Sunday, July 10, 2005
Shangrilla with Souvenirs
Saturday I finally left the confines of Ha Noi. What an extraordinary day! The Trieu children took me to their hometown, Hoa Binh, a small city about 25 miles outside of Ha Noi. It is nestled in the mountains which surround the capital. Spectacular! How can I describe it? A boy in a red t-shirt shimmying up a pole in a middle of a rice paddy. Water oxen ambling along the side of the two lane highway. Mountains that look like jagged pieces of glass, covered with sharp layers of brown and black rock. Others that are more gentle, and curve to the horizon, covered with thick green trees that hug their contours.
We went to visit a Hmong village that is located very close to the city Hoa Binh. As soon as I stepped out of the car, I was surrounded by three young girls and an elderly woman trying to sell me beautiful embroidery made by the neighboring Xao people. They pleaded with me to buy things, and wouldn't take no for an answer. Unfortunately, I was running out of cash and had yet to find an ATM that accepted my debit cards. Eventually when we walked far enough away, they awaited the next visitors.
We looked through the village and stopped at a house that is open to guests. The Hmong people in the house offered us rice wine and tea. The rice wine is very strong and I turned down their offer for an additional glass. The tea is a type of green tea common in Viet Nam. It is very bitter, but I drink it because the people here say it helps you deal with the heat.
Both the Trieus and I bought some items from the Hmong. I couldn't buy much because of the cash situation, but I did find some beautiful tapestries. When we returned to the car, the kids and the elderly lady were back. They think all foreigners are very rich. They showed me some Euros that a tourist had given them and eventually I was able to change them for a generous rate. One little girl kept following me and was absolutely begging me to buy an embroidered item for 30,000 VND dong (about $2). Unfortunately, at this time I only had about 50,000 dong, and I didn't know when I could access my cash. It was very difficult to look her in the eyes and just refuse. I know she was trying her best to make the sale. They are good salespeople, but their poverty is also very real.
After leaving the village we stopped for lunch at a local place that is a favorite of the elder Mr. Trieu. Mr. Trieu worked as a math teacher for many years in Hoa Binh, hence this is why it is the Trieu children's hometown. We had a meal of goat meat and fried pork. Some of the goat was tender, some was pretty tough. It was cooked with a breading. The meal also featured many types of herbs that are supposed to have medicinal properties.
After that it was off to visit Mrs. Trieu's aunt, who is married to a prominent artist. Her husband entusiatically showed me his gallery, which includes both oil paintings and sculptures. His work is very good, and includes both portraits and works based on Vietnamese legends. Also, he is a veteran of what they call here "The American War." He proudly showed me his medals from his ten years of army service, and didn't seem to hold any animosity even though I am an American.
We returned home in a driving rainstorm, the mountains were even more beautiful, tucked away in blankets of clouds. People didn't let the rain and lightning deter them, they were still pedaling away on bicycles and motorbikes, hauling a variety of items, firewood, metal cables, heaping bags of rice, chickens, alive and recently slaughtered, pigs--hogtied in a basket
**********
Just a word about the ATM situation. On Sunday I was able to find an ATM--at the Horison Hotel near the center of town. There are many ATMs here, but most only take cards for local banks. The one at the hotel is part of the system for ANZ bank, which is a big international bank. Even at this ATM, I was not able to get a large sum out at once, instead I had to use both debit cards for smaller amounts. Thus, I will get slugged with two fees from my banks at home. Something to keep in mind when you are travelling to Viet Nam.
We went to visit a Hmong village that is located very close to the city Hoa Binh. As soon as I stepped out of the car, I was surrounded by three young girls and an elderly woman trying to sell me beautiful embroidery made by the neighboring Xao people. They pleaded with me to buy things, and wouldn't take no for an answer. Unfortunately, I was running out of cash and had yet to find an ATM that accepted my debit cards. Eventually when we walked far enough away, they awaited the next visitors.
We looked through the village and stopped at a house that is open to guests. The Hmong people in the house offered us rice wine and tea. The rice wine is very strong and I turned down their offer for an additional glass. The tea is a type of green tea common in Viet Nam. It is very bitter, but I drink it because the people here say it helps you deal with the heat.
Both the Trieus and I bought some items from the Hmong. I couldn't buy much because of the cash situation, but I did find some beautiful tapestries. When we returned to the car, the kids and the elderly lady were back. They think all foreigners are very rich. They showed me some Euros that a tourist had given them and eventually I was able to change them for a generous rate. One little girl kept following me and was absolutely begging me to buy an embroidered item for 30,000 VND dong (about $2). Unfortunately, at this time I only had about 50,000 dong, and I didn't know when I could access my cash. It was very difficult to look her in the eyes and just refuse. I know she was trying her best to make the sale. They are good salespeople, but their poverty is also very real.
After leaving the village we stopped for lunch at a local place that is a favorite of the elder Mr. Trieu. Mr. Trieu worked as a math teacher for many years in Hoa Binh, hence this is why it is the Trieu children's hometown. We had a meal of goat meat and fried pork. Some of the goat was tender, some was pretty tough. It was cooked with a breading. The meal also featured many types of herbs that are supposed to have medicinal properties.
After that it was off to visit Mrs. Trieu's aunt, who is married to a prominent artist. Her husband entusiatically showed me his gallery, which includes both oil paintings and sculptures. His work is very good, and includes both portraits and works based on Vietnamese legends. Also, he is a veteran of what they call here "The American War." He proudly showed me his medals from his ten years of army service, and didn't seem to hold any animosity even though I am an American.
We returned home in a driving rainstorm, the mountains were even more beautiful, tucked away in blankets of clouds. People didn't let the rain and lightning deter them, they were still pedaling away on bicycles and motorbikes, hauling a variety of items, firewood, metal cables, heaping bags of rice, chickens, alive and recently slaughtered, pigs--hogtied in a basket
**********
Just a word about the ATM situation. On Sunday I was able to find an ATM--at the Horison Hotel near the center of town. There are many ATMs here, but most only take cards for local banks. The one at the hotel is part of the system for ANZ bank, which is a big international bank. Even at this ATM, I was not able to get a large sum out at once, instead I had to use both debit cards for smaller amounts. Thus, I will get slugged with two fees from my banks at home. Something to keep in mind when you are travelling to Viet Nam.
