Ha Noi

The celebrations in Ha Noi have got me thinking about Vietnam's northern capital, a place of lakes and literature, where the people are seen as more conservative than their cousins in the south.

I like this photo of these old timers having a chat by Hoan Kiem lake. This lake is right in the centre of town, next to the famous old quarter. Although it draws many tourists, you'll still see the older folk of Ha Noi there, comtemplating the water or taking some gentle exercise. I always wonder what they think of all that's happened in Vietnam in their lifetime. The stories they could tell.

Unsurprisingly, given Vietnam's history, the differences between north and south and thus Hanoi and Saigon are quite pronounced. A southerner may not always have the nicest things to say about his compatriots in the north, and vice versa. There's a simmering rivalry, and if you wanted to take part in this and endear yourself to a southerner, there are a number of things you could say about Hanoi. You could say the food is too salty and that you prefer the south's sweet flavours, or that the people aren't as friendly or that the weather is miserable. 

But are these things true? The differences in the food are fairly universally acknowledged. And Ha Noi is known for being grey and drizzly for a few too many months of the year. And the people? Well, Ha Noi is the capital of this communist country. It's cooler and perhaps you could say its culture is more Chinese influenced. Although Chinese traditions are fundamental to  Kinh Vietnamese throughout the country, the south has also been influenced by various and shifting cultures such as the Khmer and Cham. 

There is a difference in culture because of differences in history, and I have had experiences in Ha Noi where I would agree completely with the southern view of the north, but maybe that's just my own prejudices from being so much more familiar with Saigon. In Ha Noi, I'm a tourist in a place that I feel like I know because it's Vietnam, but then am often frustrated to find that I don't. In Saigon, well, even after four years, some days I still feel like a tourist, but at least I know my way around.