, the French supplanted China as the country holding Vietnam under its thumb.
What many people in the US don't realize is that before what the Vietnamese refer to as the American War, Vietnam was engaged in the French War. The issues for most of the Vietnamese was the desire to rule their own country, to have a voice as more than a puppet to a larger country. The French War didn't go well for the French, and it is a little surprising that the Americans didn't see the parallels. When the French left, they divided the country between north and south, going against one of the outcomes that the Vietnamese people wanted: a unified Vietnam. They also set up a government in the south that essentially was a puppet government. This betrayed another vital outcome that the Vietnamese people wanted: an independent Vietnam.
The rulers in the south weren't very sympathetic rulers. Think of Marie Antoinette and how the French people viewed her, and you may begin to appreciate some of the feelings about these rulers.
In the US, the war has been painted as a war against communism. The more time I have spent here and the more I've talked to people, the more I believe it was less about political ideology for the Vietnamese. The communists seemed to be the only group who were fighting for liberation, independence, and unification. When the US came in to support the South Vietnam government, they were also placing themselves as against some of these very compelling national goals. The American War was just the next war in a long line of conflicts for Vietnam. The North Vietnam sympathizers were probably fighting more for nationalism than for communism.
Maybe that is why the country doesn't feel very communist. They don't have socialized medicine, for example. I've not seen any sign of communism (other than political posters with hammer and sickle) but I have seen lots of people who are entrepreneurs: shop keepers, small business owners, street vendors. This country feels like a capitalist country and all the people behave like it is a free-market economy. BUT, it has an authoritarian government. There are lots of examples of countries like that, who are just as authoritarian, but lack the "Communist" label, and they are given a certain leniency in our scrutiny because of the politically correct label of the type of government they have. It is probably just an illusion, our perception shaped by meaningless labels when functionally the governments behave the same (or very similarly).
I'm just sayin'...
What many people in the US don't realize is that before what the Vietnamese refer to as the American War, Vietnam was engaged in the French War. The issues for most of the Vietnamese was the desire to rule their own country, to have a voice as more than a puppet to a larger country. The French War didn't go well for the French, and it is a little surprising that the Americans didn't see the parallels. When the French left, they divided the country between north and south, going against one of the outcomes that the Vietnamese people wanted: a unified Vietnam. They also set up a government in the south that essentially was a puppet government. This betrayed another vital outcome that the Vietnamese people wanted: an independent Vietnam.
The rulers in the south weren't very sympathetic rulers. Think of Marie Antoinette and how the French people viewed her, and you may begin to appreciate some of the feelings about these rulers.
In the US, the war has been painted as a war against communism. The more time I have spent here and the more I've talked to people, the more I believe it was less about political ideology for the Vietnamese. The communists seemed to be the only group who were fighting for liberation, independence, and unification. When the US came in to support the South Vietnam government, they were also placing themselves as against some of these very compelling national goals. The American War was just the next war in a long line of conflicts for Vietnam. The North Vietnam sympathizers were probably fighting more for nationalism than for communism.
Maybe that is why the country doesn't feel very communist. They don't have socialized medicine, for example. I've not seen any sign of communism (other than political posters with hammer and sickle) but I have seen lots of people who are entrepreneurs: shop keepers, small business owners, street vendors. This country feels like a capitalist country and all the people behave like it is a free-market economy. BUT, it has an authoritarian government. There are lots of examples of countries like that, who are just as authoritarian, but lack the "Communist" label, and they are given a certain leniency in our scrutiny because of the politically correct label of the type of government they have. It is probably just an illusion, our perception shaped by meaningless labels when functionally the governments behave the same (or very similarly).
I'm just sayin'...
Traffic, traffic laws, and safety
One of the first things that you would notice if you came to Vietnam is the traffic. It would be very unnerving for you, especially if you are uncomfortable with ambiguity. A red light may not mean stop, but just yield. But not everywhere. Crossing into oncoming traffic and driving in their lane may also be okay if you are planning on turning left, or are passing someone, or if you feel like it. If you are on a scooter, turning quickly in front of large tourist buses, narrowly missing being smashed to a pulp is encouraged. Scooters may also drive on the sidewalks. Honking indiscriminately appears to be a sort of national sport, a game that everyone plays and enjoys except foreigners who don't yet know the rules.
Crossing the street can be daunting, too. In fact, it may be as dangerous as driving, perhaps because you aren't wearing a helmet. The rule is only move forward, don't make sudden movements (you need to remain predictable so they can drive around you with no surprises), and keep moving, don't stop. Amazingly, the drivers just drive around you, sometimes surprisingly close.
This is an excerpt from the US State Dept. on traffic in Vietnam. If you want to visit the US State Dept. web page on Vietnam, Click Here)
Crossing the street can be daunting, too. In fact, it may be as dangerous as driving, perhaps because you aren't wearing a helmet. The rule is only move forward, don't make sudden movements (you need to remain predictable so they can drive around you with no surprises), and keep moving, don't stop. Amazingly, the drivers just drive around you, sometimes surprisingly close.
This is an excerpt from the US State Dept. on traffic in Vietnam. If you want to visit the US State Dept. web page on Vietnam, Click Here)
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in Vietnam, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Vietnam is provided for general reference only and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Traffic in Vietnam is chaotic. Traffic accidents occur frequently. The most common victims are motorbike riders and pedestrians. At least 30 people die each day from transportation-related injuries and many more are injured, often with traumatic head injuries. Traffic accident injuries are the leading cause of death, severe injury, and emergency evacuation of foreigners in Vietnam. Traffic accidents, including those involving a pedestrian and a motorized vehicle, are the single greatest health and safety risk you will face in Vietnam.
Traffic moves on the right, although drivers frequently cross to the left to pass or turn, and motorcycles and bicycles often travel (illegally) against the flow of traffic. Drivers honk their horns constantly, often for no apparent reason. Streets in major cities are choked with motorcycles, cars, buses, trucks, bicycles, pedestrians, and cyclos. Outside the cities, livestock compete with vehicles for road space. Sudden stops by motorcycles and bicycles make driving particularly hazardous. Nationwide, drivers do not follow basic traffic principles, vehicles do not yield right of way, and there is little adherence to traffic laws or enforcement by traffic police. The number of traffic lights in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is increasing, but red lights are often not obeyed. Most Vietnamese ride motorcycles; often an entire family rides on one motorcyle. The urban speed limit ranges from 30 to 40 km/h (or 19-25 miles/h). The rural speed limit ranges from 40 to 60 km/h (or 25 – 37 miles/h). Both speed limits are routinely ignored.
