The practice of eating dogs/cats – eating anything and everything is mainly a northern one (Hanoi) and stems from a serious famine in the Red River Basin and the Northern Provinces of Vietnam in the forties and fifties. It was a direct result of Ho Chi Minh’s land reform policy – any person / landlord / educated professional / worked with the French, was an enemy of the people. Thousands died and of course ‘the people’ had no idea how to manage the land.
High end Vietnamese food is delicious but then again high end food anywhere in the world is usually delicious. The bulk of large mid range restaurants offer cheap beer and rice/meat/fish/veg in various forms/combinations. The Vietnamese don’t use knives. In all restaurants you will be given a spoon and fork. If there is meat to be cut up the provider will cut it up for you with SCISSORS! You have to ask for a knife so it’s a good word to learn DAO, pronounced ‘Yow’ coupled with a sawing action from you. The waitress/waiter will look at you as though you are a crazed lunatic then bring you one without a smile.
And finally! A dragon dance troupe doing their thing at a large sports complex for good luck in the coming year.
Love and peace – don’t forget your face mask – John
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