Yang
Whether or not it is your intent, when you walk around in Vietnam, you are shopping. We are used to shopping as a conscious act, where you go to the store, or mall, look around and make a decision, with the possible help of a clerk or "associate", unless of course you are in Canadian Tire, in which case you are on your own. You may then interact with a check-out clerk, or use self check-out.
Every dwelling in Vietnam seems to double up as a store, into which you are usually invited to "buy something" in a whining tone. Even when no one is visible in the store, if you make the mistake of glancing at it and slowing down your pace ever so slightly, some woman (never a man) will come scurrying out to plead with you to buy something.This is even true when the stores cater only to the local people, i.e. they carry clothes in sizes minus 6 to zero. There's also a street vendor between each pair of indoor stores, thus doubling the pleasure. Of course the same applies at restaurants: glance at a menu and someone instantly materializes to urge you to eat there.
They are even more aggressive in the markets: on our first day in Saigon I was grabbed by the forearm and yanked over to a stall selling I don't remember what. It was quite disconcerting. Some vendors with limited English will just bark peremptorily:
"Hey you! Buy Something!"
Then there are the ambulant vendors: they sell sunglasses, lighters, books, intricate pop-up greeting cards, drinks, food, anything. We both wear sunglasses. but that has not dissuaded any of them from trying to sell us sunglasses (although I'm told that some women may not be adverse to owning more than one pair). We've been offered drinks when walking around sipping on full drinks. We've even been offered food while sitting in a restaurant. At least while you're walking, a quick "No, thank you" will suffice and you continue your journey. When they corner you at a restaurant or bar, you have to say no at least three times. Even then, they'll stand around and stare for anything from 5 seconds to a full minute, obviously making a mental wager on the strength of your willpower. Or maybe they just can't comprehend why you are not bowled over by their wares and buy the entire lot at the asking price.
By far the most aggressive peddlers we have seen are the Hmong women, part of a tribe in the Sa Pa area in Northwest Vietnam. Their lot in life used to be to cultivate rice in stunningly beautiful terraced paddies (sounds like dwellers of a Dublin row of flats innit? Hi Sean!). With tourism, they saw a way to improve their income by selling multi-coloured purses, blankets, bracelets and other trinkets. Rice cultivation here is back-breaking work, ploughing the land by hand with hoes, planting tending and harvesting the rice, all by hand. The Hmong bring the same dogged work ethic to selling souvenirs that they bring to growing rice.
We set out mid-morning with our guide, Luong, to trek through the rice paddies and Hmong villages. It became quickly apparent that we had been adopted by two Hmong women, who dogged our steps, stopped when we stopped and generally glommed on to us. Then came the bonding attempt: "Where you from? ", "Whass you name?" Then we each got a present of some leaf twisted into a design of some sort. We knew what was coming, but were powerless to stop it: they already had walked from their village to the town early in the morning, and were returning to their village to work the paddies in the afternoon. Their only recompense for that 15 km walk would be what we buy. (If that were not enough of a guilt trip, they also send their children that are too young to work the paddies to sell trinkets with big, imploring eyes. That is dirty pool).
The denouement, we were told by Luong, would be at the restaurant where we would have lunch. We steeled ourselves. We were not prepared for what was about to happen. As soon as we were seated, there appeared a throng of Hmong women, thrusting their stuff at us amidst a cacophony of sales pitches. It seems that, at least among the Hmong, the 15 km trek that our shadows had completed only entitled them to front row seats at the slaughter, and not to a monopoly on us. We didn't want any of their crap, so we ended up giving our two escorts a pittance just to go away. They insisted on giving us each a little bracelet. This did not immunize us from further sales pitches, and was probably meant to brand us as possible suckers. The same scene was repeated with every new pair of tourists arriving. An average of 3.5 women and two children per tourist would swarm over them until complete surrender.
We continued our trek all afternoon, being harassed only every few hundred yards, until we got aboard a minibus to be driven to our lodge for that night. Apparently, we were expected. Now I know how the Beatles must have felt on their first trip to America: about two dozen Hmong women hysterically rushed the bus, cackling at a high rate of decibels, brandishing their wares. Fortunately, the hotel owners had at some point secured a non-trespass consent or order and we were able quickly to run the gauntlet and emerge unmolested at reception. Play the scene backwards, and you'll know how it went when we left the lodge the next morning.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
So far, so good. It is after all their country, and everyone is entitled to try to make a living. I have less sympathy for those who try to take advantage of foreigners by price-gouging. Many shops will charge tourists more for staple items such as water or beer; they look at you to size you up and decide how much of a mark-up you can go for. I do not frequent those places more than once (or not at all if I have an option). We were looking at silk scarves in Hoi An. Most places price them around $10. You can probably get them for $7. One girl's opening price was $35. By the time we walked out she was offering it for $8. In Hoi An again, we bought coffee at the market. We had bought it many times before for $1.00 to $1.25. The ask was $5. I guffawed and they said it was a mistake. They asked how many we wanted, I said one. In that case, they said, $2.50. In that case I said, I'll take two ... for $2.50. They said no, we walked away. After walking about 30 yards they yelled at us that they were accepting the deal.