If you are walking, you should be careful, as sidewalks are extremely uneven and congested, and drivers of bicycles, motorcycles and other vehicles routinely ignore traffic signals and traffic flows, and even drive on sidewalks. For safety, you should always look carefully in both directions before crossing streets, even when using a marked crosswalk with a green "walk" light illuminated.
Road conditions are poor nationwide. Numerous accidents occur due to poor road conditions. U.S. citizen travelers have lost their lives on the roads while traveling in northern provinces during the rainy season due to landslides. You should exercise extra caution in the countryside, as road conditions are particularly poor in rural areas.
Driving at night is especially dangerous, and you should exercise extreme caution. Roads are poorly lit, and there are few road signs. Buses and trucks often travel at high speed with bright lights that they rarely dim. Some motor vehicles don’t use any lights, and vehicles of all types often stop in areas of the road that have no illumination. Livestock are often in the road.
Monday, January 10, 2011
A Great Film...
We watched an incredible documentary on Thursday, "Daughter from Da Nang."
I copied some information from the official website (which can be visited by clicking here).
It reminds me how import people's expectations are to how they feel about an experience. Each of these groups had different expectations, and it created a lot of friction. The same situation with different expectations would have changed everything...
We were very fortunate to have dinner prepared for us by Mrs. Kim, Heidi's natural mother. I'll post pics later when I have access to my camera. Mrs. Kim lives in a middle t upper-middle class neighborhood in Vietnam. None of you in the US would consider it middle class, but standards are very different here. I will tell you that the food was wonderful, and Mrs. Kim talks about her daughter in the US with a stubborn denial of the breach between them. She is warm and affectionate, hugging us all, touching our arms while she spoke to us. She obviously went to great lengths to host our dinner, and it was delightful.
You can (and should) watch the film, which is available on Netflix, or check local PBS showings.
I copied some information from the official website (which can be visited by clicking here).
Watching this film was like watching a train wreck: you want to turn away but can't. It was hard to see such misunderstanding between the two sides, and to realize that each one probably would have done things so much differently if they could go back and do it over again. I was surprised that Heidi didn't seek any counseling before (or after) her trip... She carried a lot of luggage with her on this trip, and most of it was emotional baggage."A heartbreaking documentary that upsets your expectations of happily-ever-afters, Daughter from Danang is a riveting emotional drama of longing, identity, and the personal legacy of war. To all outward appearances, Heidi is the proverbial “all-American girl”, hailing from small town Pulaski, Tenn. But her birth name was Mai Thi Hiep. Born in Danang, Vietnam in 1968, she’s the mixed-race daughter of an American serviceman and a Vietnamese woman. Fearing for her daughter’s safety at the war’s end, Hiep’s mother sent her to the U.S. on “Operation Babylift”, a Ford administration plan to relocate orphans and mixed-race children to the U.S. for adoption before they fell victim to a frighteningly uncertain future in Vietnam after the Americans pulled out. Mother and daughter would know nothing about each other for 22 years."
"Now, as if by a miracle, they are reunited in Danang. But what seems like the cue for a happy ending is anything but. Heidi and her Vietnamese relatives find themselves caught in a confusing clash of cultures and at the mercy of conflicting emotions that will change their lives forever. Through intimate and sometimes excruciating moments, Daughter from Danang profoundly shows how wide the chasms of cultural difference and how deep the wounds of war can run--even within one family."
RUNNING TIME:
81 Minutes
U.S.A. 2002
It reminds me how import people's expectations are to how they feel about an experience. Each of these groups had different expectations, and it created a lot of friction. The same situation with different expectations would have changed everything...
We were very fortunate to have dinner prepared for us by Mrs. Kim, Heidi's natural mother. I'll post pics later when I have access to my camera. Mrs. Kim lives in a middle t upper-middle class neighborhood in Vietnam. None of you in the US would consider it middle class, but standards are very different here. I will tell you that the food was wonderful, and Mrs. Kim talks about her daughter in the US with a stubborn denial of the breach between them. She is warm and affectionate, hugging us all, touching our arms while she spoke to us. She obviously went to great lengths to host our dinner, and it was delightful.
You can (and should) watch the film, which is available on Netflix, or check local PBS showings.
"Dream of Being a Worker"
One of the dirty little consequences of all the free-market growth in Vietnam is that exploitation also seems to be growing. We watched and discussed a documentary on a thriving industry in Vietnam: temporary employment agencies who entice young, naive women to pay large sums of money to obtain jobs in the big city, earning much more than what they could earn in the country. Unfortunately, the jobs are rarely what was promised and are often very short duration. Sometimes, employment doesn't even last long enough to cover the fees paid to the employment agencies. They do not receive benefits. They work 7 days a week. If they take a day off, they are docked two day's pay, or fired. They are treated poorly by the foremen, verbally and sometimes physically abused.
It seems to be a cozy arrangement between the temp agencies, who make money for each new girl regardless of how long she lasts. They obviously pay the human resources manager to hire these girls. I would assume that the HR manager pays the foremen to be abusive to encourage the girls to quit or get fired. That allows the agency to place a new girl, earning more money and paying more to the HR manager, who probably pays a small amount to the foremen. Everyone makes money in this deal except the women and their families (who helped provide the large payments upfront in anticipation of some of the higher wages being sent back to the family).
I posted recently about corruption, and this is another example. The large multinational firms who have these factories are exercising willful blindness, and the government is more concerned about employment than worker conditions.
Watching the documentary, I was reminded of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. I might need to re-read that book...
It seems to be a cozy arrangement between the temp agencies, who make money for each new girl regardless of how long she lasts. They obviously pay the human resources manager to hire these girls. I would assume that the HR manager pays the foremen to be abusive to encourage the girls to quit or get fired. That allows the agency to place a new girl, earning more money and paying more to the HR manager, who probably pays a small amount to the foremen. Everyone makes money in this deal except the women and their families (who helped provide the large payments upfront in anticipation of some of the higher wages being sent back to the family).
I posted recently about corruption, and this is another example. The large multinational firms who have these factories are exercising willful blindness, and the government is more concerned about employment than worker conditions.
Watching the documentary, I was reminded of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. I might need to re-read that book...
