Toilets, Time, Traffic and Table Manners
Trip Start
Feb 01, 2004
1
34
44
Trip End
Jun 01, 2004
Hoi An,
Vietnam
Monday, April 19, 2004
On the surface some countries of SE Asia appear surprisingly westernized, particularly in the cities. However, beneath this veneer of western culture Asians are still deeply influenced by ancient cultural traditions, superstitions and perceptions.
Toilets: Across the region squat toilets are the norm. In fact, Vietnam is the first place where western toilets seem to be quite common (at least for tourists.) Next to the usual squat toilet is a bucket or cement reservoir filled with water. A plastic bowl usually floats here or sits nearby. This water has a two fold purpose: toilet goers scoop water and use it to clean their nether regions and a bowl of water is poured down the toilet in place of the automatic flush. Even where there may be western toilets, the scoop is used for flushing. More rustic toilets in the villages where we have stayed consisted of little mroe than a few planks over a hole in the ground! And of course, toilet tissue is seldom supplied, so it is BYOP, unless you have mastered the use of the caybok (butt sprayer), which is still one huge mystery to us. Suffice it to say that in many instances going behind a tree or bush may be preferable. And can we say that trying to use the squat toilet on a moving train in Vietnam can even be injurious to your health!
Time: Despite the fact that we have never seen so many watches in all our lives, no one appears to have any concern for punctuality. Perhaps a big gold watch is just a status symbol, beause it is surely not used for telling time here. Then again there may be good things that come from not having succumbed to the tyranny of time as we westerners have. Asians seem to think we are very uptight (which is likely true)...and I have to say we have become better "waiters" since delays are expected here. The exception to this is Vietnamese trains, which pull out precisely on time and the Vietnamese think it is quite funny when westerners who may be two minutes late are left on the platform!
Traffic: Lest you think travelling here is a breeze, please know that even setting out on foot in some places is taking your life into your hands. The main reason is the number of vehicles on the road, the lack of sidewalks and the fact that pedestrians have absolutely no right of way. One main guideline is that if you head out into traffic, you must never "balk"...you must keep going and pray that the motorcyclists will avoid you. Besides other vehicles, you have to contend with carts, animals and all manner of things. There seems to be no concept of health and safety either. People are welding in the street with no eye protection, men are hitting stones with sledge hammers while wearing sandals, sewer grates have sometimes been completely removed leaving gaping holes to fall into. We saw our first moto accident with two Vietnamese in Hanoi and a woman was knocked off her bike, and fell into a huge sewer drain...people just helped her up, dusted her off and they were all on their way.
We have not rented a bike, a moto or a car. The casualty statistics were enough to stop us...and the only time we got on the back of a motorcycle was in an extreme case in Sapa where we had no other option. There is an adage that if you choose to ride a moto here, chances are you will end up in hospital or jail.
If there are road rules here, it is doubtful that anyone follows them. The best advice would be to take nothing for granted and to assume that other motorists are visually challenged psychopaths! We were even given a brochure in Laos that read: " Driving is Laos is very risky for foreigners. Lao people are driving by inspiration and withe the assistance of Buddha. You are not. The road code is existing but not really respected by the Lao people."
Table Manners: Nothing that even approximates western table manners exists here. Everyone horks and spits everywhere! This was my nightmare from China and it continues here. Not just young guys are spitting, even old ladies...and not just in the street, but on the floor, off the boat, out the bus window. We had one little Lao man and several old ladies who spit constantly either out the songthaew window or the boat window for many hours. It is enough to drive us mad! And to make it worse they are often spitting out mouthfuls of tobacco or tea or worse yet, betel nut juice which is truly a disgusting mess. This is something we will never get used to...
Travelling in Vietnam has been exhausting but fun. It does seem that everyone sees you as a walking dollar sign and we have met people who have hightailed it out of here as a result. But we have found that if you keep a smile and a bit of patience you can break through the money barrier and see some of the charm of the people on the other side. Really, who can balme them? It is one of the poorest countries with the average farmer making about $10.00 a month, a teacher making about $25.00 and even a university prof making only $40.00 a month. There seems to be bribes for everything and many believe that bad fortune falls on those who do not pay. The corruption is rampant and it is easy to see why the average Vietnamese is the way (s)he is!
Tomorrow we head to the beach. We think of everyone often and look forward to seeing you all in June!
