Remembering Vietnam is good memories about my Vietnamese close friends during the University days. In my mind Vietnam is always associated with hard work and discipline. I always admire how Son, Huong, Kwang, Cuong, and Thanh worked very hard and very serious in their study. They would always back to the campus soon after dinner: sitting seriously in the library or at other places around the campus area for reading books or did school assignments. It is only at the weekend they would gather near the green garden along the riverbank of Barangka - Marikina, having chat and laugh over san miguel beers.
I remember how was Son trying to be the number one at every study, and he did it very well by getting grade A for many of subjects ^.^ I remember how was Kwang insisting to take another English course to improve his language skill, even I thought he already did it well. So Vietnam for me is identical with strong courage, hard work and serious efforts.
When I finally visited Hanoi this November 2010, my initial impression was reconfirm: Vietnamese is indeed hard worker. Once I listened from the radio about a Vietnamese whom confessed (in English) that his succeed was especially inspired by "the Vietnamese culture which always believe that only by sacrificing hardwork you will gain succeed".
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| a woman selling flowers, a frequent sight in Hanoi streets |
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| a handicap girl making a traditional vietnamese handicraft |
When I visited temple of literature I got more understanding about this hard working culture. At the temple you will see many image of turtles from stone. At the back of these turtles you would see many names written in a piece square stone. These names were schollars at the Ly dinasty whom had accomplished their study to the highest level. Some names were erased from the stone---you could see their character still there but were not really clear---means that the persons did something dishonor during their life.
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| doctors monument |
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| temple of literature |
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| two dragons guarded a worship place |
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| worshipping scholar in temple of literature |
The culture of hard working can also be seen every where: a man caryying water can in the field, a woman planted vegetable in a small abandon land beside the road and a young man offering to polish our shoes. More over in the office, you would see people seriously working and break only for lunch. Everyone regards hard working with honor, no wonder I did not see any beggar along the street i passed by. At many break occassions Vietnamese love to gather with their friends and drink beers. This hard working spirit apparently is the answer of the country great achievement with 7% annual economic growth since embarked the Doi Moi economic reform in 1986.
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| a girl selling traditional foods in her basket |
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| cyclo |
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| beautiful sight of lady selling flowers |
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| drinking beer with close friends |
I guess this character is influenced by the country history and also by its geographical condition. The history of Vietnamese heroism is trying to be conveyed through its monuments, museums, temples and of course history lectures in the schools. I went for a day tour around Hanoi: visiting Ho Chi Minh mausoleaum, temple of literature, and French Prison. The tour guide was told all the story of Vietnamese heroism during the Ly dinasty, the president Ho Chi Minh thought and way of living, as well as the Vietnamese Heroism against French colonial and later the USA occupation.
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| Ho Chi Minh mousoleaum |
The history of Vietnam during old eras, before French colonial, was not exposing so much (or may be because I simply did not be able to see other museum?). They seems like more focusing on recent history when the Vietnamese and its greatest hero ---Ho Chi Minh---defeated France and the USA. This of course understandable as the Vietnamese was experiencing 1000 years bad time under the Chinese Han dynasty protectorate since 2 BC. Being long time colonized by Han dynasty, Chinese culture and believe system were higly influence the Vietnamese.
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| Chinese influence architecture |
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| traditional Vietnamese costume |
History has taught Vietnamese to always under siege as so many countries had been tried to invade her. French colonialized this country for 80 years even though Vietnamese were never really surendered to the French. One resistance movement called Can Vuong was popularly known as strongly resisted the French power. Japanese briefly occupied the country in the mid of 1940s. It was a blessing in disguise for Vietnamese as Japanese was able to repel France from the land and triggered the revolutionary sentiments among the Vietnamese. In 1941 a revolutionary organization named Vietminh was built that enjoined by a popularly communist leader Ho Chi Minh. When Japanese lose the war, the Vietminh forces took control over most northen and central vietnam. France which tried to return back to Vietnam was facing tough resistance from the Vietminh and finally withdrawed from Vietnam in 1954.
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| french architecture in yellow |
However after independent there were still other threats as the Paris cease agreement decided that the country to be divided into two separated countries. The northern part of Vietnam was lead by Ho Chi Minh and the Southern part was headed by a Chatolic and anti-communist Ngo Dinh Diem. Later the two Vietnamese countries engage into long time wars since 1954 - 1975. Vietnam communist North succeed in repelling the US from the land because it gained wide support from the people throuh the establishment of Vietcong. Aside of that Southern leader was not popular and even then assasinated by his own people.
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| ho chi minh |
Those stories were clearly conveyed by the tour guide during my visit. He proudly show the prison in which the Vietnamese were able to shot down 32 American airoplanes and prisoned their pilots. One of the most popular inmates during that time is John Mc Case whom is now US senator from the Republican Party.
The repeated victories over France, Vietnam Southern country, and then America had given significant pride to the country and its people. I believe that this history has given national confidence to the people of Vietnam and inspiring for a discipline and hard working spirit that currently we can see among its people. It is also understandable that they always feel under constant threat as Chinese was once again try to invade the country in 1979 after Vietnam briefly occupied Cambodia.
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| hanoi hilton, detention place for the American pilots |
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| one good cornet of the prison, as I dont like the sad side of the place |
Vietnam communis is applying a single party system. Overall the country has 3000 party members. Comparing to its 86 million citizens the party members seem like very small, but they are very powerful. The most powerful decision making is the Communist politbureau which consists of 15 leaders. They control the governments both executive brach (people committees) and the legislative branch (people councils). The party also has strong control over civil society organizations throuh its mass organizations as such youth union, woman union, farmers union and so on.