Ryan Darley's Blog on our trip
Ryan is a fellow Trinity student on the trip, and like me is blogging about the trip. His blog gives a bit of a different perspective, so you should check it out... (Click Here to go to Ryan's blog)
Da Nang
Da Nang played a huge role in the Vietnam War. It was the site where US Marines first landed, and where a large airbase was established. At one point of the war, the Da Nang airport was the busiest airport in the world, with about 3,000 flights a day.
Here is a video of the original Marine landing...
(I added the music, which is The Planets, Op. 32: I. Mars, the Bringer of War. I thought it appropriate.)
And here is a video highlighting Da Nang's importance to the US during the war...
Modern Da Nang
Today, Da Nang has an almost split personality. It is home to a deep water port, so it has over 6,000 business licenses in effect, many dealing with exporting. So there is a lot of industrial development. On the other hand, it is the home of China Beach, and there is a lot of development to capitalize on the tourism opportunities. We saw a lot of resorts in the process of being built, and the city has a lot of hotels located close to the beaches. By the way, the government changed the name of China Beach.
The city reminded me of Ft. Lauderdale or Panama City. It just had a "beach town" feel to it...
Here is a video of the original Marine landing...
(I added the music, which is The Planets, Op. 32: I. Mars, the Bringer of War. I thought it appropriate.)
And here is a video highlighting Da Nang's importance to the US during the war...
Modern Da Nang
Today, Da Nang has an almost split personality. It is home to a deep water port, so it has over 6,000 business licenses in effect, many dealing with exporting. So there is a lot of industrial development. On the other hand, it is the home of China Beach, and there is a lot of development to capitalize on the tourism opportunities. We saw a lot of resorts in the process of being built, and the city has a lot of hotels located close to the beaches. By the way, the government changed the name of China Beach.
The city reminded me of Ft. Lauderdale or Panama City. It just had a "beach town" feel to it...
Corruption in Vietnam
One night in Ho Chi Minh City, our bus was picking us up outside of the restaurant where we had dinner. As with every other time, the bus stopped by the side of the road to allow us to load. What was different this time was the arrival of some traffic cops.
I've already said something about the scooters, and I'll just mention here that it was two traffic cops, but they were on one motorcycle. Just a little unexpected, and therefore worth noting.
Apparently, it is illegal to park on the side of the road for loading and unloading. We could do it at the hotel because it seems that the hotel paid the local traffic cops for the right. Obviously, this restaurant did not.
The driver looked serious as he stepped away from the bus and approached the officers. He returned to the bus and pulled all sorts of documents, then returned to the officers, handing the papers over. More and more time passed, and I noticed a little more tension in the body language of the driver, our tour guide, and in Nhu.
There was a lot at stake. If the driver was given a ticket, it would cost about $40 in fines (a very large amount in this country), but maybe more importantly, his license to drive would be suspended for a month. That would deny him an opportunity to earn money as a driver for a significant amount of time.
But the problem could be solved. If the driver would pay the police $10 now, he could avoid the hassle of going to the court, paying the fine and losing his license. A win-win situation for everyone!
Except that it isn't. It was a classic shake-down. The cops knew the problems the driver would have and the choice was really no choice at all. And this type of thing goes on all across the country. A few years ago, Japan suspended its financial aid package to the country because too much of the money was being siphoned off by government officials. It is widely accepted that corruption lowers GDP, hurts foreign investment, and creates difficulty for businesses. On the Corruption Perception Index, Vietnam ranks 116 in the world, an improvement from previous levels, but still well below the levels most highly-functioning economies enjoy...
Here is a link to a recent article in VietNews titled "Vietnam makes minor advance in corruption index."
I've already said something about the scooters, and I'll just mention here that it was two traffic cops, but they were on one motorcycle. Just a little unexpected, and therefore worth noting.
Apparently, it is illegal to park on the side of the road for loading and unloading. We could do it at the hotel because it seems that the hotel paid the local traffic cops for the right. Obviously, this restaurant did not.
The driver looked serious as he stepped away from the bus and approached the officers. He returned to the bus and pulled all sorts of documents, then returned to the officers, handing the papers over. More and more time passed, and I noticed a little more tension in the body language of the driver, our tour guide, and in Nhu.
There was a lot at stake. If the driver was given a ticket, it would cost about $40 in fines (a very large amount in this country), but maybe more importantly, his license to drive would be suspended for a month. That would deny him an opportunity to earn money as a driver for a significant amount of time.
But the problem could be solved. If the driver would pay the police $10 now, he could avoid the hassle of going to the court, paying the fine and losing his license. A win-win situation for everyone!
Except that it isn't. It was a classic shake-down. The cops knew the problems the driver would have and the choice was really no choice at all. And this type of thing goes on all across the country. A few years ago, Japan suspended its financial aid package to the country because too much of the money was being siphoned off by government officials. It is widely accepted that corruption lowers GDP, hurts foreign investment, and creates difficulty for businesses. On the Corruption Perception Index, Vietnam ranks 116 in the world, an improvement from previous levels, but still well below the levels most highly-functioning economies enjoy...
Here is a link to a recent article in VietNews titled "Vietnam makes minor advance in corruption index."
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Maybe why there are so few cars...
I've heard from a few people... Tariffs and taxes on a new car are 100%, doubling the price you must pay. But I've seen some really nice cars -- but if you have a $100,000+ sports car, where can you drive it fast?
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?
Vietnam's currency is the Dong. Current exchange rates convert one US Dollar to about 19,500 Dong, so about $51.28 makes you a millionaire in Vietnam. It doesn't mean the same thing here as it does back home, but it is still a lot of money given the cost of living here. The average worker makes about $55 per month, or less than $2 per day. Skilled workers in the major metro areas can make $200-$300 per month whereas the more rural areas might make as little as $10 per month.
The chart shows the exchange rate for the Dong vs the Dollar from 2000 to now, along with the inflation rate in Vietnam. As the economy continues to heat up, the Dong may drop in purchasing power, causing goods to increase in price. The depreciation of the Dong, which is illustrated by the blue area of the chart, makes exports from Vietnam more price competitive globally.
I was looking at the business section of the Saigon Times Daily for December 7, 2010. A few of the articles made me think about issues that Vietnam might face. First, I noticed that banks were offering very high interest rates. Current 3-month CD rates were about 14%, significantly higher than US rates (which are probably less than 1% for a 3-month CD). Given the difference in interest rates, you would expect a further appreciation of the dollar vs. the dong.
