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Read some
The immigration card for entry into Viet Nam asked me if I had symptoms
including 'acute neurological syndrome', as if to say, 'you're coming to Viet Nam, are you crazy?' The fine print also prohibited
me bringing in, 'children's toys having negative effects on personality development, social order and security.'
Read some more
Bia Hoi
In Ha Noi the beer of the masses is called Bia Hoi. It
is a 3% draught beer sold by anyone who can afford a couple of plastic stools. At 32C and extreme humidity Bia Hoi
slides down pretty well any time of the day, proving that beer is more than just a breakfast drink. It is also attractively
priced at 1500 dong (about 22 cents) a schooner. As the sun goes down a hundred places in the Old Quarter break out the plastic
stools and turn the footpaths, gutters and roads into instant beer gardens.
Tea Houses
Tea houses are all the rage with the young set in Ha Noi. After
lunch Prerana and I went to the Qualitea 12 tea house with its long bright green awning and shady atmosphere. The shading
is no accident, it's a popular smooching venue for the young and restless in Ha Noi. And because Hanoians live many to a room,
smooching venues are a premium.
Mountain Rat and Dog Eggs
One interesting delicacy I saw at the Bac Ha market was mountain
rat, a small furry thing about the size of a hamster. They were sold in red plastic mesh bags and had their two front teeth
pulled out so they cannot bite. Over lunch I met a Vietnamese tour leader who suggested I try the fried mountain rat. He also
told a story about the first time he ate dog. He went to stay with his uncle in the country and presumably they treated their
young nephew to the most tender parts of the roast. When he arrived home he proudly told his parents he'd eaten dog eggs.
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