..okay, I'm sitting in an Internet cafe with a semi-okay connection in the middle of Hanoi's Old Quarter. In addition to the tap-tap-tapping sounds of the computers, there are the bells of the cyclo drivers, the incessant honking of motorbikes and autos, and a myriad of other sounds filtering in from the streets of Hanoi. My stomach is processing some spicy Vietnamese hot pot, for which I know I paid way too much (the equivalent of about $3 for two), and I am praying that I don't get sick from eating my third street meal of the day. This is all very typical of the tourist's experience in Vietnam - you get the feeling that you're living in a book with all the loud sounds, bright colors, and flavorful dishes. But what I can't get over is the fact that there is a 30-year-old dwarf sitting behind me, practicing English with the girl at the counter and occasionally chastising me for calling him Chu ("uncle") when I should have called him Anh ("brother"). This is some place.
Posted by Christine at March 2, 2004 07:28 AM