A Provincetowner Writes Home

I landed in Hanoi a few weeks ago, not really knowing what to expect. I had decided to come to Vietnam after opting not to go during the turmoil of war in the late 60þs and early 70þs when Uncle Sam wanted to send me free-of-charge-all-expenses-paid. But maybe only a one-way ticket.

Before I left, I did some research on Vietnam. The name of the places started to bring back all the memories of the war: Hanoi, Hai Phong, Pleiku, Da Nang, DMZ, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Khe Sanh. I heard Americans were welcome now, but, in their hearts, did they still have any resentment, did they feel we abandoned them in the south, destroyed their country in the north?

I received a pleasant surprise: a cheerful welcome with huge smiles and many laughs. Everyone I met, except the government officials maybe, had a wonderful and joyful attitude towards life. Either we were forgiven or the war was somehow forgotten.

Hanoi seemed like total chaos at first, with mad traffic and horns going almost constantly, usually for no reason. There are throngs of bicycles and motorbikes with as many people and objects on them as one could imagine. Motorbikes carrying up to 6 people and kids, pigs, huge pieces of furniture or panes of glass, mirrors, chickens, large potted plants, you name it. All honking and weaving in and out of the traffic. Hanoi is a mix between Delhi, Bali, Bangkok and the moon, I guess!

The people here are the funniest, craziest, friendliest bunch of people I have ever met.

In the old part of the city, the narrow sidewalks are choked with vendors selling all manner of things, women carrying their wares in baskets yoked on either end of a bamboo pole, motorbikes, children, and a few tourists. All are vying for the same space, seizing any opportunity in the fluid crowd to move forward, except the tourists, like me, who are just carried along in the flow of life.

A far cry from the wide boulevards and colonial architecture the French left behind after their rule, beginning in the mid 19th century, and from the monumental edifice the Vietnamese have built to honor their hero at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where the glass sarcophagus and embalmed corpse of Uncle Ho rests.

Crossing the street is an art in itself, with no traffic lights to speak of. I learned to watch the locals. They seem to cross with a combination of intuition and bravado. You must step into the street with a positive attitude, never moving backwards, and somehow all the traffic swerves around you.

With my senses bombarded from all sides at once--the smells, sights, sounds--it was always nice to return to my small hotel room in the old historic part of Hanoi and close my eyes even for a short time. I could still hear the din of traffic and horns in the background calling me back out on the street into the sweet turmoil soup!

It didn't take long either until my stomach told me it was time to find some more local street food. Maybe pho ga, noodle soup with chicken and fresh herbs, a little chili and fish sauce, or ®chicken with 5 tastes.þ The smell of grilled meats and seafood wafting through the air draws me down the narrow winding alleyways. Everywhere you find old chai ladies in their rice paddy hats, sitting on little stools on the sidewalks, serving Vietnamese teas. It's nice to stop, sip some tea, chat and laugh with them. We don't understand each other, but their smiles and good vibes are enough. When I want the authentic Vietnamese cuisine, I choose a restaurant that serves up local delicacies--some of the best and most unusual dishes in Asia! The Vietnamese have borrowed from the French, the Chinese and others, adding their own flavors to invent their unique, legendary cuisine.

When I want company, I choose one of the travelers' cafes. These are wonderful places to have a good cheap meal, accompanied by a cold, local beer, while catching up on the stories of fellow travelers and backpackers. Some are heading north to China, west to Laos, south to other Vietnam cities, or to Cambodia and Angkor Wat.

Almost always by land, usually 10-20 hour bus or train rides. It is not as bad as it sounds for the countryside is beautiful and serene to watch out the window. There are lush, green rice paddies, perfectly manicured; or water buffalo plowing the fields, with maybe a young boy on top contemplating the dragon flies; and coconut palms as far as the eye can see. The backaches and sleepless nights are soon forgotten, but not the scenes, not the tales!

I left Hanoi and made my way to the beautiful coastal town of Hoi An for ®Tet,þ the New Year in Vietnam, and the New Year for all Chinese worldwide.

The town is abuzz with anticipation of the New Year festivities that last for three days to one week. Everyone is buying flowers, fruit, presents, new clothes, etc. I rented a bicycle for a few days for a mere 30 cents a day (motorcycle are $3).

As I cycle up and down the small streets and alleys, everyone is on his/her best behavior, and the sweetest and nicest they can be to me and everyone else. Tonight there will be fireworks, and parades; I can see some dragons going down the street already! Then tomorrow will be quiet and everyone will be feasting with friends and family. As I travel around Vietnam, it is the people who leave a lasting impression. Their smiles, laughs and good nature are what make us travelers feel welcome.

When I think of what our Government did to these people in the name of restoring peace, I really wonder. When I go to Mai Lai and see the monument for the dead, tears well up in my eyes; but the local people are full of smiles and the children shout ®hello.þ They seem to take in stride the wars they have suffered over the centuries. Even though nine out of ten families were affected by the Vietnam War, most of the older people aren't afraid to talk about it without resentment; while the younger Vietnamese are seemingly untouched by a war that took place over a quarter of a century ago.

Perhaps it is partly the Buddhist emphasis of living in the present, because they certainly do, with a fundamental joie de vivre that is intoxicating. This truly is the land of ten thousand smiles!

Jeff Lovinger February 2002


[Editor's Note: If you are looking for place to stay when in Provincetown, visit Jeff's Lotus Guest House, 888-508-4644, 487-4644]

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