Hanoians have a very different conception of what is acceptable public behavior than we do. Here, many things that we would consider weird or taboo, or at least generally consider to be more private activities, occur on the streets for all to see. They are generally much more in the path of travel and a lot closer to the ground than we would be comfortable with. (I'm sure there are an equal number of public things we do in public that they would consider odd, but those would be harder for me to see - maybe sitting on grassy lawns?)
Families watch TV while sitting on the floor of their storefront with the roll-up door wide open. Old men sit on the ground in the parks and plazas to play Chinese chess or card games. On small alleys, I've seen people spread out newspaper or a flimsy rain jacket and take a nap on the concrete in the middle of the day. These aren't homeless people - they are probably folks from the outskirts or villages around Hanoi, have come into the city for the day to sell their wares, and need a place to lay their head in the heat of mid-day.
Most of all, eating meals is an activity that takes on the streets. There seems to be less of a culture of going to restaurants, in favor of sidewalk cafes, bia hoi joints, and dining areas sprawled across the sidewalk that a passing pedestrian has to navigate through or step out into the street to get by. It's all made possible by the ubiquitous red and blue tiny plastic tables and stools, which keep you real close to the pavement. We like dining al fresco too, but we like a bit of separation between ourselves, the ground, and the business of the sidewalk - higher tables and chairs, maybe a divider or a barrier.
There seems to be no place that would be inappropriate for eating. The other day I saw a huge area of diners on a street adjacent to a construction site covered by a low tarp. As a westerner, it's hard to imagine what could possibly make that a desirable place to choose to eat your meal. Here's a photo of some diners eating IN a construction site. They may be the construction workers, but I wouldn't guarantee it.
Families watch TV while sitting on the floor of their storefront with the roll-up door wide open. Old men sit on the ground in the parks and plazas to play Chinese chess or card games. On small alleys, I've seen people spread out newspaper or a flimsy rain jacket and take a nap on the concrete in the middle of the day. These aren't homeless people - they are probably folks from the outskirts or villages around Hanoi, have come into the city for the day to sell their wares, and need a place to lay their head in the heat of mid-day.
Most of all, eating meals is an activity that takes on the streets. There seems to be less of a culture of going to restaurants, in favor of sidewalk cafes, bia hoi joints, and dining areas sprawled across the sidewalk that a passing pedestrian has to navigate through or step out into the street to get by. It's all made possible by the ubiquitous red and blue tiny plastic tables and stools, which keep you real close to the pavement. We like dining al fresco too, but we like a bit of separation between ourselves, the ground, and the business of the sidewalk - higher tables and chairs, maybe a divider or a barrier.
There seems to be no place that would be inappropriate for eating. The other day I saw a huge area of diners on a street adjacent to a construction site covered by a low tarp. As a westerner, it's hard to imagine what could possibly make that a desirable place to choose to eat your meal. Here's a photo of some diners eating IN a construction site. They may be the construction workers, but I wouldn't guarantee it.
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