There also appears to be an increase in foreign direct investment in Ho Chi Minh City, with an increase of 67.5% from the previous year. Of course, it is likely that investments decreased significantly in 2009 because of the global recession, so the increase is probably off a very small number. I did find it interesting that the capital is moving toward real estate, construction, distribution, manufacturing, service and hi-tech sectors rather than toward industrial parks and export processing zones...
I wonder if Vietnam's strategy is similar to China's, where it is trying to keep the dong low in order to encourage the export business. Basically, Vietnam is exporting cheap labor, and a lot of the multinationals' investments are geared toward exporting the finished goods to other, more developed economies. Companies like Nike, Canon, North Face, etc. all have a presence here. Unlike China, the currency isn't pegged to the dollar. (If it was, the exchange rate would remain stable rather than illustrating a slope.)
The chart shows the exchange rate for the Dong vs the Dollar from 2000 to now, along with the inflation rate in Vietnam. As the economy continues to heat up, the Dong may drop in purchasing power, causing goods to increase in price. The depreciation of the Dong, which is illustrated by the blue area of the chart, makes exports from Vietnam more price competitive globally.
I was looking at the business section of the Saigon Times Daily for December 7, 2010. A few of the articles made me think about issues that Vietnam might face. First, I noticed that banks were offering very high interest rates. Current 3-month CD rates were about 14%, significantly higher than US rates (which are probably less than 1% for a 3-month CD). Given the difference in interest rates, you would expect a further appreciation of the dollar vs. the dong.
There also appears to be an increase in foreign direct investment in Ho Chi Minh City, with an increase of 67.5% from the previous year. Of course, it is likely that investments decreased significantly in 2009 because of the global recession, so the increase is probably off a very small number. I did find it interesting that the capital is moving toward real estate, construction, distribution, manufacturing, service and hi-tech sectors rather than toward industrial parks and export processing zones...
I wonder if Vietnam's strategy is similar to China's, where it is trying to keep the dong low in order to encourage the export business. Basically, Vietnam is exporting cheap labor, and a lot of the multinationals' investments are geared toward exporting the finished goods to other, more developed economies. Companies like Nike, Canon, North Face, etc. all have a presence here. Unlike China, the currency isn't pegged to the dollar. (If it was, the exchange rate would remain stable rather than illustrating a slope.)
M-60, an upside to commercialization
The M-60, referred to as "The Pig" during the Vietnam War, is a belt-feed machine gun firing 7.62 x 51 mm NATO cartridges. At a certain point along the tour of the tunnels, you reach a large, open field with a massive shooting range on one side and the cafeteria type restaurants and souvenir shops rest area on the other. For the tourists who are willing to pay, you can choose from an assortment of automatic weapons. AK-47, M-16, all the way up to an M-60, an absolutely massive machine gun. (Click Here to read the Wikipedia article on the M-60)
I'm writing this blog a few days after we toured the tunnels, and I've had an opportunity see a lot of other spots that are interesting to tourists. I'll write about it more, but there is obviously been a massive effort to make many of these tourist destinations attractive and somewhat familiar people traveling from richer economies. There is also an effort to make them profitable and separate those same travelers from their money. I paid 300,000 dong for 10 rounds on the M-60. That's about $15.
There is a large part of me the regrets this commercialization. I know that Vietnam needs to grow its economy, and it is working hard to attract tourism. But each time they commercialize a site, it looses part of its historical essence. Getting to shoot that gun, though, anesthetizes some of that concern, at least for the 1.5 seconds it takes to shoot 10 rounds, and maybe the 20 minutes afterward that it takes the adrenalin rush to subside.
Shooting that thing was AWESOME!
I'm writing this blog a few days after we toured the tunnels, and I've had an opportunity see a lot of other spots that are interesting to tourists. I'll write about it more, but there is obviously been a massive effort to make many of these tourist destinations attractive and somewhat familiar people traveling from richer economies. There is also an effort to make them profitable and separate those same travelers from their money. I paid 300,000 dong for 10 rounds on the M-60. That's about $15.
There is a large part of me the regrets this commercialization. I know that Vietnam needs to grow its economy, and it is working hard to attract tourism. But each time they commercialize a site, it looses part of its historical essence. Getting to shoot that gun, though, anesthetizes some of that concern, at least for the 1.5 seconds it takes to shoot 10 rounds, and maybe the 20 minutes afterward that it takes the adrenalin rush to subside.
Shooting that thing was AWESOME!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The tunnels, and my thoughts...
Wednesday, we took a day trip to the Củ Chi tunnels, the famous network of tunnels that the Vietcong relied upon to evade (and fight) US forces during the Vietnam War. (Click Here to go to the Wikipedia article about the tunnels.)
The first thing that I should mention is how helpful it was to put its geographic proximity to Ho Chi Minh City in context. It is only about 60 km from the city, although it took probably an hour and a half to reach the site. North of the city, past acres and acres of rice fields, and rows of rubber trees, lies the site. Apparently, it has only recently been opened as a tourist destination, perhaps last year if I remember correctly. For some reason, I always assumed that it was farther away from Saigon. It isn't far at all, almost at the doorstep...
We are all aware that stories are told from the perspective of the story teller. We all have a tendency to retell a story in a way that puts us in the best light, and as most complementary to our point of view and agenda. One of the interesting observations of this trip is how differently Vietnam colors the story of the "American War." I know the US uses the same propaganda techniques, most recognizably in the news release films during World War II; nevertheless, it feels odd when the story you hear is familiar, but doesn't quite match the perspective that you had in the past. I noticed this at the War Remembrance exhibit, the noodle shop, and again here at the tunnels. Before you go to the tour, you start by watching a video, a newsreel type production; low-quality, black-and-white. It retells the story of Vietnamese heroes awarded medals as "American killers." It was in English, and some of the translation was not very good. For example, they describe the American troops as "frenzied American devils" who attacked and shot "schools, pots and pans," and other targets.
Maybe part of what bothers me about this is I really resist stereotyping. It bothers me when people characterize all of Islam in a certain way, because I think it's really hard to say that 1 billion people are all the same. Similarly, I certainly don't believe that all US soldiers were well behaved, that the only reasons we were in Vietnam were noble ones. But I don't believe the opposite of that either. Maybe I feel like I'm trying to be open and see the other perspective, but the propaganda doesn't seem to indicate the same willingness from the government. I have not noticed this with people that I have met, just the government through these tourist exhibits. I also think it's interesting that a lot of these tourists are American. You certainly couldn't accuse the country of pandering!
