Ha Long Bay to Ha Noi

24th August, 2012.

 

Back onto the bus again, and past more rice fields.

 

One of the advantages of being in the high bus was that I could get shots of some of the interesting cargoes carried on motor bikes, even if the shots are a bit blurry.

This bike rider was carrying a load of live chickens.

 

We stopped in a village on the way, and Rex took us in to see a family he knew, in their one-roomed house.  Their living conditions were very basic.

They did however have a garden around their house, where there were chickens, fruit and vegetables.

 

As we walked back to the bus from the house, we passed a shed where I glanced in and saw a man skinning a dog.  Filled with revulsion, I walked quickly to the bus.  Then, to my horror, he brought the carcass outside, right beside our bus, heaped straw over it and set it on fire.  Here he is, with Rex our guide looking on.  (I have deliberately chosen a picture where you can’t see too much of the dog.)

Rex explained to us that burning it with rice straw before cooking improved the flavour and made it crisper.  Still disgusted, I tried to analyse my feelings.  Why did I feel ok about eating lamb, for example, but not dog?  Surely the lamb is just as upset about being eaten as the dog.  This was just one more example of the culture shock that has hit me on this trip, and urged me to try to be more broadminded and understanding.

Here are some thoughts about eating dog meat from my friend Wikipedia:

In contemporary times, some cultures view the consumption of dog meat to be a part of their traditional cuisine, while others consider consumption of dog to be inappropriate and offensive on both social and religious grounds. In response to criticisms, proponents of dog meat have argued that distinctions between livestock and pets is subjective, and that there is no difference with eating the meat of different animals.

Dog meat is consumed more commonly in the northern part of Vietnam than in the south, and can be found in special restaurants which specifically serve this type of meat. Dog meat is believed to bring good fortune in Vietnam.  It is seen as being comparable in consumption to chicken or pork.  In any urban areas, there are always sections which house a lot of dog-meat restaurants. For example, on Nhat Tan Street, Ha Noi, many restaurants serve dog meat. Groups of customers, usually male, seated on mats, will spend their evenings sharing plates of dog meat and drinking alcohol since dog meat is believed to raise the libido in men. The consumption of dog meat can be part of a ritual usually occurring toward the end of the lunar month for reasons of astrology and luck. Restaurants which mainly exist to serve dog meat may only open for the last half of the lunar month.

 

Women normally wear long trousers and long sleeves.

 

Typical narrow houses (and typical wiring).

 

At first glance, this looked like a stack of boxes driving itself along the road.  One of the Americans on our tour remarked that she felt that the potential of the motor bike was grossly under-utilised in her country, and I’m inclined to agree. 

However, I’m sure I prefer our safety standards.

 

Until you get used to it, it’s a bit unnerving to see vehicles going in all directions at intersections.

 

We arrived at our hotel in Ha Noi just as the sun was beginning to go down, after yet another very big day.