IMG_2183, originally uploaded by noveltimes.
OK, so I’m in Japan now and have been for a while. Even though I spent a week between north and south Vietam, it feels like a blip on the radar screen. Saigon and Hanoi are both big cities that deserve mention (and props) in ther own right, but right now the only thing that comes to mind are scooters. Lots of scooters. Like imagine what you think are a lot of scooters and then double it. Or quadruple it. Bangkok has nothing on Vietnam when it comes to scooters. Yeah, like that.
The picture above only begins to visually relay the experience of being on the streets of urban Vietnam. It was taken from the seat of a “cyclo,” a kind of reverse tricycle with a high seat in the back for the driver and a bench seat in front for the passenger. My driver was a totally cool guy who couldn’t speak much English. He was, however, able to say, over and over, something to the effect of: “many many scooters…very very bad”. I agreed up and down. Poor fella. I felt so bad for him that when he tried to rip me off at the end of the ride I didn’t argue as much as I would have otherwise. Hard work, cyclo driving in ‘Nam.
I’ve posted more photos from my time in Vietam but my head is so far into Japan that I don’t have much more to share about it at the moment. Suffice to say it is a beautiful and intriguing country, especially being a visiting American. Standing in the forests of what was once North Vietnam sent more than a few chills up my spine. Nothing close to visiting the International Peace Memorial at Hiroshima, but I’ll save that story and others of Japan for a future entry…
Been waiting for your next posting. I guess you better bundle up – Japan is gonna be cold. Eager to hear of Japan.
hey there – just checked out your blog – what an amazing trip! love the photos and descriptions, thx for the moment of vicarious living. 😉 december flew by, christmas day was oddly sunny and warm but there’s been rain too. enough of the weather report though, hope the japan visit is equally intriguing and see you in 08! t.
D, posted my first entry on Japan. It is cold here, with cold rain to boot. The bone-chilling kind.
Thanks for checing in, Tamara! I’ve been thinking lately how quickly my time away must have passed for those like yourself that have continued on in their routines at home. My time away has felt like many months instead of just a handful of weeks. I’ll see you soon enough, though! I’m actually looking forward to some routine again 🙂