The tunnels were pretty amazing. I couldn't help but consider the parallels with the American Revolution. Part of it is the David and Goliath story – much smaller, less powerful group fighting and defeating a much larger, better equipped, better financed force. Also partly because the fighting tactics used by the Vietnamese were "not standard," and it is well-documented that the American forces fighting against the British employed similar "nonstandard" fighting strategies. It also makes me appreciate how hard it is for any foreign power to invade and maintain a military presence in another country. The invaders will never have the same motivation. Home turf advantage has to be huge. The Americans were fighting for of a political agenda, Vietnamese were fighting for freedom, independence, and to regain control of their own country. These seem similar to the motivations the United States forefathers held as well. I know the parallels aren't exact, but they're definitely not perpendicular.
One last thought. The site was very commercial, and it almost had a Disneyland feel to it. For some reason, that just didn't seem right. It lacked a certain reverence that I felt was a appropriate given the significance of this area. I wanted greater acknowledgment of the significance.
On the other hand, the commercialization did provide an opportunity for me to shoot an M-60 machine gun, but that is a different post….
The first thing that I should mention is how helpful it was to put its geographic proximity to Ho Chi Minh City in context. It is only about 60 km from the city, although it took probably an hour and a half to reach the site. North of the city, past acres and acres of rice fields, and rows of rubber trees, lies the site. Apparently, it has only recently been opened as a tourist destination, perhaps last year if I remember correctly. For some reason, I always assumed that it was farther away from Saigon. It isn't far at all, almost at the doorstep...
We are all aware that stories are told from the perspective of the story teller. We all have a tendency to retell a story in a way that puts us in the best light, and as most complementary to our point of view and agenda. One of the interesting observations of this trip is how differently Vietnam colors the story of the "American War." I know the US uses the same propaganda techniques, most recognizably in the news release films during World War II; nevertheless, it feels odd when the story you hear is familiar, but doesn't quite match the perspective that you had in the past. I noticed this at the War Remembrance exhibit, the noodle shop, and again here at the tunnels. Before you go to the tour, you start by watching a video, a newsreel type production; low-quality, black-and-white. It retells the story of Vietnamese heroes awarded medals as "American killers." It was in English, and some of the translation was not very good. For example, they describe the American troops as "frenzied American devils" who attacked and shot "schools, pots and pans," and other targets.
Maybe part of what bothers me about this is I really resist stereotyping. It bothers me when people characterize all of Islam in a certain way, because I think it's really hard to say that 1 billion people are all the same. Similarly, I certainly don't believe that all US soldiers were well behaved, that the only reasons we were in Vietnam were noble ones. But I don't believe the opposite of that either. Maybe I feel like I'm trying to be open and see the other perspective, but the propaganda doesn't seem to indicate the same willingness from the government. I have not noticed this with people that I have met, just the government through these tourist exhibits. I also think it's interesting that a lot of these tourists are American. You certainly couldn't accuse the country of pandering!
The tunnels were pretty amazing. I couldn't help but consider the parallels with the American Revolution. Part of it is the David and Goliath story – much smaller, less powerful group fighting and defeating a much larger, better equipped, better financed force. Also partly because the fighting tactics used by the Vietnamese were "not standard," and it is well-documented that the American forces fighting against the British employed similar "nonstandard" fighting strategies. It also makes me appreciate how hard it is for any foreign power to invade and maintain a military presence in another country. The invaders will never have the same motivation. Home turf advantage has to be huge. The Americans were fighting for of a political agenda, Vietnamese were fighting for freedom, independence, and to regain control of their own country. These seem similar to the motivations the United States forefathers held as well. I know the parallels aren't exact, but they're definitely not perpendicular.
One last thought. The site was very commercial, and it almost had a Disneyland feel to it. For some reason, that just didn't seem right. It lacked a certain reverence that I felt was a appropriate given the significance of this area. I wanted greater acknowledgment of the significance.
On the other hand, the commercialization did provide an opportunity for me to shoot an M-60 machine gun, but that is a different post….
Phố Bình: Noodle Shop and Communist Hideout
This link will take you to a Time magazine article about a little place I had lunch on Tuesday. Phố Bình has great food -- a wonderful Vietnamese soup -- but also has an interesting past tied to the Vietnam war. I will say that it is a little unusual listening to the history of the "Viet Cong struggle for liberation" when so much of what I have heard is from the US's perspective. Let's just say that the stories have similar elements, but different adjectives and viewpoints.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Scooters
It is hard to explain just what all these motorcycles are like. They are everywhere! And they are used in ways that are very different than what you might expect.
Legally, there is a 50cc limit on the size of the engine, so these aren't big, powerful hogs that we see in the US. These really are just small scooters.
But it isn't uncommon to see two or three (and even once I've seen four) people one of these. I've seen one loaded with about 12 cases of beer. I've seen one with two people and two plants, each about 4 feet high. It isn't uncommon to see very small children riding as passengers. People seem to treat them like minivans on two wheels! Nhu mentioned that she has seen them deliver appliances on these. I didn't think 50cc delivered that much power.
Of course, I should point out that the speeds here are not what we normally see in the US. Traffic all moves at 15-25 mph (my guess), so it isn't fast, just non-stop, constant flow of these bikes swarming around everything. You will see giant scooter parking areas packed with them.
Everyone does wear a helmet. National law, and apparently there is very high compliance.
I wonder what it is like during the rainy season? What happens when people have more wealth and they want cars instead of bikes?
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Interview with Melissa Merriwether
Melissa is an architect from the United States, graduated from Yale, studied architecture in England, and somehow 12 years ago ended up in Vietnam. Her primary interest is in sustainable building, which means trying to make energy (and other resource) efficient structures. She is both an independent consultant and also works for Green Consult Asia. We met with her this morning at a café called Things Café.
Before I tell you about the interview, I want to say something about the Café. It reminded me of a speakeasy. You had to walk down an alley and into an old, rundown building, the type building a movie director might identify as a great setting for a horror movie. You go up a couple of flight of stairs, around a corner and over a little bridge. The walls are covered in old paint, electrical wiring pulled together in bundles and attached at the corners. The floor is old concrete and torn up tiles. And suddenly, a nice café with jazz music playing, chairs and sofas, shelves of books – definitely not what you were expecting. I think that there are probably a lot of these type of "informal" businesses, places that only insiders would know about. I'm pretty sure this place wasn't in any of the travel guides...
