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Life in Vietnam - going to Hanoi
June 26, 2005
Life in the remote mountainous area of Canh Nang town, Ba Thuoc district is pretty quiet. We are located in Thanh Hoa province, about 4-5 hours drive from the capital of Hanoi. The town is the center of the district with one main street that crosses it, small shops and restaurants without menus. You just ask for what you want to eat, be it a meat dish, omelet, vegetables, etc. All dishes are served without any spices tho there are always fresh chilies on the table. I find the food here fad like boiled cabbage , so I don’t usually eat out unless I have to. And the rice is rarely good, often overcooked and dry. I do love stopping by shops that serve coconut water which is so delicious if served cold with some ice. They simply cut open the green coconut in front of you and pour its water in a jug. You can even ask for tiny slivers of coconut to be added, and some sugar.
The foods that we can find at the market are somewhat limited and depend on what is available locally and the seasons. We had in early spring some nice herbs, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes and cucumbers but they disappeared during the hot months only to return later in the fall. At the market, you can also find many live animals – dogs, ducks and chicken which leave either up side down with the legs tied, or in a bamboo cage. Their final destination – the kitchen! But I could never buy a live animal and kill it, so I forgo this option and ask my landlord to do the dirty work for me. I like going to the market which is lively and people are friendly. Sometimes, I try some of the jelly deserts with beans and coconut, or some pork crepes which are typical Vietnamese dishes.
I love to cook, no matter where I am. It is for me a time to get creative, experiment and create a home. It is also the best way to keep some flavors from home, like making a nice spaghetti, Sheppard’s pie or hamburgers. I also make my own yoghourt every week, jams, cookies and pies. Two months after arriving here, I treated myself by buying a small oven. I have already used it so much, and often make dinners here with the other volunteers. I also have such a nice terrace, that it is a great place to eat, have a beer and just hang out and chat. But from time to time, I need to see the big city, change the scenery and stock up on food. All my groceries must be purchased in Hanoi – cheese, milk, juice, pasta, flour, etc – and brought back here.
Hanoi is a big city and it is developing quickly, which results in chaos, noise and dynamic shopping centers. There are a few small lakes (or ponds) in the downtown area and these provide rest areas like an oasis in the desert. People do their exercises in the early mornings, walk around the lake, read and meet friends. The supermarkets are fine, tho they do not by any means have the variety of products that we would at home, but we can find the essentials. I always come with my huge bags which I easily fill up. But I have to be careful not to go crazy – which I do – since bringing it all back is no small task If I am lucky, I can come back on Sunday with the project vehicle, which is easy enough, otherwise I have to take the bus.
In Hanoi, I have my favorite spots and habits like going for a nice Thai massage, some shopping and of course, my favorite restaurants. I love to buy DVD movies tho for now I don’t have a DVD player so I try to borrow the project’s laptop for weekends. We get all new releases like Star Wars, Hôtel Rwanda, Wimbledon, Les Choristes, etc. We can also buy CDs and I even found some Quebec singers like Lynda Lemay and Beau Dommage. How cool is that? Of course all of these are pirated, but you cannot buy the « real » thing in Vietnam. There are no big music store chain like HMV or Tower Records.
I love the Kangaroo restaurant with fish ‘n chips for 3$ or burgers with fries for 2$. There’s also an Italian restaurant which has a nice salad buffet All-you-can-eat for only 2$. The more fancy restaurant for me is a Korean place with authentic dishes including the national Bim Bap which I love – rice with meat, veggies, eggs and kim chi (pickled cabbage). And finally, to keep me from losing any weight, there is a nice French pastry shop which has milles-feuilles, custard, crème caramel and white chocolate cake. Nice for the sweet tooth and too yummy!
And to relax on a hot day, I go to the big Sau Mai Hotel which has a huge outdoor swimming pool. Entrance fee – 2$. I can easily spend a half day there, waddling in the pool and sometimes doing a few lengths and feeling very out of shape. But mostly, I just love to cool down and read a good book, my favorite way of unwinding. Then I return to my hotel room, which is basic but at least there is cable TV, a small fridge and air conditioning. I get myself a nice bottle of wine, turn on the TV and I am set for the evening. I get American channels but also the French TV-5, which sometimes has Quebec programming and even news.
Life in Vietnam has its little routine just like back home, with favorite places, habits and some nice perks. And I am glad that Hanoi is accessible for us where so many things are available!