Finally in Vietnam

When I was young, two countries captured my imagination for their struggle and winning freedom.  One was Bangladesh and the other was Vietnam.

Last week I arrived in Hanoi with a lot of excitement.  The airport is small but orderly.  Visa was on arrival for a fee - of course my visit had to be cleared by the home office prior to landing.  There was order at the airport, I have seen chaos at Jeddah, Teheran, Cairo and Lagos. Even Tashkent a city in a former communist state of Uzbekistan is chaotic.  You could feel the presence of police, and people take instruction and line up as told.  Visa issuance was all electronic.  I applied and was told to wait.  In another 10 minutes or so, my passport page was on TV screen a text to voice translator announced my name - I realized that it was my name that was called from my photo.  I collected the passport, waited at another queue to clear immigration and was out.  My luggage did not join - the connecting time at Bangkok was too short.  Again another queue, fill forms, and was assured that the bags will be delivered to my hotel at 3:30 pm.  I got it at 7:30 pm.  Not bad.  I am used to waiting.

Outside the airport my driver asked me to wait at a spot and went to collect the car.  As I looked up, there was an electronic ticker board showing exchange rates for different currencies, and various stock prices.  I wondered what was defeated in 1975?  Imperialism or Capitalism?  It was a contrast to images I remembered - a girl running without clothes and her body burning with napalm; a colonel executing a Vietcong in cold blood; a helicopter struggling to take off due to overloaded refugees - and many more.

Hanoi (It is Ha Noi actually) is a well laid city of 10 million people.  French architecture mingles with modern buildings.  There's a stink in the air as you walk around, but the city looks beautiful at nights.  I stayed at the French Quarters of Hanoi, good feel, very busy, thousands of motorbikes and scooters - all travel at a constant speed of 20 kmph!  Road pavements are for people to sit, talk, eat or socialize.  If not, scooters are parked neatly like stacked sardines.  I was told that when people meet in an accident, they fix each others vehicles.  Roads are so crowded, so, the damage can't be more than a dent anyway.  No work for insurance companies.

Next morning a tour guide picked me and I was on my way to Ha Long for acruise.  It was prearranged.  The Ha Long bay is heritage listed collection of over 1600 islands - the diameter of these islands are less than their heights.  Met an New York - couple Tom & Marlene, with an adult daughter - Alexandra.  We were a group for the cruise - we enjoyed each others company.  As we cruised lunch was served - sumptuous sea food.

The boat anchored at one of the islands - we had choice of hayaking or pedal boating.  I chose the second one.  Too old for any risky business.  Back to the boat,then to another island for hiking to the top.  Excellent views of sunset, back to the boat for dinner, and to retire for the day.  I sat on the balcony and watched the full moon making its round in a clear sky.  Sales woman on boats came and went trying to sell cigarettes, chips,and alcohol.  They had a hook like the one used to pluck mangoes in Jaffna to exchange goods for cash.  All well arranged and was picturesque.

I was lucky to get a corner room with windows on both sides on the boat - so I was feted with moon light all night.  Next morning started with Taichi, breakfast, cruising to a cave,and back to the boat for cooking demonstration.  Not much to get excited here - we were shown how to make rolls with rice paper and slivers of vegetables, noodles, omelette and sausage.  Interesting and healthy snack.  Enough to keep kids busy for an hour or so.  Followed by lunch and back to the shores.  Ha Long is a must for anyone visiting Hanoi.  A two day one night excursion costs 175 USD.  Not bad at all.

Back in  Hanoi, I tried to make a conversation with young Vietnamese about the war.  I was met with silence and smile.  Almost like the way it was in Jaffna these days.  Finally a Canadian married to a local gave me an explanation - these people are Buddhists, yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not here, let's live the day -that;s the attitude! What an attitude to have!

I wondered why could not we be in SL be like that.  The 'War' makes news everyday in SL.  There are even columnists trying to find who to blame for all what we went through, tracing issues hundreds of years ago.  I think these columnists are old bitter people - hope they die soon - and I can only hope that the younger generation of SL behave like the Vietnam youngsters.  Only time will tell.

I did not have the same excitement when I went to Bangladesh in 2012.  May be it is just another part of the Indian sub-continent I am very much used to.  Although I was a bit disappointed for not getting any reflection on the war, I am glad that I had the opportunity to come.  Not sure if I want to return though.