I have to admit that my expectations were pretty low when I saw that we were going to be speaking with an architect. I couldn't tell you much about what "green building" was, and wasn't sure how it was very relevant to the economic development of Vietnam. It took Melissa about 2 min. before I had to adjust my expectations. She covered everything from energy demands, the conflict between the government GDP growth goals and preserving historical structures, infrastructure constraints, and the tax base to externalities and pollution, price ceilings, the long-term impact of the sanctions after the war on the labor market, labor supply, flooding issues in Saigon, the lack of legal structure and enforceable contracts, and corruption. In the 90 minutes that she spoke, we covered a lot of territory. I took pages and pages of notes.
I thought it was a pretty incredible way to begin our interactions with the business community in Vietnam. Most of what you read emphasizes the success that Vietnam is having and the growth that has been achieved. This interview emphasize some of the struggles and potential problems that may arise from that rapid growth. For example:
Before I tell you about the interview, I want to say something about the Café. It reminded me of a speakeasy. You had to walk down an alley and into an old, rundown building, the type building a movie director might identify as a great setting for a horror movie. You go up a couple of flight of stairs, around a corner and over a little bridge. The walls are covered in old paint, electrical wiring pulled together in bundles and attached at the corners. The floor is old concrete and torn up tiles. And suddenly, a nice café with jazz music playing, chairs and sofas, shelves of books – definitely not what you were expecting. I think that there are probably a lot of these type of "informal" businesses, places that only insiders would know about. I'm pretty sure this place wasn't in any of the travel guides...
I have to admit that my expectations were pretty low when I saw that we were going to be speaking with an architect. I couldn't tell you much about what "green building" was, and wasn't sure how it was very relevant to the economic development of Vietnam. It took Melissa about 2 min. before I had to adjust my expectations. She covered everything from energy demands, the conflict between the government GDP growth goals and preserving historical structures, infrastructure constraints, and the tax base to externalities and pollution, price ceilings, the long-term impact of the sanctions after the war on the labor market, labor supply, flooding issues in Saigon, the lack of legal structure and enforceable contracts, and corruption. In the 90 minutes that she spoke, we covered a lot of territory. I took pages and pages of notes.
I thought it was a pretty incredible way to begin our interactions with the business community in Vietnam. Most of what you read emphasizes the success that Vietnam is having and the growth that has been achieved. This interview emphasize some of the struggles and potential problems that may arise from that rapid growth. For example:
- Price ceilings on electricity means that Vietnam suffers from rolling blackouts. (Price controls almost always lead to a mismatch in supply and demand.) Every place has backup generators, which increases pollution, are very inefficient, and, if you have to use it, not very convenient (although probably more convenient than sitting in the dark). The government is emphasizing hydroelectric power and coal burning power plants. However, Vietnam doesn't have a lot of coal. Where do they get it from? China. Which makes you wonder what's going to happen when China needs all of the coal for its own use... (Australia will not be for sale forever.)
- There's been a lot of development in Vietnam, and skyscrapers are going up at an unbelievable rate. But they don't have the infrastructure to support all of the skyscrapers. Saigon was built anticipating a population of 250,000. On any given day there may be 7.5 to 12 million people in the city. There's almost no public transportation. There's not many streets that can handle that volume of traffic. All the skyscrapers are being built in a relatively small area – the city center. How are all these workers going to get to the city center and where are they going to park? How will they be able to handle the sewage? What about electricity demands?
- One of the areas that interested me was the problems they're having with drainage. Ho Chi Minh City is at sea level, and already suffers from flooding. Any changes in water levels could mean a Katrina-like problem in the city of 8 million people or more. And it's not just Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi also has this trouble, as do the cities in the central area of Vietnam.
Barginning in Vietnam
This is a picture of the group outside of Notre Dame Cathedral.
While touring the plaza, which also included the famous post office (part of which was designed by the very same Mr. Eiffel that made the Parisian tower), I was approached by a woman who wanted to sell me souvenir postage stamps. She was asking for 100,000 Dong, which is about $5 US. I said no, thinking that postage stamps have a pretty controlled price (hard to find "discount prices" on stamps), so the only way she could make money was to sell me worthless stuff. Besides, I don't collect stamps.
Well, a simple no wasn't good enough. I politely said no over and over again. She kept following me down the block. What was interesting was that she kept dropping her price. First to 80,000, then to 70,000, finally to 50,000 Dong. I learned something about how it works here... Just keep politely saying no, but don't run away, and maybe you can buy stuff for half as much. I still didn't want the stamps so I still said no and she finally gave up, returning to the front of the post office in hopes of finding another traveler, but one who either wanted stamps or wanted to be left alone enough that they would pay her off by buying the stamps.
That brings me to a different story about the land mine victim at the War Remembrance Building. I'll save that for another post, though...
Coffee!!
(9:00 AM Vietnam) I didn't have the time to say this in my recap from yesterday, but last night I had my first cup of Vietnamese coffee that I read about. It is a thick, syrupy coffee that drips over condensed milk. It was awesome!! I'm looking forward to having more of it! I will look when we go to the market to see if I can buy the utensils they used to make the coffee. It is something that I would love to bring back to the US with me!
Morning walk in the park
(6:30 AM Vietnam)
I went to the park this morning. Because of the heat, the city gets moving very early in order to enjoy the cool of the day. Nhu, our tour guide, suggested that we go over.
The park is about a half a block down from the hotel, so an easy stroll. The problem is you have to cross a street to get there. On the blog, I haven't mentioned that the traffic is crazy here, and what we think of as traffic laws or norms are very different here. Driving is more aggressive, almost chaotic. They never seem to look back, always forward. Saigon has approximately 7 million people, and motorbike/scooter is the preferred method of transportation. According to Thang (our other "official" tour guide), only 15% of the population has a car or 4-wheeled transportation. Everyone else has a motorbike, meaning approximately 3.5 million of them. They weave around cars, pedestrians, shot past red lights, merge, dodge all in a constant flow. It is like swimming in a school of fish. You are constantly surrounded by them and they are constantly moving, but you never get hit...
So, anyway, crossing the street doesn't mean you wait for a break in traffic like you would in the States. It means you just walk out onto the street, slowly, deliberately, never walk back, make no sudden movements, and just keep moving forward. The bikes all "swim around you" as you move. No sudden movements because you might zig when a bike is zagging to avoid you.
