Under an oriental moon: Reflections of a Brazilian traveler in Vietnam | By Rafael Procopiak [em português e inglês]

I drink my cup of Vietnamese coffee at the Chicken Society breakfast in the Frasier Suites. It is remarkably strong and tasty even for a Brazilian’s palate. Vietnam is now second only to my country in terms of coffee exports. In fact, life in Vietnam is good. After eating at Badien restaurant, with its Michelin star rating of French-Vietnamese cuisine, we see the new generation of wealthy Vietnamese enjoying their newfound prosperity.

At this restaurant in Hanoi you enjoy a fusion of old French colonial flavor mixed with good traditional Vietnamese food. After a meal at Badien you’ll be tempted to end the day with another cup of coffee at Cong Caphe, the best cafe in Hanoi.

Vietnam has seen unparalleled growth in recent years, with companies like Samsung basing their production operations in the country that relocated from China. This has helped the country become a technology hub for several companies, just as in the past, Apple’s move to China to manufacture its iphones and mac books caused a huge economic boom in that country.

Na verdade, a cor de um gato não importa, desde que ele capture ratos - o Vietname é agora uma economia capitalista próspera como a China

The pacification policy after the war of reunification was one of the main reasons why this country benefited economically after opening to the free market, after the end of the central economic planning style. Vietnamese people are cordial and polite towards foreigners. These people have suffered tremendously in the past with the collapse of French Indochina and the war with the United States, but they offer you the best of their nation in terms of hospitality. My taxi driver, for example, offered me lamb pancakes made by his wife as a gift. In the Frasier suites, my host gives me tips on where to buy souvenirs.

Dong Xuan market is the place. There I find excellent tea boxes to give as gifts, jade jewelry and much more to take to my Lusitanian friends in Portugal. The market has everything you would expect from a bazaar like this in the East.

Returning to the Frasier Suites we prepared for an important visit to the memorial to the great architect of the modern Vietnamese nation, Ho Chi Minh.

The memorial is a huge structure with a mummified body in the center. Every year he goes to Russia to be checked for proper embalming so that he can be respected by the Vietnamese. You can feel the enormous gratitude and respect that the Vietnamese have for General Ho Chi Minh as soon as you enter the country: his portrait is solemnly displayed everywhere.

The policy of free market economic reforms initiated by the communist regime, similar to those of Deng Xiaoping in China, brought economic success to the people of Vietnam. In fact, the color of a cat doesn’t matter as long as it catches mice – Vietnam is now a prosperous capitalist economy like China.

No stay in Hanoi is complete without a visit to the puppet theater. We paid for our tickets and watched this sumptuous dancing puppet show in the center of Hanoi. It is worth it. The Hanoi Opera is currently presenting Verdi’s La Traviata, a show that is also worth the price of admission. Hanoi has a magnificent opera house dating back to the French colonial period. Much of the city’s grandeur dates from this period, namely the best restaurants, for example, as mentioned.

The best pastries can be enjoyed at the French-inspired Saint Honoré in Xuan Dieu. I drink a nice bottle of tangerine juice accompanied by fresh crepes and seasonal fruits. Excellent. This is typical of Vietnam, the mark of its former colonial enemies now celebrated in much of its culture. We should expect this in the mix of cultures in the East that is Vietnam.

* Rafael Kopp Alvarez Procopiak, born in Brazil. Brasília, Federal District. He began his studies in Washington, DC, where he completed pre-school and began primary education. At that time, he accompanied his parents (both diplomats) along with his two sisters. The family then moved to Moscow, where he continued his studies at the American School. Back in Brazil, he continued at the American School in Brasília. In the following years, he lived in Argentina, Mexico and Canada.

In Argentina, he continued his studies at ST.George’s School, an English school linked to the British educational system. In Mexico, he attended part of his secondary education at the “Greengates School”, also British-oriented, and in Canada, Toronto, he completed secondary school. In Montreal, he entered and completed his bachelor’s degree in psychology, where he was featured in the Dean’s Letter among the University’s top 100 students. (Concordia University) Rafael also collaborated as a volunteer, joining the welcoming team for new students and introducing the university campus. In Potugal, Faro, he also worked as a volunteer at the charitable borganization “Existir”. As part of the Master’s in Tourism program, which he completed at the University of Algarve, Rafael was co-author of articles published in a British magazine specializing in leisure and tourism.

