Land of milk and Hanoi

HANOI — If you think the Chinese New Year in our country is a huge thing, you have never been to Vietnam. It may be a one-day holiday in the Philippines, but it’s a week-long celebration here.

And in Hanoi (the country’s capital), it starts off with a 15-minute fireworks display sponsored by the government. The fireworks are set off from four barges floating on Hoan Kiem Lake — one of the city’s several and its most storied (Hanoi means “city within the lakes) — and puts to shame any that I have ever seen in our country, including an international fireworks competition I saw decades back on Manila Bay. This was surely computer-controlled and involved tens of thousands of fireworks. So advanced were the pyrotechnics that they exploded in the shape of hearts, stars and the colors of the Vietnamese flag.

Then followed days of true holiday inactivity. Banks and major commercial establishments, including money changers and travel agencies, were closed. So woe to those who did not know this and had little or no local currency — they had to endure standing in line for hours before the only source of cash available to travelers: automated teller machines. Good thing my good friend Michael Guy, owner of one of the country’s biggest non-bank foreign currency companies, warned me of this, otherwise I would have been reduced to begging on the streets.

Even the best restaurants, including Michelin-starred ones, were closed for days, their chefs taking extended holidays as well, since everyone was expected to stay home for home-cooked meals anyway. Fortunately, smaller eateries — including street food stalls — were open to cater to the mobs that were milling celebratorily in the town center and major streets.

I had great experiences eating great food while squatting on the sidewalk on tiny chairs, my 60-year-old knees unable to get me back to standing after a hearty meal. And the street food was hygienic. I came prepared with good old trusty Flagyl (a must on every foreign trip since I have a weak stomach, but not for political combat), but I never got a case of the runs, unlike in other developing countries.

Speaking of which, Vietnam is truly developing — and how! Hanoi is on the list of the top 10 safest cities in the world, and violent crime (I was told) is basically non-existent, although one still has to watch out for pickpockets and the occasional snatcher.

Police are everywhere, including military police in their crisp dark green uniforms who I was told are feared by criminals because of their no-nonsense approach to law enforcement. Electric cars constitute about half of the vehicles on the streets, care of Mr. Pham Nhat Vurong of Vingroup and rags-to-riches fame. He is into everything: aside from cars (Vinfast), he has homes (Vinhomes), hospitals (VinMec), and office leasing (VinOffice). I asked my guide if the company was also into fossil fuels, thus Vin Diesel, but she answered in the negative.

A little over 50 years ago, the Vietnamese were killing each other. Now they have definitely surpassed us due to their toughness (they did kick both the French’s and Americans’ asses), discipline and determination.

Yes, corruption does exist here, but those accused of massive graft have the grace to resign. Which, I believe, is one thing that distinguishes them from us.