I have now officially arrived in Vietnam. So far what I have to show it some black boogers and a feeling of being a bit under the weather. Pollution will do that to you, even if I do wear one of those surgeon masks.

Despite what some older British and Canadian men told me, the border was no problem, even though I’m an American. And, despite the many nay saying stories of travellers, Vietnamese people do smile. I’ve smiled at many while I’ve been here and they’ve all smiled back– with the exception of a guard at the Reunification palace.

I imagine many of the stories are true, but I wonder what people are expecting when they’ve come to Vietnam. I’ve heard so much bad stuff since I’ve been away, I was almost tempted not to come. I’ve only been here two days and I did have some creepy guy from Senegal almost ruin the night for me yesterday, but it hasn’t been bad. I guess one has to take it all in stride. At the markets people are trying to earn a living and if I could get $50 for something, of course I’ll try to charge that, if the person will pay it. Conversely,  I only want to pay so much for something, so why would I pay more? Of course it’s more troublesome to constantly have to barter, but things are overpriced back home and we get no say in it. It’s unfortunate that a whole country has to have a bad reputation. From the Vietnamese I’ve encountered they’ve been very friendly, so it saddens me to hear their reputation. There is a lot of thievery and ripping off, but that’s common for any large city– Detroit, anyone? And they’ll shoot you and beat you up in the states for a wallet. I suppose there is this certain attitude when people are travelling that they should be able to do what they want–they are on vacation after all– and shouldn’t have to take the necessary precautions. Things like, not walking around wasted at night through streets or walking alone at night or hanging your purse on the back of your chair while eating. I can say all this and eat my hat later on, but one can’t expect that one can live with wreckless abandon just because work isn’t in the picture. I also realized that I’m not always the nicest to tourist in Seattle, “What Dumbasses” I say to myself as I see them wandering around, gawking, getting in my way as I try to walk at a reasonable pace. I’m an asshole, I’ve now realized, but it also makes the behavior of locals if they aren’t always the most friendly, make much more sense. One can’t expect to visit a city and have every one bowing at your feet and kissing the ground you walk on. I need to be nicer to tourists when I get home. I always happily give them directions, but I should stop cursing the slow, clueless walkers. I’ve been there, just about every day for the last 4 months.

So, yes, I bartered today. And I’m now an owner of a rip off Chanel bag. I hardly knew what I was getting myself into– just voyeurism I thought, but I made the mistake of going in the booth. And then having something catch my eye, even if only ironically and then she pounced. And lowered the price by half her original quote and I couldn’t resist. So, if all goes as planned I’m going to come home looking like I could hang out in Fremont. Sweet. I was laughing to myself as I walked around, dripping sweat with pit stains, a greasy face, and running shoes that it’s quite the contradiction to buy designer stuff while I’m back packing. Carrying that bag around is going to be hilarious.

It’s a Monday, so most of the places were closed, as I came to find out after walking around the city to all the museums, but the walk was nice. I’m a bit hesitant to rent a bike here– by that I mean I won’t– as the streets are even more motorbike mad than Phnom Penh. I wasn’t so scared crossing the streets, as I’ve mastered that after walking and riding my bike around Phnom Penh during rush hour, so that was a bonus in my impression of the city. I’m staying one more day, though I had planned to leave in the morning, just so I can get a greater sense of this sprawling metropolis. I don’t know what I expected, but it’s huge.

Despite all the Communist stars waving above all the buildings, it’s quite a booming commercial center. It’s a bit like New York, but Asian and different because of that, of course. But, in terms of size and districts and fancy shopping stores and traffic, it’s definitely the same if not bigger than the fair Apple.

Tomorrow I go to more Museums, just to get the full effect of the American war, as it’s called over here. I went to the unification palace and got a bit misty eyed when I saw a few of the horrific images of the war, so I don’t know what to expect when it’s a museum about the war– maybe some tissues should be handy. The torture prison in Cambodia made me sick to my stomach and on the verge of tears as well, but I think that’s a normal human response. It should be. I may need a pick me up at the end of the day after that. I did last time. A few moments to reflect and de-tension myself. The horrors that have been endured in so many of the countries over here is stupifying. I can’t really describe my reaction, but it’s painful to see, though necessary to understand the atrocities that go one while I spend countless hours checking stupid internet websites or painting my toe nails back home.

I’m off to eat some soup. I hope you all are well.

xo