Vietnam, my impression

- the greed of the Vietnamese people, everywhere and everyone is trying to cheat you. The government actually allowed dual price for things. Sort like what China had many years ago.

- the constant hassle of people who are trying to sell you things, even though you express no interests at all.

- the many customs in Vietnam reminded me so much what I experienced growing up in Taiwan 30 or so years ago. I feel there is much more Chinese culture here than what I experienced in China on my two trips there. I think the destructive culture revolution wipped out many Chinese tradition in mainland China. Even today the communist government there with its continue focus on economic growth, is making the old culture/tradition/sights even less.

- Vietnam = motobikes. there are every where, just like Taiwan, but with a good mix of bicycles as well. Again it is more like China 15-20 years ago and Taiwan 25-35 years ago.

- The ecomomy of Vietnam is growing fast as well, but the middle class is still very small, so most of the tourist places, you only see non-local tourists. So it less crowded than China.

- There are lessing smoking by men here than China

- The honking by the drivers is approaching Chinese standard

- The food in the North and central are less oily as in south western China, but a lot of fried food.

- girls here are cuter, but a bit short. In fact the people here are pretty short even by Asian standard. I think average height of men here is 5' 4".

- Vietnam seems to be lot cleaner than I expected in comparison to China, all sit down toilet, less dirty looking street.

- the residential buildings in Vietnam is greatly influenced by French, it created a good visual on the eyes, not like the gray and dirty looking building of China.

- although roads are less and narrower in Vietnam, it seem to be better build than China. Come to think of everything is China seem to be of lowest quality. That explains their exported goods as well :)

- sit-down toilet is norm and you can flush the used toilet paper down not like China where you need to put the used toilet paper in a basket, yuck! French did good here.

Vietnam I think has more "culture" appeal to me than China. Although its people are less honest and more annoyance. Time to visit is now (hopefully with a person who knows Vietnamese and local custom,so to avoid being taken to the cleaner everytime), before there is a large middle class. Else in 10-20 years, u might get a place like China.