Vietnam 20: Our Neighborhood

Our apartment is in a great location. A short walk into the Old Quarter and a quick hop from Uncle Ho’s mausoleum and the Temple of Literature. About a 15 minute walk the other way and you’ll come to Truc Bach Lake (where the local residents fished out a young naval aviator named John McCain about 40 years ago) and the larger West Lake. Our back window faces a large tenement, mostly inhabited by military families. During the day, pajama-clad women water plants and hang clothes out to dry on makeshift balconies. On holidays, flagpoles sprout up festooned with dozens of Vietnamese flags.

As Hanoi has few neighborhoods that are strictly residential, commercial or industrial, our block sports numerous small retail establishments, a small beer hall, and many streetside stalls. In the evenings, little kids run around playing on the sidewalk, while older women set up tables to sell lottery tickets. Our apartment building on Tran Phu Street, named after an early Communist revolutionary who died in a French prison in 1931, is on property owned by the Ministry of Defense and if you turn the corner either way you quickly come to military buildings and a few streets permanently shut off to incoming traffic. Right at the end of our block are train tracks, still in active use. Trains leave the nearby station throughout the day, south to Ho Chi Minh City and north to the highland vacation spot of Sapa. Just beyond the train tracks lies Food Street, a collection of mostly modest Vietnamese restaurants, many of which specialize in hotpots. Very popular with our Vietnamese neighbors, we’ve eaten there a few times. It’s one of the few places active with patrons after 11 at night, though for a pedestrian thoroughfare there sure are a lot of motorbikes zooming by.

Early in the morning, next to our apartment building, a lively, small market attracts local housewives shopping for fruits, vegetables, meat, and flowers. Though some merchants operate out of tiny storefronts, other hawkers (almost all women) set up shop on the sidewalks. Periodically, the police come by to chase them out and I have come across them dropping their wares and running past to avoid fines. For those looking for Western products or more upscale (read: sanitary) produce, our neighborhood is a bit lacking. I can walk to the CitiMart in Hanoi Towers (next to Hoa Lo prison, John McCain’s “home” for several years), but normally need to catch a cab to do any serious shopping. Humorous side note: During Senator McCain’s recent visit to Hanoi, the local press asked residents their opinion of Senator McCain. One man said he liked McCain because he “lived in” Hanoi for several years.” Not sure that’s how the Senator would describe his stay here.

On a nice day, it’s a very easy walk to the old quarter, with only one or two potentially fatal intersection crossings. If you stay on a main street, you’ll pass by upscale art galleries, cosmopolitan silk shops, and the inevitable tourist traps. Step onto a sidestreet and you’re quickly transported into a maze of crowded, narrow alleys filled to the brim with hawkers, merchants, local shoppers and overseas visitors. It/s loud, colorful and hot. You can come back having spent 30 cents or $3,000. You never know.

As I’ve mentioned before, one of the joys of living in Hanoi is that by simply walking down the street you get such a full picture of how people live. Around the corner from our house is a small park of roughly two acres. Across the street from the Chinese Embassy, half of it is paved over in front of a large statue of Lenin. Yet, morning and evening, both the grassy walks and marble promenade fill up with our neighbors. In the morning, groups of older women gather to practice fan dancing. Middle aged men in their undershirts walk briskly in circles, while a few couples set up badminton nets. As the day wears on and heats up, small groups gather on plastic stools for a tea break. One guy pedals in on his bike to sell snakes. Tourists wander over from the military museum across the street to take pictures in front of Lenin.

Things liven up as the sun goes down. The wide area in front of Lenin is divided up roughly into three. In a leafy corner nearest our house, groups of teens gather to practice dance moves, usually hip hop, but I’ve also passed a team practicing their cheer routines, complete with pom poms. Next to them, about a dozen young Vietnamese men take up a makeshift game of soccer. Further on, local entrepreneurs have set up businesses renting out little battery powered cars for little kids and on almost any evening you can see dozens of happy 2-6 year olds slowly circling around, nervous parents or elder siblings in tow. Badminton games continue on the sidewalk and small crowds gather round men playing traditional board games.

Vietnam 19

So, You’ve Been Thinking About Traveling to Southeast Asia

Liz and Drew will only be in Vietnam for another year. Wouldn’t it be great if we got out to see them? Yes, yes it would be great. So, why aren’t you making your plans? Oh, it’s so far away and I just can’t imagine how we’d travel half-way around the world. Well, no more worries, here’s a guide on how to get out to see us.

Now, this guide basically can also be applied for trips to visit us the next time we serve in sub-Saharan Africa or if we ever are posted to India. It’s for itineraries that include long flight plus long flight. Non-stop travel is for wusses. If you’re only going from Chicago to Tokyo, this guide isn’t for you. If you’re flying to Europe, please exit this e-mail. Your subway car is pulling up to the station for your short commute.

Which routing is best?

First, you need to pick an itinerary. Most flights to Vietnam go through Seoul or Tokyo, though I’ve heard of people with more exotic routings through Hong Kong or Taipei. Flights from the East Coast to northern Asia leave in the late morning or mid-day, so you should be plenty rested before you begin your journey. If you have to make a stop before reaching an international gateway in the U.S., you have my sympathy (been there, done that). Anyway, now that you’re wide awake, enjoy the next 12 hours cooped up in a metal cylinder hurtling through the north Pacific jetstream. You’ll be able to use all your energy sitting, snacking, stretching, and wondering what on earth the person before you in the toilet could have been eating. Then you get to wander around a strange airport for several hours as you try to locate your connecting flight, which, inevitably, is in another terminal. At least it’s only another 5 hours to Hanoi, right?

