Closing post

As promised when in Vietnam, let me muse about some of the differences between Vietnam and Korea. It was interesting to see the 2 cities so closely in a short time period to be able to draw comparisons/differences. I saw a lot more of Hanoi (4 weeks) than Seoul (3 days)

Seoul: There were lots of tall thin buildings (sky scrapers) with a very modern flavour. The architecture reminded me of large cities in North America, especially Toronto and Chicago.
Hanoi: Some buildings were very tall, but the majority were low-rise with a distinct Asian flavour. There were clay roofs with turned up corners, what one would expect to see in a southeast Asian city.

Seoul: The locals were NOT rude, but did not seem aware of our presence. When our eyes met theirs, they mostly just looked away.
Hanoi: The locals did not pay much attention to foreigners, though when our eyes met, they had a warm smile and dip of the head in acknowledgment of our presence.

Seoul: Wide expansive streets were the standard with high-rise buildings in between the older native buildings.
Hanoi: Some streets were wide, but not close to the width of those in Seoul. More buildings were 2 to 3 floors.

Seoul: Street vendors were here and there, a mix between fruit stalls and those peddling local newspapers.
Hanoi: There were vendors everywhere, with fruit, vegetables, and meats being predominant.

Seoul: The restaurants were expensive compared to Vietnam. It was not uncommon to find a nice breakfast or light lunch or the equivalent of 15-20 USD. There were many roadside establishments to eat at for 5-7 USD.
Hanoi: The prices were far less than in Seoul, and it was easy to get a nice meal of rice and a meat/bean curd for less than 1 USD.

Seoul: The signage was always in Korean, with more than 80% of them displaying the English translation.
Hanoi: There was close to no English on any signs.

Seoul: The drivers were very courteous and would go out of their way to accommodate pedestrians.
Hanoi: The drivers were very rude and pedestrians were expected to perform super-human gymnastic feats to avoid getting run over.

Seoul: The intersections were controlled by state-of-the-art traffic lights. Uncontrolled intersections were approached cautiously by all drivers, watching for hazards attentively.
Hanoi: Controlled intersection? What does that mean? They were a free-for-all and do your best to NOT hit someone on the way through.

Seoul: The odd scooter here the odd one there.
Hanoi: Scooters scooters everywhere, even on the sidewalk during rush hour.

Seoul: Hardly a vehicle horn to be heard.
Hanoi: Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep ...

Seoul: The people were wonderful ... warm, friendly, helpful.
Hanoi: The people were wonderful ... warm, friendly, helpful.

Seoul: More than half of the items on restaurant menus were western.
Hanoi: There were some western choices on restaurant menus, but local fare was more predominant.

Seoul: No visa requirements for Canadians.
Hanoi: Visa required for all, and one cannot show up at the boarder unannounced and obtain a visa. They must be informed of you arrival beforehand.

Overall impressions ...

Seoul: The people are wonderful, the sites worth seeing, the cuisine captivating.
Hanoi: The people are wonderful, the sites worth seeing, the cuisine captivating.

Would I recommend one over the other ... no; Vietnam and Korea are BOTH worth the trip. It is worth seeing Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) as well as Hanoi. If your trip to Korea permits, see Jeju island.

I loved all the people I met; the best about Vietnam was the Transglator. The best about Korea was my Naomi.

Good night Chet; good night David ... see here if interested in this reference ...