Notes on my post-Christmas Commute

The other day I was talking with a friend about the new helmet law in Vietnam. Although really, the new law is not so worthy a topic. Somewhat higher on the worthiness scale would be the concept of actual enforcement of the law. I'm told that something like 3000 new police were hired specifically to enforce the helmet law. Or perhaps they just hired 3000 old police and provided extra motivation for doing the stuff that police do. But what really happened, that is worth talking about, is that for two whole weeks now the vast majority of people here have been wearing helmets. I would suggest that the law, and even the level of enforcement, have less to do with that change in people's habits than the PR campaign making helmet use, and traffic safety in general, sort of a national fad. After having effectively given up on enforcing a similar law a couple of years ago, I'd say that the apex of Vietnam pc institutions, the propaganda department, has two solid weeks of success on this one! Anyway, we were talking about whether there are any standards regarding exactly how helmet-like the thing on your head has to be in order to pass muster, i.e. the guys with construction hard hats or green army helmets or, say, a sweat-encrusted baseball cap on backwards, do those get you out of a ticket? My best solution was to have the police give any random passing headgear a good wack with their night-stick - if you fall over then you get a ticket, if you keep going then you're home free. After that conversation, I still burst out laughing tonight, in a 5:30 ribs-to-elbows traffic free-for-all, when a policeman who was dutifully blowing away on his whistle to stop traffic one direction and make way for the other direction, upon being completely ignored by one driver, promptly did just that - skillfully administered a good wack on the helmet. After laughing (and checking that my own helmet was well fastened, and making sure I was in the middle of the herd of traffic going my direction - out of reach of any unprovoked wacks) I proceeded thru the intersection with great holiday cheer and best wishes for my favorite cop who is doing his job.

Merry Christmas from Hanoi!

Indeed, maybe I should buy myself a Ford Ranger for Christmas?!? Isn't there something a little more realistic that they can advertise outside the shopping mall?

Oh yes, M&Ms, now that I can relate to. I failed to check, though, if they were genuine Hershey's M&Ms made from PA milk hauled by my former colleagues...

Here is where Santa gets his hot weather clothes. That said, it isn't hot here now, it's actually a wee bit chilly, but something tells me that Santa being from wherever he is from (the BBC says Uzbekistan would be the best location for him but I don't think he takes orders from the BBC) he would not call this weather chilly!

Who is this Bobby?? Somebody tell me, is that like Santa's goofy uncle, who likes purple instead of proper Christmas colors like red and green??

This Santa needs some serious North Beach treatment - how can you be Santa without at least stuffing a pillow under your belt?? I would expect roly-poly to catch on here, everybody is afraid of being too skinny, so shouldn't Santa be even more roly-poly than usual?

This is Santa outside the jazz club, playing the sax quietly under the deafening roar of everybody's motorbike horns. Oh - I got the horn fixed on my motorbike, I can now toot like everybody else. Occasionally that makes me feel better about the traffic, which is really all it does.

My Castle

Well, not exactly "mine" strictly speaking. And "castle" is up for interpretation I guess! So that is my expansive and well-equipped kitchen. Rice, Ramen, Coffee and nước măm. That's it, mostly, I guess that's why I don't cook much!

This scholar guy, or whoever he is, is hanging on my wall above my desk. Question for my Chinese friends - what does that character mean? Does it mean if I study long and hard enough that I will actually be able to speak Vietnamese? Or if I study long and hard enough I will have hair like that dude does? Or both? Maybe it's a subliminal message saying buy this picture it will bring you luck. Who knows. I for one, don't, that's why I asked!