Hanoi

 This morning we had a walking tour of Hanoi,  throughout the chaos of what appears to be not a road rule in sight, including which side of the road you use.  People, cars, vans and mostly scooters are everywhere and our guide told us to ‘just keep walking’ so crossing roads, big and small becomes a test of will to live.  You just look forward and amble in a semi slow speed and any hint of hesitation could mean potential loss of life.  No one goes really fast and no one gets angry, which is why it seems to work.  In fact, as a sideline, no one seems to have any particular emotion at all on the street.  Not a smile, or a scowl, but I did see an assumed husband and wife stall owners having a go, so I guess it does happen.

Our guide showed us an alleyway that was barely bigger than my shoulders and showed us that 5 power boxes were attached, so 5 dwelling came off the alley.  The actually building was about 2.5 m across, not including the alley and she said that some people have homes that are around 3m2.  Total.  What does that even mean?  She said that each generation can build on top of the existing house, so that is how you can tell how many generations live there.

We then went to a private dwelling that was fascinating.  Built around a central courtyard in a very French style, with high doors and shutters and lovely little decks off the exterior rooms.  Inside the first storey was a deck that went all the way around and looked down on the central ground courtyard, with what had contained a fish pond and gardens.  It seems to have had 3 parts and at one time employed up to 10 house keepers to keep it looking swish.  The place had originally been built when the French were in control of Hanoi and her great grandfather worked for the French and was a man of means.  Then around 1955, the French left and the communist government took over.  So the home, that was clearly something amazing to behold 70 years ago, was taken back by the government and the family were allowed to keep one floor and the rest was given to other people.  It then became a school, so this family lived in one side of the first floor of the mansion and a primary school operated downstairs.  Then in 2018, the school moved out and ………nothing happened to the rest of it, it has been empty for 7 years.  

The lady who owns the bit we saw is clearly very proud of her spot, but it really did need some work.  Maybe a bit of water tightness fixing, some paint, a re-hash of the drains and sewers.  Not to mention what OSH would make of the little decks or the evenness of the ground.

I love seeing how people live and that was an eye opener.  Just goes to show the difference between needs and wants really.  If you can share 3m2 and be happy then……………..maybe that is why their moods are so inscrutable?

And just as an aside, would this be the ultimate neighbour from hell?  How many speakers is that pointing right at her side?