The faces of Vietnam

Most countries have that quintessential image that when you see it you can't help but think "yeah, that's definitely x country - it can't be anywhere else".

It could be a landmark - the Eiffel Tower - a festival - Carnaval - something which you associate with a particular country without even thinking.

After 10 days in Vietnam I don't think I've found that image or had that moment where I've thought - "Yeah, this is Vietnam". A quick google image search brings up maps of Vietnam, photos from the Vietnam war and Ha Long Bay (somewhere I haven't been yet.)

I think mostly because all the places we've been so far (Ho Ch Minh City/ Saigon, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue) have been so diverse and different there hasn't really been a constant. And most things which you might consider could be Vietnamese - the conical hats, street vendors, insane traffic - can also be attributed to other Asian countries.

Ho Chi Minh City is built up rather unevenly with high-rises near strips of small shops, markets and food vendors. The roads are clogged with motorbikes which in turn clog your airways with exhaust fumes and your ears with the excessive honking of horns. Its a city that definitely has life to it in a frenetic and hectic kind of way. A 24/7 sensory overload.

Head northeast to Nha Trang and things slow down a bit. You find a tropical white sand beach with water so clear you can see the grooves in the sand beneath your feet. At 6am its warm enough to go for the first swim of the day. (As soon as we got off the sleeper bus the feeling of wanting to jump right in was only marginally outweighed by the thought we should probably check in somewhere so we can leave our things.) Its a fancy resort town sitting amongst a city of high-rises. The traffic is less and so is the feeling you need to be somewhere in a hurry. This has holiday destination written all over it - if you're into that kind of thing.

Further north in Hoi An is something which resembles a sleepy seaside town with old, yellow buildings with wooden shutters and a lot of character down by the riverside. There are remnants of its history still about - the old Japanese bridge and some houses which have been preserved as a reminder of years gone by. The streets are lined with tailors, restaurants and art galleries. Life indeed seems to go slower the further north you go.

Hue is the home of an imperial city surrounded by high walls, a moat and a relatively expensive entrance fee (80,000VND = $5NZD). No longer used in its official capacity as well, an imperial city, it has become one of the major tourist attractions in the city - aside from the tombs of some dudes which is kind of creepy. The buildings within the walls which survived the bombings during the Vietnam War have been preserved and repaired while others have been left as they stood after being reduced to rubble. The citadel sits on the other side of the Perfume River from the rest of the city and is linked by two bridges. The rest of the city is largely nondescript with no obvious landmarks and seemingly thin on street food vendors compared to other cities.

I suppose amongst all that the constant seems to be the people. Persistent (most will try their hardest to make you buy something and won't take your first "no" as an answer) and content enough with their lot despite the obvious devastation of the Vietnam War just 40 years ago. Though in the faces and voices of some street vendors selling bracelets, sunglasses, fruit and cigarettes (among other things), there is an air of desperation - that if they drop their prices too much or don't sell enough they may not be able to feed themselves or their family that night.

Like any country which has witnessed firsthand the worst of human depravity there are reminders everywhere in the form of museums, ruins and scars on the land and people.

Describing Vietnam and its culture is complicated - there seem to be regional differences in food and attitudes and influences taken from its past including french style bagguettes (which you can buy filled with various meats, vegetables and sauces from street stalls) and bakeries from during the French occupation. It also still uses the US Dollar as well as the Vietnamese Dong - a remnant from the Vietnam War. Its food is also very similar to that of the rest of Asia - rice, noodles, steamed buns and even some desserts which I myself are familiar with from growing up around part of the Chinese culture. I'm not sure which country influenced which in this respect, though.

So Vietnam really seems like a country which has taken the best of parts of its chequered history and mashed it together to create its own unique character within South East Asia.

Posted in: Vietnam