Vietnam wrap-up

- In Can Tho you get free ice tea as soon as you sit at a restaurant table

- They drive on the right side (somehow new for us after one month ;)

- There is much more police force on the street than in the countries we've visited before

- everyone is honking without apparent reason

- in most street food places you get to be your own cook: you get your basic dish with a plate of greens (lettuce, mustard leafs, mint, coriander etc.) and can add whatever you like. Most food - even the Vietnamese pancakes - are rolled in rice paper with the greens of your choosing

- they love noodle soup anytime of the day. Some restaurant don't propose anything else (Karsten was happy, Claire kinda had enough of it after 2 weeks)

- a lot of people are wearing a mask against dust in the street, most often on motorbikes. The mask can be a chirugical one for 1 time use or washable with hello kitty or other patterns (sometimes fitting to the outfit)

- For crossing the street, see one of our previous posts ;)

- when you toast with someone you announce how much percent of the beer you and the other(s) will have to drink

- nobody likes to be tanned, especially women. So on motobikes, they cover up completely! (the usual mask against dust, long sleeves, gloves, socks with space between the bigger toe if they have thongs)

- wearing a helmet on motorbike is obligatory, everyone has one. The quality of the helmet is another matter. It is not uncommon to see people with cap and the helmet loosely on top.

- although helmet is requested, the number of people on a motorbike doesn't seem to have regulation. Sometimes they do have chairs for kids, sometimes the kids are simply stuck between the parents

- football can be a conversation starter, as it usually is the easiest common knowledge between people. A lot of Vietnamese don't have a clue of where or what is a "Belgium", others probably don't know much more but when they hear Belgium, they answer "aaah, Eden Hazard!"

- they've got pretty decent internet coverage through the country

- and they actually do where those typical hats, however you call them.Read more