Vietnam sights unusual to these Pinay eyes

When we were in Ho Chi Minh City, we took two tours that took us out to the countryside. I am usually unable to sleep on long rides, so I saw several things that made me wonder about the Vietnamese.

 Tombs everywhere. I would see them beside houses, in fields and in what looked like deserted lots. The tombs would all be facing in one direction. At first, I thought they were constructed to have their backs to the thoroughfares until we entered an area where all the tombs were facing the road. Luc, our tour guide, explained that the tombs are all constructed to face the East. Each body must be laid according to the position of the sun otherwise families believe that they will be subject to bad luck. 

He also explained that the Vietnamese believe that their ancestors continue to help and protect the family; thus, their graves are usually situated close to the family home in a cemetery at the bottom of the garden or in a rice paddy or field. Thus, each home also has an ancestral altar where they can communicate with and lay their offerings to their ancestors.

Dogs at the gate.

Not live ones, but ceramic figures on top of the gate posts. Luc explained that stone-made dogs are placed at gates, doors of houses, Buddhist temples, villages or even at bridgeheads and sewers to drive away ghosts and devils, diseases and bad luck. In fact, those who understand traditional culture often give stone-made dogs as gifts. There were also a few houses whose gate posts were topped by lions or dragons, which I surmised was based on the same belief.

One look. With a few exceptions, the houses resemble each other. These so-called ‘tube’ houses are narrow and long, usually fronted by steps leading to a verandah before one can enter the house through French doors or other wide openings like accordion-type metal shutters. I asked another tour guide, Mr. Tho, why the design was basically the same but he seemed not to understand my question. Some web posts, however, indicate that property taxes in Vietnam are determined based on the width of the property from the street so the wider your home, the more you pay, which probably explains the long and narrow dwellings. 

Further research also explains that the Vietnamese construct their houses to let in as much natural light and wind as possible to cool their living spaces since the weather can be quite hot and humid. Hence, the large French doors (probably an influence from their French colonizers), and the big windows which open wide and help make the building airier and brighter. The doors are also usually left wide open during the day to indicate that guests are welcome.

The verandahs not only help control sunlight, but are spaces that encourage community interaction. Hammocks, as well as small, movable furniture like tables and chairs can be found here. 

Hooded and on the move. You cannot NOT notice the motorbikes. A report by the Ministry of Transport states that as of July 2012, Vietnam had 37,191,126 registered motor vehicles, including 35,240,162 motorbikes. Among the population of 90 million, most adults use motorbikes as the most common means of transport. They are everywhere, even on sidewalks. Some of them use the sidewalks to avoid the traffic lights or to go against the direction of traffic on the street. The female bikers, especially, are all covered up, wearing hooded, long-sleeved jackets and face masks. Luc laughs as he explains that it has nothing to do with pollution. He claims that the girls try to prevent the sun’s rays from darkening their skin. They want fair complexions, he says.

Café Vong or Hammock cafes. Every few meters, I would see roadside cafes with either small, low tables and chairs or hammocks. Luc explains that the motorbike riders often stop to rest and have coffee and sometimes, take a nap. I cannot imagine drinking coffee in the heat, until I taste Vietnamese coffee and realize that it is quite refreshing when served cold.

Rare English signs. It is rare to see English signs on commercial establishments in Vietnam. My GPS tells me I should be finding a computer shop soon, yet I find myself helplessly scanning the Vietnamese signs on the store fronts in the said area and having no idea what I am looking at.

These things stand out only because they are so different from what I see and experience in the Philippines. That I notice these things does not say much of my whole Vietnam experience, which was great largely because of my encounters with the Vietnamese – a warm, courteous and hospitable people.