Jaffna Update

Last Sunday evening when I left Jaffna by a 'Luxury' bus for Colombo, I could not help thinking the last time I did so.  It was in Aug 1980, and my journey from Jaffna to College Station, Texas started with a bus ride.  It was one of the two luxury buses, the one operated by KG Industries, departed from Wellington Theater.   I still remember, many of my friends came to see me off.  I was embarking on a long journey then, but I just did not realize so.  This time, the theater do not exist, no one to see me off, and there were 20 to 30 buses ready to leave Jaffna for Colombo.  Roads are better, driving is still wild, and the music at times was soothing to the ear.  At one stretch it was a collection of remix songs originally sung by PBS.  It was lovely listening to it at mid-night travelling through archaeological sites in Anuradhapura

In Jaffna, temples are full of people, all dressed in new clothes celebrating Deepawali and then Gowri Kaapu in traditional manner.  The second one did not exist during my younger days - at least i did not know about it.  It must have 'migrated' from Tamilnadu recently.  Lot's of money spent at temples rehabilitating or expanding or whatever.

I went to Naga Vihara for the first time in my life.  I have cycled past it many times though.  I was told that it was razed to the floor, but was rebuilt in 1997.  Now an accommodation center is being built.  I am beginning to wonder why I never visited the Vihara when I was young, although I had been to Churches in Jaffna many times?  Something not right in the way my relationship was with God then, I guess.

Living and travelling in Jaffna is easy if one has money.  There's a limited choice of three star hotels, service is adequate, and it costs about 35 USD per night.  A few very good vegetarian restaurants - just in front of Naga Vihara on Stanley road.  Jaffna styled rice and curry will cost 170 LKR, or 1.25 USD.  There are plenty of options for local transport, cabs and three wheelers are around and they come and pick you up when called.  All have meters, but none works.  So, agree on a fare before you get in.  The minimum fare is about 200 LKR for three wheelers, and the cabs are on kilo-meterage.  50 LKR or (40 US Cents) per km.  All is well.

The town is alive and well.  All roads originating from the city center - KKS Rd, Kasthuriar Road, Palaly Road, have new buildings everywhere.  Many of them are four storey buildings.  Mostly occupied, except for the near completion ones.  Sign-posting of all buildings are modern, electricity is available, so at dusk, the city does look very modern.  A few old buildings still remain, possibly the owners do not want to invest.  The road from the Clock-tower to Hospital road is where new police station is.  It remains in 1980s.  I think there are only two theaters still remain, Rajah and Manohara, Rajah is split into one and two.  It is celebrating its 51st anniversary.  I am sure Manohara is older than Rajah.  The road between Muniyappar temple and Hospital road is full of hawkers selling anything and everything.  They do leave a large solid waste behind.  The Municipality need to take this seriously.  Pizza is delivered in style.  I even saw a few stop signs and a set of new traffic lights.  Yes, Jaffna is getting busy, so, some regulation is necessary.

Uniformed police are everywhere, usually checking traffic, just the way you see them in Colombo.  When the sun goes down, its time for the Army.  They stay within their camps during the day times, I think.

So, how do people in Jaffna feel these days.  My sources are a friend during my childhood days, and the Taxi driver I hired for half a day.  Both were censoring themselves when they speak.  I could easily recognize that.  Overall people enjoy the calm that prevails.  The concept of neighborhood is not there.  No one seems to know his neighbor, just like the way we now live in the west.  Is there something wrong with it?  I do not know.  The compound I lived as a kid had four houses.  We lived in one of them and my aunts lived in other three.  Our neighbors did not move in or out.  Now one of the four is sold, others have tenants from Velanai, Kilinochi and somewhere else.  A few of my neighbors remain.

The young are into alcohol.  Liquor shops are everywhere and 'Western Styled' bars in residential areas - not far from temples.  Boys and girls mix more than what my friend would like, exchanging phone numbers, and then get into troubles.  Girls are in scooters, boys are in motor-bikes.  Crime is showing its ugly face.  The culprits display knives and swords in the absence of guns!  Just like the Tamil movies of today - alcohol, mobile phones, scooters, motor-bikes, crime, boys and girls.

Unemployment remains an issue, although there seems to be a lot of money in circulation.  Remittances from overseas must be a big contributor.  I am told that graduates are working in retail shops, or, engaged in private tuition.  It still remains a BIG business.

What is now required is some investment to create employment.  This is one area the diaspora need to work with the provincial and central governments.  Jaffna was never the center for manufacturing.  It did have the cement factory, which is now in ruins.  I wonder what is stopping it re-opened.  Indian cement companies - which are the suppliers of cement now - could be asked to invest with their capital and technology, create employment for locals, and profiteer.  Marine industries can also developed, but, now there's constant conflict with Tamilnadu fishermen.  Demand for cottage industries is very low, but there's scope.

I like to see this aspect - employment - improved when I go there next.  Overall, it was good feeling to be there again, albeit only for 36 hours.