If you had to choose a random place on a map that you wanted to experience and learn from, where would it be and why? I had no expectations when I decided that place would be Vietnam, I knew too little about her and I wanted to know more, so why would anyone go to Vietnam? The question I ask is why not. It’s no surprise that it’s becoming a hot spot destination. Its exotic, it’s beautiful, there’s a lot to offer and it’s cheap. I knew Vietnam was going to be special but I didn’t realize it was going to have such a major effect on me. This piece is not about what’s hot and not for travel in Vietnam , it’s a bit deeper and its very personal it’s the things I’ve loved and learnt while there and the reasons why I call it one of the most incredible countries on earth …
So much Beauty
If you go to this land for only one reason it should be to witness its outstanding and diverse Beauty. There are postcard landscapes everywhere . I say Diverse because one minute you walking in a dense gum tree forest and the next you on pristine white sand blue water beach. Some of the key spots of immense beauty are
· the Danang and Nha Trang coastline, Driving along the coast you get to see the the Vietnamese fishing Villages and it’s all very beautiful, its coast and lush green vegetation all in one breath taking surrounding, My regret is that I did not spend enough time here to explore everything the region had to offer like the marble caves and all the water sports, But it was pure relaxation in every sense and it’s on my go back list.
· The cities themselves are very beautiful particularly Hue (Pronounced “hway” or “whey”) it is the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam and is filled with myths and tales and so much of history, I loved the Perfumed River and the story about the princess it was named for. At night the city lights up and so does the bridges over the perfumed river. It reminded me of Paris I was charmed by Hue and her beautiful pagodas and lakes.
· Hanoi had French beauty especially the French quarter . I loved the old buildings and old quarter streets. It had chaos just like any city would be, but in the center is this glorious lake and theres lush beauty throughout.
· The most nostalgic scene in Vietnam is Hoi an at night. The lanterns floating on the river in the old town is beauty like you cannot believe. It transported me to another world. Shopping at the tailors was lovely the streets are vibrant and the entire city of Hoi an is like living in an Asian Fairy tale.
· Saigon is a sight to behold, it’s one of the largest most densely populated cities in Asia but it’s absolutely charming. The chaos of the thousands of motorbikes on the roads is an incredible and I couldn’t stop staring and marveling at it. It’s an exciting place with energy and an amazing street culture it’s got vibe it’s on trend and it has personality.
· My Favorite and ultimate Natural destination was Halong Bay. The pics don’t do it justice, sailing amongst the limestone formations you are definitely transported into a timeless place of fantasy. I can understand why it has an attained Natural Wonder status.
The People
Vietnams people have been through hell and back and yet they have the most gracious and lovely attitudes, particularly those in the south. I found the old people to be very loving. They couldn’t speak a word of English but there was no barrier to the warmth they radiated. It’s normal to walk on the streets of HCMC (Saigon) and be greeted by everyone you pass. when I first landed in HCMC I was bombarded with stares, it’s not very common to see an Indian here so you can imagine the stir I caused lol , I have never met friendlier immigration officers before .They were very interested in SA and then the guy asked me for money , and I’m thinking oh oh they want a bribe, but I clarified and he wanted SA currency for his collection. l found that to be so cool luckily I had a R20 note, but like I said to have an immigration officer that smiles and jokes is a rare thing.
So what are people like?
· The old people were a total delight they work up to crazy old ages and I admire that , I need to remind you that the old people in Vietnam lived through the war so they have seen so much in their lives but they continue to live it so well and with such amazing attitudes . while the south was warm and friendly , the older folks in the north seemed very cold and distant almost Machine like I found the difference startling actually polar opposites , but I think there’s years of history that goes behind the reasons as to why the attitudes are so different . The one thing I can say about the north thou is that they have that Vietnamese drive as well, everyone works really hard and begging is rare.
· The youth throughout Vietnam were friendly and curious, they engage you in conversation and are like sponges that absorb what you say, and are willing to learn anything and everything, I find them to be highly motivated and so humble. The education levels are high and a college education is encouraged, it’s not that expensive either. I think the focus is on the correct fields and they are a very bright lot so I’m expecting great things from Vietnam in the future. It’s easy to judge a countries future by the quality of its youth. And Vietnam’s youth stand out as been set for success. They love the same things youth around the world love, they technology crazy and have tons of passion for English premier league football. They definitely know how to party , we were at a up market club in Nha trang, “ the sailing club “ and when you watched the young hip Vietnamese youngsters on the floor they were bursting with energy and vibe and that was definitely a highlight for me.
