Pam greets an elderly Vietnamese walker who was constantly giver her a thumbs-up as she walked in the early mornings around Hoan Keim Lake in the center of Hanoi.
It was 5:30 a.m. on a May morning in downtown Hanoi. As I stepped onto the sidewalk outside my hotel, I could see that the throngs of walkers around Hoan Kiem Lake were already out in force. In an hour or so, the streets would be clogged with motorcycles and bicycles, but for now, the main traffic was pedestrians on footpaths around the famed Lake of the Restored Sword in the center of Vietnam’s capital.
I crossed the street and began to move around the lake at a brisk pace alongside hundreds of others who were taking their morning constitutional. In clear view of the walkers, young men lifted weights, old men stretched, and groups of women and men played badminton. Elderly ladies practiced tai chi, and young and middle-aged women–in groups of 60 or more–moved their legs, arms and hips a la Jane Fonda as the music of the Beach Boys blared over a CD player.
It was anyone’s guess whether a single person was paying attention to the bold red banners announcing Ho Chi Minh’s birthday or the upcoming national elections.
Read the entire article in the November 2007 issue
True Tails is a series written by Amy Robinson for Vero Beach’s dog lovers. Ask Amy about your dog’s behavior by clicking below.
Facebook Comments