Going back, you’ll wish you were arriving again. Flights from Vietnam to Korea and Japan leave in the late evening. Theoretically, you’ll get to sleep on the plane. Of course, theoretically, flying should be a pleasurable experience. So, for me, at least, I’ve got 2 sleepless nights to enjoy.

What airline to take?

Several U.S. and foreign carriers fly across the Pacific, though no U.S. airlines fly into Hanoi (Delta and United fly to Ho Chi Minh City). Would I be unpatriotic if I recommended a non-U.S. carrier? While we’ve had some good experiences on United and American, their level of service just doesn’t match that of their competitors. American flight attendants tend to be the grizzled veterans, who normally (though not always) have about had-it-up-to-here with years of silly passenger requests. You’re quite confident they can get you off the plane in case of an accident. You’re not so sure they won’t try to strangle you when you ask for a second blanket. Foreign flight attendants, on the other hand, are more likely to cater to your whims. And, probably get you off the plane in case of accident.

How should we fly?

Is it worth it to fly business class? Yes it is. If you’ve got miles to use or can upgrade for a reasonable amount, do it. Economy class sucks the life force out of you before you even make it to your destination. Would you prefer a half-day contorted into a medieval torture device enjoying the sweet symphony of crying infants? And the food. A friend flying on United recently reported the meal in the main cabin consisted of packaged ramen noodles. I know that U.S. carriers have hit a rough patch, but c’mon man, show some pride in your product. On rare occasions, you may catch a lucky break on an empty plane and get an entire row on which to stretch out (happened to us one time on a flight from Entebbe to Brussels on Christmas Eve). But, that’s not going to happen.

Business class is a remarkable step up. They treat you like a human being. And the movies! As people coming from countries lacking vast cinematic options, we love the ability to scroll through Hollywood’s almost-latest, even the Adam Sandler comedies. Food is generally pretty good. I like the Japanese bento boxes and one of my favorite flying memories is the make-your-own-sundae bar. Liz, who is able to sleep on planes, loves the down pillows and blankets. For me, they’re just added ballast that toss about while I try to doze for 30 minutes.

First class. I have no idea what goes on up there. I have a friend at the World Bank (you know exactly who you are) who occasionally travels in the front cabin, but whenever he talks about it, I drift off into a green haze of raging envy and don’t remember a thing that he says. I can only imagine red-cheeked cherubim feeding you grapes while angels play the harp as you lounge on your cloud-bed.

Business class lounges

Ah, the hallowed refuge of the moderately successful. A sanctuary away from the unwashed masses, where you can mingle with corporate VPs, frequent fliers, and couples splurging on anniversary vacations. I mock, but I love. At least, I love when done right. American Airlines in Tokyo does not do it right. All the connecting flights from Southeast Asia arrive around at 6 am, but the lounge does not open until 7 am. So, you stumble off your red-eye flight, onto the inter-terminal train, walk another 15 minutes to . . . wait in line for a half hour for a single agent (its always a single agent) to s-l-o-w-l-y process everyone in front of you. Your three hours of relaxation was just cut in half. American Airlines – stop this madness! Japan Airlines, on the other hand, gets it. Drinks are free. (American charges for sodas). So is the food and it’s pretty good. No cookies and crackers. Asiana Airlines in Seoul highlights their beer on tap. Anyway, each business lounge has a shower. That is a beautiful thing. However, you need to remember to bring a change of clothes. There is nothing more disheartening than coming out refreshed only to realize you have to put on a used pair of underwear.

What to do on the plane?

As I’ve already mentioned, you can watch movies or try to sleep. What else is there to do between meals? Maybe talk to your neighbor? Yes, I know you can chat with your wife/husband/traveling companion, but after 20 hours of schlepping across the world with too little sleep, your “chats” may devolve into “bickers.” My wife is a natural talker, open and gregarious. She’ll start talking with her seatmate and will soon have a friend for life or a valuable business contact. I’m more introverted and whenever I do try to engage the person beside me, they usually turn out to be infectious.

I like to look out the window. I like to observe cloud formations. I like to study the topography over which we are flying. I like to gaze into the multi-hued distance as the sun disappears over the horizon. No one else, it appears, likes to do so. Even on mid-day flights, as soon as the plane takes off, the shades go down. Maybe to enhance the romantic mood-lighting so natural in an aircraft interior, I suppose, though most people do it to void the glare on their video screens. I’m reduced to the occasional, furtive 5 second glance, which normally brings a dismissive harrumph from my beloved life-partner, engrossed in her “Friends” marathon on the 9 inch screen.

Arrival in Vietnam

We love living in Vietnam. We think it’s a great place to visit with many beautiful sites and an ancient, complex culture. Just don’t expect to see any of that on arrival at Noi Bai airport. Built in 2001, it’s already over-capacity and under-maintained. If you arrive in the mid-evening rush, you might not see your bag for a while. If you head to the rest room, you may not find any towels or hand driers. However, what you will find is Liz and me waiting for you when you clear customs. Isn’t that worth it?

Authors note: Sorry for the lack out of output over the last few months. Busy at work and then on leave. Hopefully, production will improve, though I can’t vouch for quality.