The people you meet …
I’ve met many colorful characters in my time there, people who I will always remember because It was so easy to connect with them on a deep human level, but that’s the thing about people here they connect on that basic level and I loved it .Those that stand out ...
· The Bia Hoi Bar owner- a 90 year old that’s on her feet and getting patrons to guzzle down her 30cent Bia , when I went to say goodbye to her I got the warmest hug. I’ll probably remember the way it felt for a very long time because even though we couldn’t converse she was authentic and so was her affection.
· MR BINH My guide on the Cu Chi Excursion was a ex army officer he unfortunately was on the American and south Vietnam side during the war , to get his perspective was invaluable , to hear his stories and how things changed once it was over was a blessing ,there was also something very personal about this man and how he could share the tragic details of his life and his years spent in guilt feeling like a traitor ,but once again he resonates with me because of his authenticity and I loved that I learned so much from this old wonderful soul.
· I will always remember the side walk restaurant owner and his family, he sold Pho on the side of the old Hoi An town river we sat on the little kiddies chairs and spoke to him for a long time about his life and his family, and He has a great attitude even though you can tell he struggles. He has high hopes for their future and wants the best for his little girl. His not willing to leave Vietnam his staying and he wants it to succeed.
Actually I can’t think of many people in Vietnam that were not kind and warm there is something very real about these people , and I learned so much from them they open up to you with ease and that’s genuine . There is no question that these people are willing to work hard to survive and live better life, they live with hope and courage and I loved that.
The lessons it teaches you AND THE questions it forces you to ask …
- “Why can’t they just leave me alone? All they want is money!”
So let me be open and honest , The one thing that you will find annoying as a tourist is how you are hounded to buy stuff from hawkers carrying heavy baskets of knick knacks , especially in areas known to have many tourists . They need that business badly, but it’s not that easy to support every hawker. Tourism is fairly young as an industry but its fast becoming a source of income to many people. It’s a way to survive so understand what your tourist dollar means to the ordinary street hawker. My take on it is you at least acknowledge them and smile with a no thank you, at the risk of them seeing it as an open invitation to solicit your purchase. Because some tourists tend to just ignore them completely and I never had the heart to do that. Here is someone who’s toiling away, so determined to make a living, yes you don’t want the crap she’s selling but when she’s right there in front of you, is it humanly possible to ignore her or say no rudely? I couldn’t do it … I feel you don’t have to buy what they sell, but personally I could not just make like they weren’t there, when they were right in front of me trying desperately to get me to at least look at them . I wish I took money to help each one of them, but such is the reality …
My saddest moment in Vietnam was in Hanoi when a very old lady selling some ornamental hat type contraption walked up to me and asked me to buy, I didn’t really want it but something in her face showed that she needed it she was definitely In pain and was far too old to be outside in that heat . I remember that I was very convinced that I needed to support her but before I could get out my money, we had to get onto the bus which could not wait due to being illegally parked. I walked away from her and that image haunted me, knowing you should help someone but you not doing it, it’s a terrible feeling. The Vietnamese will never ask for a handout but they will hound you to buy, they question is how do you say no?
- No one is a victim of circumstance- everyone is prepared to work hard!
There is so much of hope in these people and so much to admire , one of the horrible legacy’s of the war is the effects of agent orange- the dangerous poison that was unleashed by America on the Vietnamese - it has caused terrible deformities , cancer and still births and the effects of it still goes on 4 generations later . I met victims of Agent Orange and people with these deformities but they too have found a living .Many of the disabled work with handicrafts and produce the most beautiful lacquer work. That’s so admirable, that they are not victims of circumstance but are willing to not give in even though life has dealt them such terrible fates.
- Pride in your land, Pride in who you are and where you come from
There’s a great sense of pride in these people one thing that will strike you if you look carefully is that every home, even in the most remote fishing villages is that they have a national flag proudly waving from the front door, they might not have much but they have pride and love for their land and that’s definitely clear.
- Neatness and cleanliness yet another show of self pride
Vietnam is very clean , the streets in the cities are clean and generally it was very neat , perhaps I didn’t go to places that were very polluted but from what I could see there was a level of neatness on the streets that made it ok for me to buy street food and not feel like it would be an issue , the one positive was that in the evenings you would notice litter vans that would clean up the streets , I also think that there is a mentality from the culture that does not litter and takes pride in cleanliness I loved that
- The most amazing Children …and who are we to judge the way they are raised ?
