Vietnam 5: Holidays in Hanoi

Holidays in Hanoi

Vietnam is a largely Buddhist country, though, in actuality, most people observe ancestor worshipping more than anything else. At the same time, the country still contains many devotees of other religions, particularly Christianity (largely Catholicism), as well as local sects such as Cao Dai and Hoa Hao, both of which are particularly popular in the South. Many Catholics left northern Vietnam in 1954 when the country was partitioned. However, there still are many active practitioners in Hanoi and throughout the north.

Regardless of the small size of Hanoi’s Christian minority, the city is beginning to get into the swing of the Holiday Spirit – when that Spirit is defined to include the commercialism attendant with the Christmas season in the West, combined with the novelty of a winter themed celebration. In downtown Hanoi, particularly in restaurants and stores patronized by expats and wealthier, more-cosmopolitan locals, windows will have spray-painted snow flakes with tinsel, while a few spots sport Christmas trees. Many waiters and waitresses at cafes and coffee shops wear Santa’s caps and the Old Quarter of the city is packed with little shops selling outfits for kids, decorations, and cards. (Holiday photos here)

One department store set up a more elaborate exhibit, complete with fake snow, sleighs, snowmen, and reindeer. This quickly became a popular destination for camera-wielding young parents anxious to pose their children in front of this winter wonderland. Walking back home from a movie the other night, Liz and I encountered a small, festival-like scene, with 40-50 people jostling to pose their well-scrubbed and primly dressed young ones in front of a pile of shiny-wrapped presents or fancy wreaths. An enterprising young man had set up a small popcorn popper and was selling bags for 50 cents while several balloon sellers converged on the spot to sell colorful characters to the horde of under eights dragged out by their parents. Another sight on Hanoi streets around Christmas – Santas on scooters. Many Hanoi residents send gifts to friends delivered by young men dressed (not very convincingly) as St. Nick. As if Hanoi traffic needed anything to make it more uncontrollable, now we have guys dressed in red with fake beards hauling around large white sacks as they weave in and around cars and bicycles.

One downside to the Christmas season is the Christmas soundtrack. Stores and restaurants all seem to share the same holiday season, full of bad British holiday pop, treacly seasonal chestnuts and an old ABBA New Year dirge. I think that even the most steadfast ABBA supporter must, however, agree that any song that features the lyrics:

Happy New Year
Happy New Year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
If we don’t we might as well lay down and die

. . . should be shot into the fiery center of the sun. Sadly, instead of its well-deserved solar launch, it resides on every tape deck in town.

Our apartment complex sponsored its own Holiday party in the lobby. Almost all the residents are expats, many from the US, but others from Europe, mixed in with a few Japanese or Korean families. The owners set up a nice buffet and provided entertainment. Kids ran screaming and played with confetti, while parents milled around sipping drinks and eating snacks. Then came the entertainment. First, an all-female band, in beautiful red ao dais playing traditional music (plus one or two Simon and Garfunkel tunes) on local instruments. Quite beautiful. I would have taken photos, but feared looking too much like a tool as no one else had their cameras. Next, a female singer crooning pop ballads. Finally, three young Vietnamese dancers. One or two slow moving graceful pieces, followed by some very PG-13 songs that involved lots of shaking and rather little clothing. Maybe I should have brought the camera down after all. Not sure if it was exactly kid appropriate, but it certainly grabbed everyone’s attention. A group of young girls stopped to see what was going on, while several men obtained a new-found interest in wardrobe issues, while female spouses nudged a few of the more slack-jawed husbands to re-interest them in conversation (not me, of course).

Weekends

What are we up to on the weekends?

Last Saturday we attended a fashion show. Now, I know what you’re thinking “attended a fashion show? Don’t you mean participated in a fashion show?” True, the name Herrup is synonymous in the minds of many people with haute couture. And you’re right, my Dockers/Van Heusen ensembles could rock many a runway. Yet, I worried that my presence might intimidate many of the models, most of whom were volunteers instead of professionals. My sense of decorum, however, prevented the need for a Zoolander-like “walk off” and the show commenced.

