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Published: September 2nd 2006
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So I haven't written in a bit. I think I have a lot to update. Pardon my typing - the keyboard in one of the only working internet places in Sapa is a little sketchy. No pictures this time but I'll try when I'm back in Hanoi with wireless/my laptop. The internet cafes everywhere are packed as theinternet and relative openess towestern culture is relatively new in Vietnam.
I wish the car horn was never invented. For all you North Americans reading who have never been to SE Asia (or developing countries for that matter) its out of control. Even in the quietest of remotes the car horn blares and blares and blares for what apparently seems to be no reason. Even on motobikes (which there are three gazillion of in this country - Honda must do a great business) its constant. But like all other things I am getting used to it.
Thinking Like A Public Health Practitioner So I guess my graduate studies have paid off. When in the developing world I can't stop thinking about the public health issues going on. Here are a few that come to mind in Vietnam:
Road Traffic Safety : One of the number one killers in developing nations. I've seen little children driving on the handlebars of motos and barley anyone wearing helmets. It's a little frightening.
Access to Care : Even in Hanoi, a very large city (about three million) I have not seen a dental office, clinic, etc. on the street. Perhaps they do exist especially since after doi moi the government began to invest massive amounts of money in Doi Moi. However, when I see the rural locales such as on the way to Sapa I wonder where women receive access to safe births, pre and perinatal care, nutritional and reproductive health services.
Respiratory Disease : Also one ofthe top causes of morbidity in developing nations. Hence, the majority of people in Hanoi and elsewherewear surgical masks when riding their notos and walking around. Hano looks pretty poluted. Asthma, COPD, etc. are probably very prevalent but undiagnosed.
I'll continue to update you on public health stuff especially when I get to Mae Sot.
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The Love Boat.... So I went to Halong Bay. I left Hanoi at about 7 in the morning
for the three hour drive that is roughly about 150 km. I got there and got on a boat to cruise Halong Bay. part of my "arranged tour" and ate lunch. While the people on the boat were nice I was the only one traveling solo which wasn't so much fun. There was another American man and apparently some Asian women he met in Vietnam (he was 60 and she was my age), a nice Israeli couple, Spanish couple and a couple from Gabon. Awkward. So very awkward. We saw two beautiful caves, then more time on the boat by myself. Luckliy I have daVinci code to keep me company. Then we stopped for kayaking which I didn't pay for so I waited on the boat for an hour. There are peddlers even on Halong Bay. Luttle women and their children go in small boats past all the tourists asking if they want to buy oreos, cigarettes, etc. After kayaking was a night swim but guess who didn't have a bathing suit with them (I bought my small bag). More and more time on the ship... however the people were nice and Halong bay was super beautiful. It was a
The peddling never stops...
Even on Halong Bay the women come along to try to sell you Oreos in boats UN World Heritage Site twice. If you type "Halong Bay" on google images you'll get an idea. Hope I can post pictures. Then slept on the boat (I went to bed early) mpre sailing and a car ride back where the tire got flat and no AC for rthree hours packed with 15 people in the small van.
SAPA So I am now in Sapa in Northwestern Viernam. I arrived back in Hanoi from Halong Bay and took a taxi to the train station. The train station was complete chaos with no English anywhere but luckliy I had my ticket booked already and it wasn't too hard to navigate. I took the night train to Lao Cai. Apparently the two other Asian tourists in my four berth sleeper car decided that they were in control and decided to lock the door and when to shut the light to go to sleep. After arriving in Lao Cai at about 5:45 am I found a "minibus" to Sapa - about an hour and a half away. I decided to cancel the tour I had and do Sapa alone so I can decide what and when I wantt odo.
The Legend of the Turtle
According to Legend the King a while back gave his magical sword to the tortoise in Hoam Kiem lake which enshrined the tortoise with magical powers. The tortoise has apparently swallowed tourists since. This is a model from the Emerald Jade Pagoda I arrived in my hotel in Sapa and things went downhill from there. Apparently the Bamboo sapa Hotel had no recortd I made an internet booking the day before so the $6.00 deposit and booking fee I paid doesn't matter now. Anyways they had room. But, the satelite TV doesn't work.. not that I need TV so badly but when you're traveling alone really CNN international and Star World are the only two things that can keep you sane. So I booked the next two nights atthe hotel next doors which looks much nicer and got much nicer reviews. And they said their satellite TV worked. So for now its good I have my books and People magazine to pass the time. I booked a one day tour tomorrow to Hac Ba market. Sunday is the big market in the ethnic village three hours away (I'm getting eaten by mosquitoes in this internet place) where you can buy anything from pigs to water buffaloes. Should be fun. Willkeep me busy the whole day - a little bored now in Sapa. I plan on doing the one day trek the day after if this turns out good.
Sapa and
Emerald Jade Pagoda
The pagoda on Hoam Kiem Lake near the Old Quarter its surroundings are home to many hill tribes including the Hmong and Black tribes (I will post pictures). Today is Saturday so they are all in the village selling their handicrafts. Which at first was cool but now annoying - every one you pass keeps trying to get you to buy silver from them and now there are the ones that "know me" and keep saying I promised to buy from them. I decided to hire a xe om (moto) and driver for a bit and went out of Sapa to the beatuful beautiful waterfall (I forgot the name) thau hac I think. Sapa is really beautiful and worth the trip. You can see views of Mt. Fansipan - the highest peak in vietnam and the most surrounding the mountains. The ride took up some time (as does writing this entry) and was a good way to spend five dollars (although I wish a helmet was provided). Now I guess I'll go back for a bit and read and nap (I had my sketchy dollar bowl of pho for lunch)and wallow in my lack of CNN (which I'm pretty sure won't be in my guesthouse in Mae Sot). There is
actually a free show at my hotel at 8:30 of ethnic dancing which should be good entertainment.
That's it for now. Will update in a bit.
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Noah
non-member comment
very perceptive public health practitioner
Seth- I love being able to check up on your travels with this blog and am excited to hear that you are even trying to learn things while you are htere and apply your studies as well. In term of your perceptive account of respiratory disease, I should also tell you that in a related manner, larynx and throat cancer are one of the largest killers in SE asia (at least I know this to be true of singapore) and I am sure that as you say it is directly related to the air problems. Anyway I was hoping you would see Halong Bay. Though I didnt know where it was I have seen those pics of Vietnam before and said that I would love to go there so I am glad to see that you are picking great spots to go. Still dont know about Singapore yet but relly hope it works it and we can meet up. enjoy Noah