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Food
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While in Vietnam I read a book by a Viet Kieu--an
ethnicVietnamese who is living outside the country--who returns to do a
long bicycle trip
He bemusedly comments on "these skinny people who are obsessed with food" It's really true; they eat anywhere, anytime |
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Exhibit A could be the Old Quarter in Hanoi
Families crowd the sidewalks with their little stools |
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women carrying a portable restaurant on their ganh (wooden shoulder carrier) set up shop on any sidewalk |
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put noodles and a few veggies in a colander immerse in the always-boiling vat of water |
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cook for a coupla minutes |
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a bit of seasoning |
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and voila, happy diner |
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then enjoy a brief respite |
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or maybe you've got a mobile noodle shop right on your motorbike |
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there seems to be no limit to people's ability monopolize a sidewalk here, the 6pm crowd of drinkers and diners near St. Joseph cathedral in Hanoi so pedestrians have to walk in the street |
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You see those dinky red and blue stools they're sitting on?
That's the most ubiquitous piece of furniture in Vietnam
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Where else did I see these? On the train from Hanoi to Lao Cai At one point the train was flooded with passengers who had no seats, and this stack of stools was pressed into service the aisles were totally clogged |
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even the dishwashing expands to all available space
yes, that's happening on the sidewalk, on a busy Hanoi street |
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near my Hanoi guest house I'm searching for breakfast
I see people crowded around... |
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...this woman, who takes a sheet of paper slaps a banana leaf on it |
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grabs a handful of sticky rice from her basket
adds some seasoning |
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and I've got my breakfast |
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oh, you prefer saffron rice?
OK |
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it seems anyone can set up a little food operation on the sidewalk in front of their shop Ngoc, for example |
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(Old Quarter, Hanoi) |
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makes and sells hoi cakes
a rice-based, slightly sweet confection |
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along with Thanh (also slightly sweet) |
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Two days in a row I had lunch at Hien's sidewalk stand |
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(Old Quarter, Hanoi) |
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gelatinous rice with meat stuffing |
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and a fertilized egg... |
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i.e., one with a nearly-developed embryo |
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and one morning this lady whipped up a veggie omelet for me |
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At the market in Hue, the ad hoc eateries go on forever |
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each proprietress calling to you to Come, Come |
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It doesn't take much to open a restaurant Grill, utensils, a few slabs of meat And, oh yes, a bunch of tiny plastic stools |
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