Much has been written about the various scams that occur in Vietnam. The only ones that were tried on us were taxi scams. I am glad to say we were not taken. A favourite one is for some men to wait at the bus station to broker a deal between you and the cab driver (who is not necessarily in on the scam). They overcharge you greatly and split the profit with the driver, who doesn't turn on the meter. Here's one that happened to us in Nha Trang:
- Where you going?
- The Green Hotel
- 200,000 no meter
- No, with the meter
- Meter same same
- OK so he turns it on
- 150,000 no meter
- No, he turns on the meter
- Meter broken
(We start taking our luggage out of the trunk)
- OK OK meter (walks away disgusted)
We drove off, with the meter on. Actual fare: 29,000
In Nha Trang again, we extended our stay and moved hotels. We knew exactly where the new hotel was, so when the cab turned in the wrong direction, we quickly corrected him and he took the correct route. I don't know how long he would have driven us around.
In Ha Noi, I found out exactly how far around they can drive you. We went to a concert at the Opera House one night. We knew where it was, but it was a 40-minute walk and we were tired, so we caught a cab from what we know is a reputable company. The driver did not do anything dodgy. Fare: 38,000.
That company' cabs were not available when we got out, so we took what was there. He took us on a loop to our hotel, despite the fact I showed him the address twice and pointed to the direction in which it lay. Final fare: 68,000. What I gave him: 40,000. After he counted the fare, he walked into the hotel lobby, where I told him that's all he was getting. I explained to the concierge what had happened (I could have drawn on a map where he took us) and he went to talk it over with the driver. We took the elevator up to our room and never heard another word on the subject.
Don't get me wrong, however, over 99.9% of Vietnamese people have been welcoming, helpful, friendly, pleasant to deal with and altogether fantastic. Come to think of it, there are probably a few Calgary cabbies who would give you the run-around, if only they knew where they were going.
Lagniappe
Whether or not it is your intent, when you walk around in Vietnam, you are shopping. We are used to shopping as a conscious act, where you go to the store, or mall, look around and make a decision, with the possible help of a clerk or "associate", unless of course you are in Canadian Tire, in which case you are on your own. You may then interact with a check-out clerk, or use self check-out.
Every dwelling in Vietnam seems to double up as a store, into which you are usually invited to "buy something" in a whining tone. Even when no one is visible in the store, if you make the mistake of glancing at it and slowing down your pace ever so slightly, some woman (never a man) will come scurrying out to plead with you to buy something.This is even true when the stores cater only to the local people, i.e. they carry clothes in sizes minus 6 to zero. There's also a street vendor between each pair of indoor stores, thus doubling the pleasure. Of course the same applies at restaurants: glance at a menu and someone instantly materializes to urge you to eat there.
They are even more aggressive in the markets: on our first day in Saigon I was grabbed by the forearm and yanked over to a stall selling I don't remember what. It was quite disconcerting. Some vendors with limited English will just bark peremptorily:
"Hey you! Buy Something!"
Then there are the ambulant vendors: they sell sunglasses, lighters, books, intricate pop-up greeting cards, drinks, food, anything. We both wear sunglasses. but that has not dissuaded any of them from trying to sell us sunglasses (although I'm told that some women may not be adverse to owning more than one pair). We've been offered drinks when walking around sipping on full drinks. We've even been offered food while sitting in a restaurant. At least while you're walking, a quick "No, thank you" will suffice and you continue your journey. When they corner you at a restaurant or bar, you have to say no at least three times. Even then, they'll stand around and stare for anything from 5 seconds to a full minute, obviously making a mental wager on the strength of your willpower. Or maybe they just can't comprehend why you are not bowled over by their wares and buy the entire lot at the asking price.
By far the most aggressive peddlers we have seen are the Hmong women, part of a tribe in the Sa Pa area in Northwest Vietnam. Their lot in life used to be to cultivate rice in stunningly beautiful terraced paddies (sounds like dwellers of a Dublin row of flats innit? Hi Sean!). With tourism, they saw a way to improve their income by selling multi-coloured purses, blankets, bracelets and other trinkets. Rice cultivation here is back-breaking work, ploughing the land by hand with hoes, planting tending and harvesting the rice, all by hand. The Hmong bring the same dogged work ethic to selling souvenirs that they bring to growing rice.
