discovering vietnam

by brigitte le-thanh

I can remember like it was yesterday,
traveling to all these fantastic and exotic cities,
villages, and towns in Europe. I was young. Quite likely, I
did not comprehend some of the historical marvels that I was able to
see with my own eyes, however, that certainly did not stop me from wanting to see more...I loved it! I let over a decade pass by before I finally was able to travel overseas again, but this story isn't about Europe. It's about Vietnam. My heritage. My background. I knew so much about Europe and so little about where my Mom and Dad and my whole family came from. Yeah, I am part French, but it was definitely time to visit "my" country.

August 2004...my first family trip since I was 12 years old. A 16 hour flight and a layover in China led us into the beautiful countryside of Hanoi, North Vietnam. Talk about beautiful...Wait, beautiful does not even justify the plush landscape and indiginous towns that make up this large farming community. Actually, Vietnam is one of the largest exporters of rice (2nd only to Thailand). Amazing...considering all rice fields are handpicked and irrigation systems are still made out bamboo. Forget electricity, my friend. It's tradition that have gotten these people by. Visually, the vast skyline and never ending mounds of hillsides and mountains were just amazing to witness. I've seen pictures like this in all my travel books, but seeing it in person just took on a whole different meaning.

The people are like worker bees! They work in the fields, outdoor markets, family-owned stores, ride tourists around in bikes, you name it...they do it. In fact, I felt bad for this one gentleman that biked me around for 22 miles through a bustling village. I was bigger than him! And for a ride like that...he only charged me 22,000 dong....whichis about a buck fifty. That's how hard these people work! Made me rethink the complaining I do at my jobs. But they don't seem to mind it. They're doing it without thinking twice. Children even give their parents an extra hand.

part 1