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| Vietnamese police |
The communist teaching doesn't encourage people to be religious because it believe that religion as discouraging revolutionary spirits againts opression of the capitalists. No wonder most of the Vietnamese doesn't not associate with any religion. Many of my friends also told me that they are atheist, do not believe in God. One source said that only 20 percent of the Vietnamese consider them self as having religion. During my travel around Hanoi and along the way to Halong Bay, I hardly saw any religious building. The French missionaries were able to proselite about ten of thousands Vietnamese especially in the Southern part but many of them flewn out the country after the end of Vietnamese war. Still they are a number of Christians in Vietnam especially in the Southern part of the country. In Vietnam Moslem identifies with Cham etnic in the Southern and Central part of the country. Wonder whether there is Vietnamese Moslim in Hanoi because its only 1 mosque in Hanoi and most of the atendances are said to be foreigners.
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| one budhis statute at the one pillar pagoda |
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| some budhist devotees among a small number of people practicing religion |
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| eventhough not religious but most of the Vietnamese remember their ancestors by giving this kind of offering |
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| respecting elder people |
Going around the city of Hanoi you will be greeted by thousands of motorcyle along its dense streets. Motorcle seems like the most convenience vehicle in this city as the city is not so big, the streets are narrow and it is rather difficult to find proper parking lot for cars. You can always see many pretty ladies with nice fashion style in the street driving motorcycle.
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| motorcycle as the most convenient tranportation for in Hanoi |
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| this girl read text messages while driving vehicle |
In the streets you can still easily find exotic sights of traditional flavor. A lady wearing traditional hat while selling vegetable in her baskets. Chinese style red paper lantern every where. Chinese character on the building and so on.
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| selling around fruits |
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| selling around flowers |
I went around to the city at one afternoon, a little bit confuse because not many Vietnamese speak english. However I asked someone from the hotel to get me a Honda (motorcycle drive), went around the city for about 2 hours for 5 USD. It was nice one. You can see green big threes along the city old quarter streets, you can see old buildings along the streets, many golden star flags waving here and there, while at other corner you can see some parlors do haircuts under the threes.
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| did haircut in the corner of a street |
I visited Hoan Kim Lake in the midle of the city. It seems like a wedding session now as many people there in the lake are taking their pre wedding pictures.
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| before pre wedding picture taken |
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| pre wedding photos around Hoan Kim lake |
I visited old quarter of the city. I did not really like it because it was crowded and busy with many people selling things in the street. One vendor selling matches was approaching me, offering four matches for one million dong. Still confuse with the value of Dong, I bargain for 600.000 dong. He automatically gave it. Sensing that it still very expensive I took only one for 200.000 dong. Lately he offered again other mathces two pieces for the same price. Finally I noticed that this vendor has overcharged me and I refused to buy anything else there.... Later I consulted somebody near the hotel and found out that the vendor had overcharged me four times :( A friend of mine Hai later advise me: please do go around Hanoi but remember dont buy anything from the street. Its better to buy anything from shopping malls because they set fix price for everything.
Its only three malls in Hanoi, and the biggest one is Vietcom mall. People seem doesn't really keen to buy things from malls because there are many small shops selling good things with ratinable price. Well as long as you know the standard and you know how to bargain :)
I went to Halong bay for one day tour. It was really amazing: the bay was so serene with beautiful limestone hills, blue sky, and clear water. People did kayaking or went to a small boat to wander around the bay and visit some of it caves.
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| Halong bay |
The native were living in a floating village, with so many boat houses. Some of the women sold fruits and vegetables in their boats and pedal around to approach visitors.
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| selling fruits and vegetables with boat in halong bay |
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| kayaking along serene bay in halong |
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| nice foods during lunch in the boat |
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| kayaks and small boats for rent: USD 5 each per head |
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| floating house |
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| floating village |
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| a new friend I met from Bulgaria, Alexandrova. we undertood each other eventhough she could not speak english |
There is wonderful natural caves in the halong bay areas. I visited only one cave that believe to be the most beautiful called as "way to heaven cave". All the stalactits and stalacmits were so amazing, as colorful lights improved their dramatic looks.
Well overall Vietnam has impressed me. The travelling has taught me on how we need to be working hard, discipline, serious and open minded in order to achieve our goal. My goal in this life might be different with them as now I am not thinking that success should be measured by economic development and materialism achievements. Yet still I has learned something: one vision needs to be materialized in many creative ways to encourage people move in that direction.
TRAVELLING TIP:
If we only have one or two days chance to see around one country, its better to do it though a tour group. Cheaper and more effective. The tour agent knows the best which part of the country need to be seen and the tour guide can explain us more about the place we visit. I went sight seeing Halong bay and Hanoi with a tour group and it was funny to found out that all of the tour members paid different fee. A Chinese lady paid USD 44, a Swedish coupel paid USD 26 each, while me I got the cheapest by paying only USD 19. Apparently every hotel and travel agent charged different price for the tour. It is good that a friend from Oxfam office recommend me to one trusted cheap tour agent named TheSinh Tourist agent. It was also not less funny to know that there are over a hundred copies of TheSinh Tourist agent in Hanoi which have no correlation at all with the original one.
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| friends I met during the halong bay tour from Canada, the Philippines and Korea |
So here I am happily sharing to you the address of the original TheSinh Tourist here so if you happened to visit Vietnam you can rely to a trusted and cheap tour agent. TheSinh Tourist Office I: # 52 Luong Ngoc Quyen St, Hanoi (Tel: (04) 3926.1568; 3926.3340; 3926.3341). TheSinh Tourist office II: # 64 Tran Nhat St. Hanoi. (Tel: (04) 3929.0394; 3929.0395). If you visit Hanoi do not forget to see the most beautiful Halong bay and go down the street to see ladies selling beautiful fresh flowers. Thats all so lovely about Vietnam!
