...More Observations

So many things happen each day and if I don't take the time to write myself a quick note, it's gone. Here a a few thoughts and observations as we get acclimated to our new environs.

- Cell phones: Before we arrived here we were informed by informed by AT&T that we could use our old phones - all we needed were new SIM cards. Our first day here we found a cell phone store and through various gestures were able to communicate that we needed new SIM cards. No problem. Only after the new cards were installed did we discover that the phones were locked from working in this part of the world. The clerk was trying to sell us new phones; we just wanted new Sim cards. We went to about three different stores and we kept getting the same story - can't use our old phones here, need new ones. I guess we kept thinking that if we just went to enough stores, we'd get a different answer. After much discussion we decided to get the least expensive phones available so we walked into our fourth store. He looks at our phones and says, no problem, you can use. Ten dollar each, we unlock for you. So he takes our phones to the 'back room" where men (boys?) are sitting on the floor surrounded by phones and other electronics and within a few minutes we have our old phones with new Sim cards and new local phone numbers. That's the good news. The not-so-good news, and it really isn't all that bad, just inconvenient - no voice mail. We are told that voice mail for cell phones just is not available. I was explaining vm to the ladies at the hotel we first stayed at and they were amazed that such a thing could exist. So everyone texts.

- Wifi and cable: This is getting to be such a saga. I am currently waiting for the cable people to come out for the fourth time to install a wifi router and to hook up the TV. For some reason they keep sending technicians who are not knowledgeable about how to hook these things up. The drill is that I go to the cable company, try to find some who can speak a bit of English, if not, our landlord, Thong, is on standby. I usually get him on the phone, and we have a three way conversation passing the phone back and forth depending on who needs to speak. I know nothing is getting lost in the translation but still after I've rearranged my day to be home, a technician will come out and then explain that he knows nothing about wifi or television hook up!

Getting around Hanoi: There are options. Taxi, bike, motorbike, bus, on foot. Much of the city has beautiful inlaid brick sidewalks. However, there are so many motorbikes and increasingly more cars that the only place to park is the sidewalk. So if we are walking, which we do a lot, we can only walk in the street. In fact, everyone walks in the street; right along with the various vehicles. Still amazed there are so few accidents.

Depending on our schedules, P and I will be in very different parts of the city at different times. Regardless of the time of day or evening, I feel very safe and comfortable navigating Hanoi on my own.

I'm not as alarmed of the traffic as I was when I first got here. There does seem to be some structure amid the chaos. I'm also taking less taxis and more motorbikes to get around town. Not as a driver (I'm a ways from that), as a passenger, faster than a taxi and far less expensive. Took a motorbike to my class this morning, took half the time and was about a third of what I would have paid by taxi. I feel like such a local when I jump on the back of a bike.

Water: Emailed a water company yesterday to set up an account to have water delivered. No such thing as an account. Just call and they bring it over. I asked how long it might take for 3 bottles - she emails no problem, 5 minutes. I email back trying to give her my address and explain the maze of alleys to get to our house. Sure enough 5 minutes and two young guys in a motorbike arrive - these are huge bottles but they somehow manage. In fact, there is not much that we don't see on the back of a motorbike. Even seemingly impossible, awkward , or delicate items - it all gets strapped on to the bike, or there are two or more people on the bike with each holding part of the cargo.

Trash Pick Up: With 6 million plus inhabitants we've ben wondering how and where does trash get picked up. We see a very occasional trash can. Well, now that we live in a neighborhood, we know. Each day around 5:30 pm someone walks around banging on a cow bell (wish Christopher Walken could hear this - if you don't know the reference, google Christopher Walken and cow bell - it's an old SNL skit). That signals to everyone that the trash pick up is here. Everyone runs ( yes, runs) outside carrying their trash for the day to a central location ( about 100 yards from us) - there waits an old wooden rickety wagon with rottted wooden slats up the sides to hold more trash, and it all gets thrown in. It's quite efficient really. They apparently come daily so that garbage does not have time to rot and thus encourage rats, cockroaches, etc. Where it goes from here is still a mystery, although late at night we've seen some people sorting through trash for recycling purposes and a few times we saw the large dump trucks picking up big bags of garbage left on the side of the road. All this happens at night and in the morning the streets are quite clean...and it starts all over again.

Vietnamese people: In general we find the majority of the people we come in contact with friendly and helpful. Often times older men ( 70's +) will see us and they cannot smile and wave at us enough - it's quite endearing. We are getting to know the shopkeepers in our maze of alleys and we are greeted with warm smiles whenever we pass by.

We often go for days without seeing an non-Vietnamese. Sometimes we get many stares from locals who clearly have not seen many non-Asians. I smile but these usually do not smile back - just stare.

We are determined to learn the basics of the language...think we will hire a tutor. So far I write the address on a piece of paper and give it to the taxi or motor scooter driver. At first I tried to follow on a map - was helpful for orientation - amazingly we have not been 'taken for a ride'.

Food is pretty simple - most of the hole-in-the-wall places only offer one dish - their speciality. We just look at what everyone is eating and if it looks good we sit down and that dish appears before us. Really, it's not even a hole-in-the-wall. Someone is cooking on the sidewalk and there are the worlds smallest table and chairs surrounding the cook. Often times there aren't any tables either, just toddler-size plastic stools - one just sits down (knees very close to ears) and eats from their lap. Food is wonderful - fresh, beautifully spiced and very inexpensive. Mostly a couple dollars or less. Couple days ago had a fab bowl of noodles, in a rich vegetable broth with tomatoes, various veggies, stir fried tofu, fresh mint, bean sprouts, basil, lettuce and a few garlicy snails for 15,000 VNDong - one dollar is about 18,000 VNDong so the bowl of yummyness was about 90 cents!

O.