|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 14 March 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Magazine |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
After the seatbelts and the instructions, the drinks and the meal I relaxed to look through the window. The mountains were just like map drawings. The Mekong river slithers through the countryside curving its way through the valleys of South-Vietnam. The vision before me belonged to the gods watching the earth from their seats above. The sights were soothing. The Thai airplane eased onto the runway and headed towards the airport. We said goodbye to the glamorous Thai girls in their pastel costumes standing to attention.
We were given a right royal welcome by then. The journey from the airport to the city centre Hanoi was a pleasure indeed. The whole of the countryside is checkered with lush green paddy fields, the reed hats bending over, planting the spring-summer crop. The Vietnam landscape looks like one big paddy field with a few houses and other buildings scattered in between.
The youthful Vietnamese more around the city on their most modern bikes. The streets are absolutely clean. We pass over many bridges, river ending laid across the many tributaries of the Red River, which originates in China, bringing red fertile soil to the Delta nourishing it throughout the year.
The Vietnam that I saw in the first forty minutes is a country of contrasts. It's freedom is only about twenty years old. But Vietnam shows a high development rate. Vietnam is a socialist country but it is no welfare state. I was shocked to hear that education is not free - Health care is not free. The Vietnamese are proud of their country's political stability. There is only one party ruling and those who run it are honest, and dedicated. To them country comes first. by Padma Basnayake (To be continued) |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
On February 19, 2004, I boarded Thai Airways from Bangkok for Vietnam.
I had the rare opportunity of joining the delegation of the Vietnam
Solidarity Association visiting Vietnam. It took us only one and a half
hours.
The airport was indeed a surprise; small and cosy after glamorous
Bangkok. The busy young boys and girls in Vietnam army uniforms guided us
through Customs as our Vietnamese friends of the Sri Lanka Friendship
Union were waiting for us on the other side.
One thing that startles the visitor, is the cleanliness of the suburbs.
The journey from the airport to Hanoi is in total contrast to the journey
from Bangkok airport to the city centre. The heart warms towards the
country as the visitor feels he is moving between the earth and the sky.
The highway is bathed in the autumn sunshine and only a few cars pass by.
To our surprise they were the latest brands. Ever heard of a Mercedes
city-taxi service in a developing country? Well this is what you find in
Vietnam.
The Vietnamese even today drive their buffaloes and use their hoes.
Vietnamese still use ancient methods of cultivation. Two people emptying a
waterhole using a reed funnel is a tableau one sees right through the
country. This funnel tied to two long strings on each side are held by two
people standing on eitherside of a waterhole. They dip the funnel and
empty it in a vigorous movement keeping their bodies upright. All
techniques are old fashioned but Vietnam is the second biggest
rice-producer of the world and the biggest exporter of rice.
