Took our morning coffee at Highlands Coffee ( 3rd floor) and watched and listened to Sunday morning in Hanoi.
Some thoughts and observations after a full day and a half:
- Pedestrian beware! No one stops for footlings. One just looks for a small opening in the traffic, steps off the curb and begins the art of The Hanoi Two-Step. P is getting quite good at this; I bravely (?) take P's hand, pretend I am a horse with blinders.
- Forget a multi-lane street with nice double yellow dividing lines; everyone is on their own nilly willy. No road rage, just incredible-to-witness-maneuvering. It will be a while before we are able to participate in this kaleidoscope. Not for the faint-hearted.
- Have seen many quintessential mopeds with a family of four laden with various goods. I keep trying to take a pic but by the time I get my camera out, it's over. Will continue to try.
- Many older women with impossibly heavy loads of goods dangling from the opposite ends of a small wooden slat balanced on their elderly shoulders. I feel like such a wimp.
- Saw a toothless Grandma chasing a scrawny chicken down the street, dodging traffic. Too amazed to whip out camera.
Great sign next to a woman shining shoes. In case you can't fully read it: "can do, suc khoe".
- Walked for hours yesterday, drank many bottles of water and hardly peed. We sweated like the 'Deliverance' boys were after us! Could not have filled a specimen cup of my life depended on it.
- So far, Hanoi makes me happy.
O.
7 comments:
....and the adventure begins! Love being at the window.
Thanks Eileen, an adventure for sure.
I wonder if modern young Vietnamese women will grow up to be like their load-carrying, chicken-chasing, cone-hat-wearing grandmothers.
It looks sooo great!
And especially seeing it through your eyes.
more, more, more!!!!!!!
I love reading your observations which bring back many memories for me of Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur -- your descriptions are great visuals. I'm happy that Hanoi is making you happy.
Love,
T
:D. I am very interested in your writings and reviews of Hanoi. Come on with your fantastic work! I ran into your blog via newhanoian, I am a member of this site. It's very nice to read your blog and I keep doing it, so keep observing, keep taking photoing and keep blogging.
Best wishes to you both.
Yen
P.S: If you have any difficulties in terms of language or anything else relating to the VN life, contact me and I am eager to help;
My Mail: sunflower_vt282@yahoo.com or minhyenvn@hotmail.com.
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