I love the congestion of the traffic, the loud horn of vehicles, the cramped streets without private space, bumpy sidewalk and even hot-tempered street vendors. So why do you hate it?

Motorbike in Vietnam

"deserted" street in Vietnam

Max Murta – one of my friends said that riding a motorbike in Saigon is like swimming among a flock of fish. Perhaps you will burst out laughing when everybody on the streets wear medical masks. In fact, they want to avoid dust and car exhaust. When crossing road, you just need to close your eyes, pray and go quickly diagonally, the stream of people on the streets will thread their way through you.

Chicken in everywhere

Looking around, you will be confused and doubious about what you see “What’s that? That is a cock? Oh my god”. I am sure that you do not know cockfighting is a traditional and popular game in Vietnam. Vietnamese families often raise two kinds of chicken: white chicken and brown chicken. white chicken is to eat, brown chicken will become fighting-cock.

Street vendors

As a tourist, you surely meet street vendors. Not most vendors but many of them often block tourists’ way, hold back, and cling to purchase goods everywhere. That is a problem to foreign visitors. However, I still meet many vendors who are very friendly and polite.  The most important thing is the respect. In big cities, most people dress in two styles: shorts and T-shirt or polite clothes. You should dress politely because you will look like a honourable person to vendors. Please, smiling – Vietnamese like smiling

Weird cooking

Enjoying Vietnam cuisine is an interesting experience. Vietnam cuisine is very abundant. You can eat street food in the sidewalk or go to luxurious restaurants. Tasting new and weird dishes here will give you new experiences. Let’s try green mango with salt. It is so amazing!

Beauty products

I cannot bring my favourite face mask to Vietnam, because it has to be preserved in cold temperature. Therefore, I find something like that here. You know, I am afraid of pimples. And here are what I found:

It is called paper mask – you cover your face with this mask. Each mask is soaked into nutrients like green tea or collagen. I feel like there is a wet towel in my face. I call it “Jason” mask. It is very useful to remove pimples and blackheads.

Lottery

You are drinking Vietnamese coffee in a café and a strange person approaches you. He stands in front of you with lottery tickets.

 
lottery winner

In Vietnam, you will meet the impolite harassment. Although you refuse to buy lottery tickets, the lottery ticket seller still implore you to buy. That is the reason why foreign tourists feel uncomfortable. However, I guess they forget that they also have a chance to win lottery.

You can buy a lottery ticket in the morning and check the result of winners in the afternoon. I have never seen this type of lottery but I really like it. What about the prize? I know some foreign tourists won up to 5 millions VND. Being a millionaire is so great!

Sudden inspiration

Logan ice-cream with peanuts

fried fish balls

Thuy and Chad – two of my friends took me to district 5 (Saigon) to eat Logan ice-cream. Then they continued ordering fried fish balls.

Why not? I was surprised when we ate ice-cream and fish balls at the same time

Loving a country depends on your taste.

Source: giaitri.tinmoi.vn 

Translated by Nguyen Quynh