They are a beautiful couple, riding a motorbike together through the frenetic streets of Vietnam's capital. He drives one-handed with his second arm firmly embracing his lover. He wears a small black helmet that matches his tight black jeans. She is absolutely radiant, her beautiful ivory white skin visible from well across the intersection. Her skin glistens like royal porcelain.
Wait a second. It is porcelain. And that's not a woman riding shotgun that the man is embracing. It's actually a white porcelain toilet. Oh well, sometimes you just get lonely.
Hanoi, Vietnam is an neurotic maze of loud, exhaust-spewing motorbikes sprinting throughout the streets. There are no crosswalks, stop signs, or traffic lights. The intersections are lunacy - eight streets converging on one small roundabout. There isn't traditional one-way traffic as each marked "lane" encompasses multi-direction traffic. Getting around the city, even by foot, is complete chaos. To cross the street, one walks slowly, praying, and hoping God is listening. Dozens of motorbikes rush alongside me as I walk across, veering out of the way at the last second. Just remember: Never. Walk. Backwards.
Note: Images from Google
Residents all ride motorbikes, often with families of five piled on top including small babies. Others carry dogs, cats, dead chickens and pigs, lobster traps, massive amounts of fresh vegetables, or huge boxes from recent shopping trips. Although motorbikes don't really have blind spots, Hanoi's drivers are actively trying to combat this safety feature.
Note: Images from Google
Harriet, Lauren, Becky and I share a cab to our hostel from the airport. Our driver's secret service appearance of a white shirt, black tie, and black sunglasses belies his much softer core. His iPod is connected to the car's speaker system and throughout the twenty minute ride, he cranks up Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You" and Mariah Carey's "Hero," proudly singing along. Forget the secret service, this particular gentleman probably cries when he breaks a nail.
Hanoi is difficult to maneuver around due to its confusing streets which are laid out like a Pollack painting. Once one starts exploring, however, the capital is alive with energy. Teens sit outside the city's main cathedral, spitting sunflower seeds, drinking iced green tea mixed with water, throwing back freshly-pressed sugarcane juice, laughing, and inviting travelers to join. Small restaurants line the sidewalks of the city. Locals sit on small blue plastic chairs, only 6'' tall, to enjoy meals, although the chairs would be better suited for Capuchin monkeys. Al fresco corner "Bia Hoi" stands sell homemade pilsner-like draft beer for pennies (5,000dong = $0.25/glass) until their daily kegs are kicked.
We're staying at Hanoi Backpackers, one of the most popular hostels in the capital. At $7 for my dorm bed, it's one of the most expensive places I've stayed to date and, along with the cab fare, instantly reveals how Vietnam will be much pricier than Thailand and Laos (draft beer notwithstanding). Our hostel is on a small narrow street in the Old Quarter, occupying a similarly sized building. There are two adjacent wings each with five stories of large air conditioned dorm rooms with a dozen beds along with hot showers! The top of the hostel is bar, with nightly theme nights, oversized jenga, liquor buckets, and bahn mi-style burgers.
My dorm room is called the "Rumpus Room." And since I've just touched down in Vietnam, it's time to let the wild rumpus begin.
No comments:
Post a Comment