Things Aren't What They Seem

Finally! A new post!

This time, I'll be writing bout my trip in Vietnam, Hanoi and trust me, it's an eye-opener.

If you were thinking that a place like this would be a somewhat undeveloped country,

You aren't anywhere from far.

If you've been to more remote places in Thailand, it's something like that here.

But the highlight of my post this time is the cultural side of it.

Be here for three days and you'll start giving EVERYONE a suspicious eye. They'll rip you off here every little chance they have here. But the thing is they'll not even give it a thought to steal from you. You can walk around with jewelry no problemo. No such thing as snatch thieves or robbery here. Strange isn't it? 

Don't forget this is also a communist country. Anything like that and *chop!*. It's a place where they won't steal from you but if you're not careful and lose something, they'll definitely not return it to you. So be real careful around here.

Be here for five days and you'll start crossing the roads here no problem. Hardly any cars here cause they cost DOUBLE the price of our heavily taxed cars in Malaysia. But the whole road is teeming with motorcycles and bicycles that zoom by every second at terrifying speeds. The cars here don't give way either. So don't walk in front of a car and expect them to slow down, cause they won't. One of the main reasons why accidents occur all the time. On the other hand, motorcycles and bikes can avoid you. Try taking a taxi here, their driving techniques are incredible. You can see how those two-wheeled vehicles maneuver around you. The people here never lift their hands off the honks - the main cause of the sound pollution here. They'll honk at ANYTHING in their way - alive or not. 

Be here for a week, that's only when you'll start seeing the good side of these people. Like Thais, if you get on their good side, it's always the safest. There ARE some very honest people I've met around here. But that's rare alone. Learn to have a good laugh with them and they'll be nice to you. Buy favors from the people useful to you here if possible and they'll make life good for you. And you'll learn to haggle well after this period of time too. Everything (except with stated fixed price) can be haggled for. Most of the things here are cheap such as bags and clothes (counterfeit of course). 

Food is really good too. EVERYTHING is fresh. 

Best of the best I tell you. But don't buy food off the streets with no washing water. Just observe them for a while and you'll know why...

But if you look in the right places, food is fantastic.

Like the beef noodles, Phở Bò (fer bo), their signature dish around here. It's definitely the best. Everything is fresh and real good. People here aren't fat because of their low-fat and tasty diet. Stay here and you'll definitely lose weight. The food here are low in oil content and salt. That sounds tasteless right? But it's all replaced with the yummy vegetables (scrumptious) and fruits (delicious!) here. Unless you're a carnivore, you'll love the food here. Actually in fact, I think you'll stop being a carnivore after your trip here.

So there you have it. Hanoi in Vietnam. There's actually so much more to write about. But I haven't been here long enough so...yeah.

They have Twister in the form of a can here!!!!! And they have Fanta!!! 

Lol...

So there...byeeee~