Then there were the kids, and this tugged at my heart strings the most, they learn English, they learn to talk to tourists. and they super intelligent and so sweet .they try to sell you stuff, but the way it’s done is so precious .so much personality in such little people, there was a little girl that came up to our group in the night markets in Saigon and she was trying to convince one of the guys that he had to buy a fan for his girlfriend, her argument was spot on. I couldn’t get over how cute Vietnamese kids are, there were so many times all I wanted was to adopt one and bring one back. The kids are so special. in hoi an we met Lei and her elder brother and let me tell you these two were something else , I’m convinced that he was the smartest kid I’ve ever met by the end of the conversation he had just one request , he asked for ice cream . man oh man how could I say no , so I took them to get a cone each and the joy on their faces has been worth everything to me, it was definitely one of those special moments in my life because the fact that I could make them happy and that all it took was just those ice creams I can’t describe how wonderful that felt .Every time I could find a child that would try to sell me to stuff I would take her to get an ice cream I became addicted to giving them something to make them happy as a child should be.
But there was also another lesson in meeting these kids that night we all might think it’s cruel and brutal that these kids are walking around in town at 11 at night selling stuff, but what I’ve learnt IS that its survival . It’s growing up knowing the value of hard work. Lei and her brother were earning a living , it’s not like they were abandoned , coz there mum was with and to be honest I met her and she seemed very good, she was a real mum who cared about them and you could see she showed them love , these kids grow up with a different set of values. They not given much, clearly if all it took was an ice cream to make them happy you realize how survival is what counts, before I went to Vietnam I would have found it unacceptable for children to be working but somehow I’ve seen another side to it. There aren’t any street kids in Vietnam, families look after each other, and a Vietnamese mother will never desert her child. So we can’t say that these kids are not looked after I just think that this Vietnamese culture of hard work is engrained from that age and I see it as been a positive.
- The War …its not about who was wrong or right its the impact it had and the reality of its effects
Now you can’t go to Vietnam and not see reminders of the war it is in everything, whether it’s the distant sad look you sometimes see on the older generation’s faces, or the constant reminder of how Agent Orange poisoned generations of people causing deformities. there are Bullet holes in almost every Heritage building and site, the war is there for you to see and imagine the havoc it caused, it’s easy to picture what these people have been through, my journey to Cu chi was one of understanding a very different part to this war and that was the plight of the people to protect their land. The Cu chi soldiers were young boys and girls in their late teens and 20’ s who were willing to live in the craziest conditions underground to protect their land and home of cu chi .Their innovation in the traps and tunnel system they used was incredible, and I found the experience to be very informative . Then there were the Viet Kong that fought with absolute determination and resolute spirit , villagers and rice farmers could stand up to the might of America and her forces . the one thing about the Vietnam war that is apparent though, is that it’s hard to judge and choose a side, the devastation it has caused for people of both the south and north is just too overwhelming to condone or support any side at all, my stand on it is that I have no opinion of who was right and who was wrong.
Should America have stepped in and caused that much destruction? Definitely not! But should the south have been victimized the way they were post war? Absolutely not! The war has displaced many Vietnamese people and yet I marvel at the fact that those refugees could have gone to places like Australia and became the success that they have. Once again it’s that Vietnamese spirit that shines through that there’s no way these people are not built to strive and succeed. The war is not a hindering factor in 2012 thou. They have moved on and no one is willing to ever use their past as an excuse. if there’s one thing you need to admire about these people it’s this very point, I see how south Africans look to the past to make excuses for the situations they are in today, and in contrast I saw how no one, even the man without legs and hands ever uses his circumstance as an excuse, and it makes me question the difference in mentality of the Vietnamese compare to so many others in the world.
My true Lesson
I’m glad I went to Vietnam because it showed me what it means to have spirit and drive .I saw it In the people I met, and I see it in this nation that I know will gain the success she craves . Vietnam has a long way to go before she is able to compete on the levels of the rest of South East Asia’s economic power houses, but there’s no doubt that her immense economic growth is inevitable . If you want to see the victory of human spirit, I suggest you go to Vietnam and experience her with an open mind. Take in the chaos of a thousand motorbikes on the streets of Saigon. Witness the miracle that is life in its simplest forms and values that speak to every human beings core. Experience her amazing food, her wonderful street culture and the immense beauty, go ask the questions she will raise. Because there is no doubt that you will come back inspired and changed. I connected with Vietnam and for me, just been there has made me question my own life and my attitude towards it. I admit that there are flaws in her socialist system that perhaps make it very difficult for her citizens to truly achieve what they want ,but my goal was not to analyze Vietnam’s politics, but to see who she is in 2012 and experience it firsthand. What I have seen is this place with enormous potential and I have fallen in love with it, it taught me lessons that I never expected to learn in a place that is so far from my comfortable world. Perhaps Vietnam made me very human again …
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