A favorite type of transport in Hanoi, the motorized cycle. There are thousands in the city.
Travel provides much to us such as new experiences, opportunities to learn, chance to step outside the everyday and if as traveler's we are really paying attention, it provides a means of regaining appreciation and gratitude for our own, probably privileged lives.
At least, that's what routinely happens to me and has been happening as we tour through some of Southeast Asia. What always strikes me is how differently many people live from those of us in North America.
First a couple of facts -- a somewhat typical apartment in densely, overpopulated Hong Kong is about 500 square feet and sells for about $780,000 American or $1 million Australian. This is not a starter home, for people begin with spaces 100 to 200 square feet smaller than that. At this price, the 500 square foot home calculates to about $1560 per square foot. That's pretty damn expensive. I left Hong Kong both with a renewed appreciation for space and a new renewed wondering as to why Americans need so much.
In Hanoi, we observed that much of life is lived on the sidewalks and in the streets.
Sidewalk shops in the Old Quarter of Hanoi.
This brave woman sells fruit while competing for limited space with the motorized cycles.
Hanoi is a loud, chaotic, busy city but there are pockets of calm.
The Temple of Confucius. A place of peace.
As our group was waiting to board our bus, we were surrounded by vendors, aggressively offering for sale items ranging from postcards to greeting cards to hats and t-shirts. One young woman did not accept my "no" and started insistently thwacking my arm while chanting how much money she wanted me to hand over. Our little sidewalk drama ended when I annoyingly told her to stop hitting me.
All my observations left me wondering how Americans are viewed worldwide. I'm guessing the young Vietnamese vendor simply viewed me as a wealthy American since I could afford to travel to her country.
More to come.
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