When you come to Vietnam for the first time, you discover a culture but also surprising things that surprise many tourists, notably transport by scooter or traffic.
Sit down at a café terrace and enjoy Vietnamese life. While in France, everything is square, in Vietnam, this is far from being the case and that is what gives it its charm.
A brief overview of the unusual in Vietnam:
1)L‘Electricity
Ah the famous electric poles. It makes tourists laugh a lot and that’s what jumps out at you as soon as you travel around Vietnam, particularly the old quarter of Hanoi.
We feel a little sorry for the Vietnamese electricians when we see the maze of wires on the electrical poles.
Why are there so many wires? Quite simply because a wire or service (telephone, internet, etc.) is added for each house.
2)Le transport by scooter
In Vietnam, the scooter is used to transport anything and everything. Whether it’s pigs, fridges, etc… but above all in phenomenal quantities. Honestly, we don’t always know how everything can hold together without capsizing.
You can also ride the scooters with more than 4 – 5 or even 6 people. Here too, it’s surprising and guaranteed to give you a laugh.
3)Lhas white skin
Unlike back home, in Vietnam, you have to have white skin. Being white is considered a status symbol, a sign that you have money and don’t work outside in the rice fields or other places. To avoid getting tanned, we take out socks, gloves and the umbrella even in 40 degrees. Which gives rise to funny scenes.
Funny thing: If you go to the beach very early in the morning, you will see that the beaches are crowded since the sun is not yet up and no chance of sunbathing.
4) Loud funerals
While in France, a funeral takes place in silence, in Vietnam, it is the opposite, trumpet and drum are on the program without forgetting the photographer. Funeral wakes are an opportunity to invite your neighbors and drink a good beer. Having experienced it, it’s quite surprising.
Why so much noise? To chase away evil spirits.
Another difference: the funeral procession is super colorful. hardly unimaginable in France.
5)Lare naps
In Vietnam, people go to nap anywhere. On their motorbikes, in hammocks between 2 trees or even attached to their vehicle.
Everything is good for taking a nap… It must also be said that the day starts at 5:30 a.m.
6)Lstreet jobs
In the street, you can buy fruit, get your hair cut or have your beard trimmed. A simple tree can be transformed into a hair salon.
You can also have your shoes repaired (be careful with this, there are scams) or buy flowers, sunglasses or fish… There are also street foods with their magnificent miniature plastic chairs or afterwards 5 minutes, you hurt everywhere.
7) Lthe toilet
No toilet paper? No problem! All you have to do is use the water gun available in all Vietnamese toilets.
An ecological way but above all used to prevent the paper from blocking the pipes. Little advice: Test it before use, some jets are super powerful…
8) Lare green oranges
Don’t look for orange oranges.
Yes, Vietnamese oranges are green even when ripe. On the other hand, inside, they are identical to ours.
