Tet 2008 Hanoi: 23 year old Kathryn wanders the empty
streets. The only thing left are garbage collectors cleaning up after the celebrations
the night before and a few vendors. One such vendor has a megaphone with a
recorded voice on repeat. In Kathryn’s mind it is clearly asking, “Would you
like to buy some bread?” Mainly because one time she saw them, they were indeed
selling bread. *
 |
| Would you like to buy some bread? |
Flash forward to 2015: Kathryn and Robert arrive to stay
with Tim and Steph in Ho Chi Minh City. They ponder on the various vendors’
announcements. Kathryn reignites her idea that they are asking if you want
bread. Robert favours this idea. From then on, whenever a street vendor is nearby, they ask, “Would you like to buy
some bread?”
They ask this even when it is
clearly not bread…
BUT…
 |
| Flowers |
OR
 |
| Hats |
OR
 |
| Pineapples |
Or
 |
| Fruit |
Or
 |
| Face masks |
Because the fact is, in Vietnam you can buy almost anything
from the street and often it will come to you (even if you don’t want it!).
 |
| Having fun |
* Steph and Tim told us all about the guy they used to hear
in their old Ho Chi Minh neighboured who used to yell what sounded like: “I
kil-led my dog!"
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