Alice in WonderNam

Given America's history in Vietnam, it is perhaps the most interesting country we've been in.  Nothing is black and white.  It's grey and it's colorful.  We came with a particular interest in the Vietnamese peoples' perception of their country, their government, and the future.  We wondered if people were happy with how everything turned out.  So far, after talking to a number of people over the past week, the only sure thing is that after 100+ years of war, the people are happy to be living in peace. 

That message rings true in the messages portrayed at Reunification Palace in Saigon where the North Vietnamese "liberated" the South.  It also rings true with the two South Vietnamese soldiers (who fought with the U.S.to prevent communist takeover) that we had the pleasure of spending time with (one was a 62 year-old cyclo driver, the other a 60 year-old tour guide).  They may not have total freedom (those who fought with the U.S. are barred from getting highly educated jobs and spent years in painful "re-education camps"), but peace and the chance for prosperity (communism is basically dead here) give the country a feeling of hope, a sense of pride, and energy to put towards building a successful economy.   Are they happy with how everything turned out?  There is no simple answer, and we don't expect to find one. 



We can however, report some early observations:


-The people are incredibly friendly.  Our first big bus ride, we were the only Westerners on the bus (that was a first for us).  Everything was communicated in Vietnamese, including our 30 minute lunch/bathroom stop where we could have easily been lost in the fray.  No problem, a handful if Vietnamese travelers who spoke some english took us under their wings, showed us which restrooms to use, shared food with us, and got us set up to find a place to sleep in Saigon. We never really even needed to ask for help.


-While the people are incredibly friendly, vendors will vigourously befriend you as they attempt to lighten your wallet with inflated prices.  We have to haggle for almost everything.  We've won a few, we've lost many more, but we're getting the hang of it.  Once you know the game, its fun to play.  Otherwise you feel like an idiot.  Take our $10 'Oakey' and 'Diesle' knockoff sunglasses for instance.


-In Saigon, the motorbike is king.  At major intersections, there is literally a sea of motorbikes zig-zagging and weaving to get where they want to go.  Minor streets and intersections are much the same. As if crossing the street wasn't enough, on the sidewalk it is not uncommon to hear a friendly honk behind you asking for you to step to the side for a motorbike to pass.  We popped in to a shoe store one afternoon and had to step aside to let a motorbike pass.  He wasn't pushing it, he was riding it.  With the motor on. 


-The motorbike opens up a world of social opportunities.  In Saigon, couples and singles gather in beautiful tree shaded open spaces to eat, drink, play a sort of badmitton hackey sack, dance and just hang out.  Many teens and twenty-somethings simply sit on their motorbikes like couches.  It is a beautiful, communal sight..

-Many things are the same as home.  The ice-cream man sounds the same here, except that he or she is usually on a bike of some sort.  Unfortunately we can't load our pictures (endless computer troubles), but we have a great one of two police men sitting in the front window of a donut shop.  No further comment necessary.


And in Saigon, you can watch movies.  We were so excited.  Not only were there movies, they were showing Alice in Wonderland.  It was so fun to be in a theatre in Vietnam.  So far, it really does feel like WonderNam.