Some final thoughts (for now) as we while away the final hours of our month in Vietnam...
It took us a few days to find our sea legs, hardly surprising when you consider the extended travel time and number of time zones between here and home. But once we got into the swing of things, we found the sights and food and adventure that we had hoped to.
I confess to being surprised at the emerging capitalism in the country, evidenced by the number of housefronts hosting commercial activities of some kind. Even in the rural areas, many front yards host coffee shops, restaurants, or small convenience stands. And in a country with a very low average annual wage, there is evident significant income disparity. For those interested in the long read, this link provides a more comprehensive summary of Vietnam's recent economic path than I will manage: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2015/apr/22/vietnam-40-years-on-how-communist-victory-gave-way-to-capitalist-corruption
There is a surprising amount of US entertainment on TV, much of it sub-titled rather than dubbed. Newspapers and magazines are not prevalent, but with few exceptions, even in the remotest hills, you can get online with a data plan for comparatively cheap by Canadian standards. And there is nothing by way of the internet censorship present in China.
The country is wonderfully accessible. Sure, the state knows exactly where we've been (we surrender our passports at each hotel so our stay can be registered with the authorities, and our SIM cards were bought from the state-owned telecom) but we have had a sense of freedom. The road system is up-to-date in Google Maps, and though it hasn't been at all reliable for locating sundries like restaurants, bakeries or convenience stores, I suspect this has mostly to do with difficulties in translation and the often very temporary nature of business installations, some of which appear out of nowhere on the sidewalk for a few hours and vanish just as quickly.
We have seen a police presence on the roads but we rigorously abided by the speed restrictions and were never pulled over. At the request of the bike rental agency, we made a point of avoiding the southern coastline where tourists on bikes have been creating mayhem with the result that the police are now confiscating bikes ridden by foreigners through a small, localized area. We have seen no evidence of a fire service, but ambulances of a kind abound, albeit never seeming in any particular hurry.
There has been no chance of Adam and I surreptitiously blending in; between our (often grimy) appearance and utter lack of language skills, we get noticed. As wealthy outsiders, we have been happy to support the local economy but have been happier when we haven't had the feeling of being extorted. The cost of food and bottled water has varied dramatically, but we have learned to avoid the tourist traps and have a better sense now for what is fair. Vietnam is in short, a very cheap country to visit at present, once you manage to get here anyhow. Though I do recognize (and hope) that this is likely a temporary condition while the country becomes more developed.
Some quirks: the waiters will put packaged moistened towlettes on your table along with extra cans of beer. If you don't use either, you're not charged for them. I prefer the restaurants that give out free 'napkins' of newsprint, or in one case squares of paper containing someone's diagnosis of heart disease (you can't make this stuff up).
It is best not to consider the hygiene of dish washing. Frequently, this seems to consist of scraping off the lumpy bits then rinsing the dishes in a bucket of water while crouched on the sidewalk. While waiting for one oil change, we were solicitously offered a drink of water from cups that had moments before been emptied and immediately replaced on the table after use by the previous occupants.
I don't mention these things to criticize, I mention them because they have expanded my level of tolerance and understanding. We have taken precautions where possible, in exclusively drinking hot beverages, beer or bottled water for example, but with other things like the dish washing or reuse of bed coverings (on a few isolated occasions), it is best not to linger too long on the subject as there is nothing to be done about it.
Overriding all these matters has been the general solicitousness of everyone whom we have encountered. And some beautiful scenery, the likes of which we will not soon again encounter.