We set out mid-morning with our guide, Luong, to trek through the rice paddies and Hmong villages. It became quickly apparent that we had been adopted by two Hmong women, who dogged our steps, stopped when we stopped and generally glommed on to us. Then came the bonding attempt: "Where you from? ", "Whass you name?" Then we each got a present of some leaf twisted into a design of some sort. We knew what was coming, but were powerless to stop it: they already had walked from their village to the town early in the morning, and were returning to their village to work the paddies in the afternoon. Their only recompense for that 15 km walk would be what we buy. (If that were not enough of a guilt trip, they also send their children that are too young to work the paddies to sell trinkets with big, imploring eyes. That is dirty pool).
The denouement, we were told by Luong, would be at the restaurant where we would have lunch. We steeled ourselves. We were not prepared for what was about to happen. As soon as we were seated, there appeared a throng of Hmong women, thrusting their stuff at us amidst a cacophony of sales pitches. It seems that, at least among the Hmong, the 15 km trek that our shadows had completed only entitled them to front row seats at the slaughter, and not to a monopoly on us. We didn't want any of their crap, so we ended up giving our two escorts a pittance just to go away. They insisted on giving us each a little bracelet. This did not immunize us from further sales pitches, and was probably meant to brand us as possible suckers. The same scene was repeated with every new pair of tourists arriving. An average of 3.5 women and two children per tourist would swarm over them until complete surrender.
We continued our trek all afternoon, being harassed only every few hundred yards, until we got aboard a minibus to be driven to our lodge for that night. Apparently, we were expected. Now I know how the Beatles must have felt on their first trip to America: about two dozen Hmong women hysterically rushed the bus, cackling at a high rate of decibels, brandishing their wares. Fortunately, the hotel owners had at some point secured a non-trespass consent or order and we were able quickly to run the gauntlet and emerge unmolested at reception. Play the scene backwards, and you'll know how it went when we left the lodge the next morning.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
So far, so good. It is after all their country, and everyone is entitled to try to make a living. I have less sympathy for those who try to take advantage of foreigners by price-gouging. Many shops will charge tourists more for staple items such as water or beer; they look at you to size you up and decide how much of a mark-up you can go for. I do not frequent those places more than once (or not at all if I have an option). We were looking at silk scarves in Hoi An. Most places price them around $10. You can probably get them for $7. One girl's opening price was $35. By the time we walked out she was offering it for $8. In Hoi An again, we bought coffee at the market. We had bought it many times before for $1.00 to $1.25. The ask was $5. I guffawed and they said it was a mistake. They asked how many we wanted, I said one. In that case, they said, $2.50. In that case I said, I'll take two ... for $2.50. They said no, we walked away. After walking about 30 yards they yelled at us that they were accepting the deal.
Much has been written about the various scams that occur in Vietnam. The only ones that were tried on us were taxi scams. I am glad to say we were not taken. A favourite one is for some men to wait at the bus station to broker a deal between you and the cab driver (who is not necessarily in on the scam). They overcharge you greatly and split the profit with the driver, who doesn't turn on the meter. Here's one that happened to us in Nha Trang:
- Where you going?
- The Green Hotel
- 200,000 no meter
- No, with the meter
- Meter same same
- OK so he turns it on
- 150,000 no meter
- No, he turns on the meter
- Meter broken
(We start taking our luggage out of the trunk)
- OK OK meter (walks away disgusted)
We drove off, with the meter on. Actual fare: 29,000
In Nha Trang again, we extended our stay and moved hotels. We knew exactly where the new hotel was, so when the cab turned in the wrong direction, we quickly corrected him and he took the correct route. I don't know how long he would have driven us around.
In Ha Noi, I found out exactly how far around they can drive you. We went to a concert at the Opera House one night. We knew where it was, but it was a 40-minute walk and we were tired, so we caught a cab from what we know is a reputable company. The driver did not do anything dodgy. Fare: 38,000.
That company' cabs were not available when we got out, so we took what was there. He took us on a loop to our hotel, despite the fact I showed him the address twice and pointed to the direction in which it lay. Final fare: 68,000. What I gave him: 40,000. After he counted the fare, he walked into the hotel lobby, where I told him that's all he was getting. I explained to the concierge what had happened (I could have drawn on a map where he took us) and he went to talk it over with the driver. We took the elevator up to our room and never heard another word on the subject.
Don't get me wrong, however, over 99.9% of Vietnamese people have been welcoming, helpful, friendly, pleasant to deal with and altogether fantastic. Come to think of it, there are probably a few Calgary cabbies who would give you the run-around, if only they knew where they were going.
Lagniappe