The whole way they drive is like a metaphor for the country. Don't look back, keep moving forward...
I made it across without incident, but only because I waited until someone else was crossing and I followed him... I made it back across all on my own.
Once at the park, one of the first things I saw were a bunch of older men sitting on benches. They all had their pet birds in small cages with them. Apparently, they bring them to the park in the morning so the birds get some outdoor air and sunlight. Think of it like walking the dog, only for parakeets.
The park was very full. Jam packed. Scores of people playing badminton, the walkways were set up with courts. There were many practicing Ti Chi, some just doing what looked like ballistic stretches, and a giant aerobics/dancing class with maybe 40 or 50 women. The "playground" equipment in the park was actually workout equipment: cardio elliptical trainers, dip bars, waist twists. It looked like regular playground kind of material, but it was all for working out.
Most of the people were my age or older. They were not wearing usual workout type stuff, but they were all moving around exercising. Of course, the city is 7 million people, so I don't know if the hundreds I saw this morning are representative of the whole population, but they all seemed very active. On the other hand, I passed by a lot of people sitting in chairs smoking and drinking coffee or tea on my way back to the hotel...
I went to the park this morning. Because of the heat, the city gets moving very early in order to enjoy the cool of the day. Nhu, our tour guide, suggested that we go over.
The park is about a half a block down from the hotel, so an easy stroll. The problem is you have to cross a street to get there. On the blog, I haven't mentioned that the traffic is crazy here, and what we think of as traffic laws or norms are very different here. Driving is more aggressive, almost chaotic. They never seem to look back, always forward. Saigon has approximately 7 million people, and motorbike/scooter is the preferred method of transportation. According to Thang (our other "official" tour guide), only 15% of the population has a car or 4-wheeled transportation. Everyone else has a motorbike, meaning approximately 3.5 million of them. They weave around cars, pedestrians, shot past red lights, merge, dodge all in a constant flow. It is like swimming in a school of fish. You are constantly surrounded by them and they are constantly moving, but you never get hit...
So, anyway, crossing the street doesn't mean you wait for a break in traffic like you would in the States. It means you just walk out onto the street, slowly, deliberately, never walk back, make no sudden movements, and just keep moving forward. The bikes all "swim around you" as you move. No sudden movements because you might zig when a bike is zagging to avoid you.
The whole way they drive is like a metaphor for the country. Don't look back, keep moving forward...
I made it across without incident, but only because I waited until someone else was crossing and I followed him... I made it back across all on my own.
Once at the park, one of the first things I saw were a bunch of older men sitting on benches. They all had their pet birds in small cages with them. Apparently, they bring them to the park in the morning so the birds get some outdoor air and sunlight. Think of it like walking the dog, only for parakeets.
The park was very full. Jam packed. Scores of people playing badminton, the walkways were set up with courts. There were many practicing Ti Chi, some just doing what looked like ballistic stretches, and a giant aerobics/dancing class with maybe 40 or 50 women. The "playground" equipment in the park was actually workout equipment: cardio elliptical trainers, dip bars, waist twists. It looked like regular playground kind of material, but it was all for working out.
Most of the people were my age or older. They were not wearing usual workout type stuff, but they were all moving around exercising. Of course, the city is 7 million people, so I don't know if the hundreds I saw this morning are representative of the whole population, but they all seemed very active. On the other hand, I passed by a lot of people sitting in chairs smoking and drinking coffee or tea on my way back to the hotel...
A question about water and brushing your teeth
The travel doctor I visited made it very clear. Don't drink the water. Don't use the water when you brush your teeth, don't let the water in your mouth when you take a shower. Seems pretty straightforward. But what if you drank all the water in your room?
So does it really count as brushing your teeth if you have to use 7-Up from the minibar to wet the toothbrush and rinse when you're done?
So does it really count as brushing your teeth if you have to use 7-Up from the minibar to wet the toothbrush and rinse when you're done?
Monday, January 3, 2011
First Day Recap
(9:30 PM Vietnam) Just returned from dinner. I feel like there is so much to cover from today...
Our tour the city began by bus. We drove by a beautiful park, Reunification Palace, and down beautiful boulevards until we reached the Plaza with Notre Dame Cathedral and the post office. This is the wedding season in Saigon because it's not nearly as hot and uncomfortable. We saw probably three different wedding parties taking wedding photos in the Plaza.
Even though this is the most comfortable season in Saigon, it was still very hot and very muggy. It has the same sauna feel that you get in Louisiana or Houston in the summer after it's been raining. Very heavy air, very moist, very damp. Makes me wonder just how unbearable it must be during the rainy season in the summer. It also makes you appreciate what must've felt like before air-conditioning. Most of the places we visited either didn't have air conditioning or they didn't run it very much. It wasn't uncomfortable, but I can see how if it was a little hotter and you didn't have many options for a reprieve, it would get tiresome very quickly.
From the Plaza we walked to the opera house. The cathedral, the post office, the opera house, and even the thoroughfare that we walked were part of the French's colonization efforts. It was a very European feel and look to the buildings.
Along this walk, however, you can see where modernization was pushing aside some of this history. A very large shopping mall stood halfway between the post office and the opera house. Numerous buildings were being demolished to make room for even more new development.
After this walking tour, we returned to our bus and went to lunch. The meals have been large, banquet-type arrangements where large platters of food are brought to the table and we all share. Also, because drinking water that isn't bottled is discouraged, beer has been a preferred beverage. The price is surprisingly low. For example, a bottle of Heineken costs somewhere between one and two dollars. They also have delicious fresh fruit smoothies. Because mango is in season, that is what I elected to have. The food is very good, with a lot of fresh herbs.
From there, we went to the War Memorial Building. There were exhibits from photojournalists who covered the Vietnam War (referred to as the American war in Vietnam). There was a large exhibit on the impact of agent orange, and a large display of war atrocities. It was a little weird going into the gift shop, where you could buy souvenir Communist Army hats and other paraphernalia from the North Vietnam Army. Many of the exhibits were from the perspective of the North Vietnamese, so it certainly wasn't objective. Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to ignore the impact to Vietnam. US casualties in Vietnam were 58,000. Vietnamese casualties were approximately 3,000,000, two thirds of whom might be classified as civilians. As bad as the consequences of the war were to the US, it pales in comparison to the impact on this country.
