The Burnings

I knew about the poor air quality in Vietnam. I knew about all the cars and motorbikes. I knew about the pollution. But the thing I didn't know was how much the Vietnamese love to dirty their own air. The smell of smoke is constantly filling the air. The acrid scent comes out of nowhere and always raises the question, "what are they burning now?"

The lack of concern for the environment is baffleing at times. People don't need a permit and don't give a care to set a pile or this and that ablaze. Fires are lit right in front of stores, restaurants and houses. There is little to no concern for anyone when these fires are lit; children, pets and passing motorists must dodge the smoke and avoid the fire, a lesson learned young.

Usually, the smoke comes from homes and restaurants cooking dinner. BBQ is an important part of the food and the culture. There is a delicious dish "bun cha" which consists of a bowl of thin noodles and fresh veggies in a cold sweet, watery sauce with pieces of barbequed meat and sausage patties on top for good measure. Truly delicious but the restaurants are not the type of place where you can avoid the heat and enjoy a few drinks. The smoke from the BBQ and the little or no ventilation will always make you ask for the bill before you finish eating. There are lots of street side restaurants that cook this dish and make a mess while doing it. The smoke that's made from one tiny grill is amazing. The thick black smoke pours down the street, and blankets the streets, making it difficult to drive or even walk through.

The smoke also comes from, yep, you guessed it, garbage. Not only do Hanoians think that it's OK to throw their garbage to the curb of busy streets, they also believe that setting it on fire gets rid of any trace with no after effects! I've often walked in the streets late at night and forced to dodge flying debris and walk over smoldering charcol. The most astonishing thing is that these fires are only about four or five feet from the store's opening. I wonder how many clothing stores have caught on fire due to negligence caused by a single spark.

One reason that burning is so popular is that it's part religious. The Vietnamese regularly pay homage to their elders by presenting offerings of food and drink in front of alters. They also burn incense and fake money for their relatives to spend in the afterlife. Vietnamese dong as well as US one-hundred dollar bills are printed for the purposes of burning. Some call it fraud but the Vietnamese call it tradition. You can't really argue with tradition so you wear a mask and turn your head, just like everyone else. Who am I to argue with tradition?