just returned from vietnam!
its an awfully spectacular country-
brilliant scenery, rich history
and vibrant culture;
i definitely NEED to return,
but to the mountainous regions on
the northern side- sapa,
where the many ethnic minorities
cluster.
vietnam is fairly young with
her tourism industry,
but i think she has,
quite quickly,
found her niche.
superficially she may seem
all too similar to her other
Southeast Asian counterparts,
but on closer scrutiny
you will see the characteristics that
define Vietnam.
due to the Pre-Dynastic Era and
French Colonialism,
Vietnamese culture has been
moulded by a unique
mix of east and west influence,
which is evident in the
architecture, crafts, customs and lifestyle.
i think its none like other,
how she gracefully embrace
both starkly contrasting cultures
to create hers.
it is a socialist republic
that is seeking to open her doors
to make herself more globally relevant.
she is in a time where
public housing and industrial plants are
sprouting out all over,
where the first branch of KFC has opened
in Saigon,
and where meritocracy is increasingly
valued, to help people out of city to
break out of the poverty cycle.
most importantly:
the resilience of its people.
prior to 1986,
the country was still in its
Subsidise Period trying to
get their act together after the
Vietnam War.
but now, Hanoi is in
pretty amazing shape-
with plenty of foreign investors
flocking in - Yamaha, Canon, Panasonic etc -
more cars on the roads,
and the tourism industry booming.
you have to admire how promptly
they picked themselves up.
the one thing that struck me is
how MANY of the vietnamese
are able to
converse in foreign langauges.
i am not referring only to those
who belong to the higher rungs of the society.
even the girl on the street
bugging me to buy pearl necklaces (imitation)
can do so in mandarin.
they pick up languages from
tourists.
i think they know the importance of this
to their livelihoods.
such is the spirit of the Vietnamese,
they adapt.
im beat.
SNEAK PREVIEW!
8:01 PM