Under an Oriental Moon: Musings of a Brazilian traveller in Vietnam | By Rafael Procopiak

I drink my cup of Vietnamese coffee in the Chicken Society morning breakfast in the Frasier suites. It is remarkably strong and flavourful even for the palate of a Brazilian. Vietnam is now second only to my homeland in terms of coffee exporys. Indeed life in Vietnam is good. Having eaten in the Badien restaurant with its Michelin star rating of French-Vietnamese cuisine one sees the new generation of wealthy Vietnamese enjoying their new found prosperity.



In this restaurant in Hanoi one enjoys a fusion of old French colonial taste mixed with fine traditional Vietnamese food. After a meal in the Badien one is tempted to end the day with another cup of coffee at the Cong Caphe, the best coffee shop in Hanoi.



Vietnam has experienced unparalleled growth in the last few years with companies such as Samsung basing their manufacturing operations in the country moving from China. This has aided the country into becoming a technological hub for several companies just like in the past Apple moving to China for the manufacture of it’s iphones and mac books caused a major economic boom to that country.










Indeed a cat's colour does not matter as long as it catches mice - Vietnam is a now thriving capitalist economy like China
 
The policy of peacemaking after the reunification war was a key reason this country benefited economically after opening up to the free market after the end of central planning style economics. Vietnamese are cordial and polite to foreigners. These people have suffered tremendously in the past with the collapse of French Indochina and the war with the United States yet they offer the very best of their nation to you in terms of hospitality. My cab driver for instance offered me as a gift lamb pancakes made by his wife as a present.
 
In the Frasier suites my host gives me tips on where to go for souvenirs. The Dong Xuan market is the place. There I find excellent boxes of tea to give as presents, jade jewellery, and much more to bring to my Lusitanian friends back home in Portugal. The market has everything one would expect from such a bazaar in the orient.
 
Returning to the Frasier suites we prepare for an important visit  to the memorial of  the modern Vietnamese nation’s great architect Ho Chi Minh. The memorial is a massive structure with a mummified body in the center. Every year it goes to Russia to be checked for proper embalming so that it can be paid respect by Vietnamese.
 
 
One can feel the overwhelming gratitude and respect Vietnamese have for General Ho Chi Minh as soon as one enters the country: his portrait is solemnly displayed everywhere. The policy of economic free market reforms initiated by the communist regime , resembling those of Deng Xiaoping in China have brought economic success to the people of Vietnam. Indeed a cat’s colour does not matter as long as it catches mice- Vietnam is a now thriving capitalist economy like China.
 
No stay in Hanoi is complete without a visit to the puppet theater. We pay our tickets and watch this sumptuous show of dancing marionettes in the center of Hanoi. Well worth it. Hanoi’s opera house is currently playing La Traviata by Verdi, a spectacle also well worth the price of admission. Hanoi has a magnificent opera house dating from the French colonial period. Much of the city’s grandeur date’s from that period, specifically the best restaurants for instance as mentioned. 
 
 
The best pastries can be savoured in the French inspired Saint Honoré at Xuan Dieu. I drink a nice flask of mandarin juice accompanied by some fresh crepes and seasonal fruit. Excellent. This is typical of Vietnam, the mark of it’s previous colonial enemies now celebrated in much of it’s culture.  We must expect this in the melange of cultures in the Orient which is Vietnam.
 
* Rafael Kopp Alvarez Procopiak, born in Brazil. …Rafael Kopp Alvarez Procopiak, born in Brazil. Brasília, Federal District. He began his studies in Washington, DC, where he completed pre-school and early elementary school. At that time, he accompanied his parents (both diplomats) along with his two sisters. The family then moved to Moscow, where she continued her studies at the American School. Back in Brazil, she continued at the American School in Brasilia. In the following years, he lived in Argentina, Mexico and Canada.
 
In Argentina, he continued his studies at ST.George’s School, an English school linked to the British education system. In Mexico, he attended part of secondary school at the Greengates School, also British, and in Canada, Toronto, he finished secondary school. In Montreal, he entered and completed his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, where he was featured in the Dean’s Letter as one of the university’s top 100 students. (Concordia University) Rafael also worked as a volunteer on the team welcoming new students and introducing them to the university campus. In Potugal, Faro, he also worked as a volunteer for the charitable organization “Existir”. As part of the Master’s programme in Tourism, which he completed at the University of the Algarve, Rafael co-authored articles published in a British magazine specializing in leisure and tourism.
 
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