Just a note: in looking through the war correspondents photos of US troops, I was struck by how few African-Americans were represented in the photos. I've always assumed that there were a lot of African-Americans who were sent to Vietnam, but that was not reflected in these photos. I could count on both hands the total number of African-Americans that I saw among all the photos. I'm not sure if the photojournalists were assigned to predominantly white platoons, or if the bias of either the photographer or the news organizations that they work for lead them to focus primarily on the white soldiers, but I do not believe that the ratio of whites to blacks represented in these photos was accurate.
Our tour the city began by bus. We drove by a beautiful park, Reunification Palace, and down beautiful boulevards until we reached the Plaza with Notre Dame Cathedral and the post office. This is the wedding season in Saigon because it's not nearly as hot and uncomfortable. We saw probably three different wedding parties taking wedding photos in the Plaza.
Even though this is the most comfortable season in Saigon, it was still very hot and very muggy. It has the same sauna feel that you get in Louisiana or Houston in the summer after it's been raining. Very heavy air, very moist, very damp. Makes me wonder just how unbearable it must be during the rainy season in the summer. It also makes you appreciate what must've felt like before air-conditioning. Most of the places we visited either didn't have air conditioning or they didn't run it very much. It wasn't uncomfortable, but I can see how if it was a little hotter and you didn't have many options for a reprieve, it would get tiresome very quickly.
From the Plaza we walked to the opera house. The cathedral, the post office, the opera house, and even the thoroughfare that we walked were part of the French's colonization efforts. It was a very European feel and look to the buildings.
Along this walk, however, you can see where modernization was pushing aside some of this history. A very large shopping mall stood halfway between the post office and the opera house. Numerous buildings were being demolished to make room for even more new development.
After this walking tour, we returned to our bus and went to lunch. The meals have been large, banquet-type arrangements where large platters of food are brought to the table and we all share. Also, because drinking water that isn't bottled is discouraged, beer has been a preferred beverage. The price is surprisingly low. For example, a bottle of Heineken costs somewhere between one and two dollars. They also have delicious fresh fruit smoothies. Because mango is in season, that is what I elected to have. The food is very good, with a lot of fresh herbs.
From there, we went to the War Memorial Building. There were exhibits from photojournalists who covered the Vietnam War (referred to as the American war in Vietnam). There was a large exhibit on the impact of agent orange, and a large display of war atrocities. It was a little weird going into the gift shop, where you could buy souvenir Communist Army hats and other paraphernalia from the North Vietnam Army. Many of the exhibits were from the perspective of the North Vietnamese, so it certainly wasn't objective. Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to ignore the impact to Vietnam. US casualties in Vietnam were 58,000. Vietnamese casualties were approximately 3,000,000, two thirds of whom might be classified as civilians. As bad as the consequences of the war were to the US, it pales in comparison to the impact on this country.
Just a note: in looking through the war correspondents photos of US troops, I was struck by how few African-Americans were represented in the photos. I've always assumed that there were a lot of African-Americans who were sent to Vietnam, but that was not reflected in these photos. I could count on both hands the total number of African-Americans that I saw among all the photos. I'm not sure if the photojournalists were assigned to predominantly white platoons, or if the bias of either the photographer or the news organizations that they work for lead them to focus primarily on the white soldiers, but I do not believe that the ratio of whites to blacks represented in these photos was accurate.
Tour Guide Update
I forgot to mention: our tour guide has become unexpectedly sick and has been replaced by her mother. Her mom (don't know her name yet) is a prominent journalist in Vietnam and is married to an American attorney who lives in the San Francisco area. Although I'm sure the college students would've preferred to have the younger tour guide who knew all the hip places for college students to visit, I think I may find the journalist a better resource for information. She seems very nice, and probably knows all the movers and shakers in the country. she has a very matter of fact attitude which is very funny. I asked her about the demolition of many of the illegal neighborhoods that have been built by immigrants from the countryside who migrated to the city. When I asked, "Where will they go?", she replied, "Who cares?" That seems to be the sentiment of the government, and perhaps everyone else other than those who experienced the forced evictions.
Arrival!
We arrived in Ho Chi Mihn City last night around 11 PM (Vietnam time) after what was an exhausting trip over. Didn't sleep much on the flight from Houston to Tokyo, and probably slept two hours from Tokyo to Vietnam; nevertheless, I had trouble going to sleep last night. I woke up early – probably 6 AM Vietnam time. I was afraid I might be one of the first ones up, so I fiddled around in the hotel room until about 8 AM.
My big concern last night and this morning was figuring out how to charge my laptop. The converter didn't seem to work, so I finally abandoned it and just plugged directly into the outlet. My hope was that the power converter for the laptop would protect it. So far I seem to be right. What a relief that is because all of my electronics needed my laptop in order to recharge.
Our hotel provided complimentary breakfast on the top floor. Dr. Burr soon joined me, and we enjoyed a big breakfast overlooking the smog-choked skyline. Surprisingly, the other students joined us soon thereafter. The breakfast consisted of many items that you would normally think of as lunch or dinner items, including fried rice and meatballs. I wasn't able to drink any of the special coffee I've read about – it was just regular black coffee to me. Because I wanted to avoid drinking water, I drank a lot of sourplum juice. It was surprisingly delicious.
I am pretty large breakfast in hopes that it helps reset my body's timeclock. Today should be an easy day, allowing us to ease into the activities and hustle and bustle of city. Hoping I'll be sufficiently tired to go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight
My big concern last night and this morning was figuring out how to charge my laptop. The converter didn't seem to work, so I finally abandoned it and just plugged directly into the outlet. My hope was that the power converter for the laptop would protect it. So far I seem to be right. What a relief that is because all of my electronics needed my laptop in order to recharge.
Our hotel provided complimentary breakfast on the top floor. Dr. Burr soon joined me, and we enjoyed a big breakfast overlooking the smog-choked skyline. Surprisingly, the other students joined us soon thereafter. The breakfast consisted of many items that you would normally think of as lunch or dinner items, including fried rice and meatballs. I wasn't able to drink any of the special coffee I've read about – it was just regular black coffee to me. Because I wanted to avoid drinking water, I drank a lot of sourplum juice. It was surprisingly delicious.
I am pretty large breakfast in hopes that it helps reset my body's timeclock. Today should be an easy day, allowing us to ease into the activities and hustle and bustle of city. Hoping I'll be sufficiently tired to go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight
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