The Vietnamese are very fashion conscious and Hanoi seemingly has more clothing and shoe stores than any other city I’ve ever lived in. Many of them are small, but every block seems to have several targeting women, men, teens, kids, and babies. Though the need to retain modesty while traversing the city on the back of a scooter requires most women to wear jeans or slacks, clothes shopping, of all kinds, is a popular after-work activity. Most Vietnamese do net yet have the funds for high fashion and fashion shows are a reasonably new and modest activity. All the same, the show, which featured the outfits of an up and coming young Hanoian designer, seemed nicely done to me. It took place in a trendy bar with lots of well-dressed expats in attendance. Of course, I went with a couple of fashion experts who (not including my always in-style wife) were somewhat more opinionated than me. Here, in short, is a run down of our commentary:

Model A:

Me: She’s hot.
Friend A: She’s fat.

Model B:

Me: She’s hot.
Friend B: She walks like a giraffe.

Model C:

Me: She’s hot.
Friend A: That fabric would look good on your couch.

Clearly, I have a lot to learn about fashion shows.

On Sunday, we went to the charity bazaar run by the International Women’s Club of Hanoi. Advertised as a place to shop for handicrafts and holiday gifts, I discovered, to my wonder and delight, that the event actually featured foods from around the world. I quickly left Liz and our friend Alis among the chatchkis and explored this culinary UN. About 30 countries set up booths featuring traditional food and drinks. I focused on Europe, starting with Ukraine (mushroom and potato pancakes, pork rolls) before moving on to Germany (beer and sausage) and the Czech Republic (Goulash – I can’t pass up anything stewing in a vat). The Swiss reputation for efficiency took a bit of a hit when the raclette heaters blew a fuse, but I gutted it out (gutted it, get it?) and was rewarded with a healthy helping of melted cheese. Liz was kind enough to share some paella and I briefly left the Old World for Africa, enjoying a falafel from the Egyptian booth, and some South African marinated chicken. I finished with waffles (Belgium) and a caramel peanut tart (undetermined origin, but delicious). I then wondered what I had done to myself.

The bazaar itself was an interesting experience. Hundreds of people from around the world, milling about shopping, with Christmas tunes and traditional dances from around the world, in the background on an 80 degree and sunny day. Some countries you don’t think about every day had large booths, with the Belarusians selling vodka and cakes and the Bangladeshis selling vegetarian fare. The Cubans gathered to sing and dance, proving themselves once more to be the most festive of American enemies. The American booth sold used books and apple pie. Not exactly my version of traditional American crafts, but it seemed fairly popular. Next year, I’m lobbying for barbecue.

The next Saturday morning, we went running in the park, as we normally do. But this time, a difference. It’s “coffee culture week” and the park was transformed into a magical land of free caffeinated beverages. Up and down the main path, coffee companies had set up temporary stands dispensing free cups to inquisitive locals (photos here). Normally, visitors to the park squat on small plastic chairs to enjoy a cup of tea. Today, they were guided to various stalls by ladies wearing white gowns with coffee beans sewn throughout where they read billboards reviewing the history of coffee throughout the world and in Vietnam. In other areas, people picked beans from bushes brought in especially for the day. Liz and our friend Michaela sampled a few different brews and generally gave thumbs up.

How do we afford my fashion and gustatory extravagances? With the expected earnings from my soon-to-be-employed wife, who starts tomorrow as Special Counsel with Baker & McKenzie. After having worked in the White House, ICC, and FCC, worked for a Thai telecoms company, served as the mall grants coordinator at the Embassy in Uganda, and most recently held the position of vice-president in a consulting firm, she is beginning her first job for a law firm, 15 years after having passed the bar. I figure that once she runs for elective office and serves as a judge, she’ll have held every possible position for which a law degree qualifies a person. Anyway, I’m very proud of her and am looking forward to financial solvency over the next three years.