Readings: Hà Nội in the Old Days, Pt. 6 - Transportation

One of the amusing things about reading this book, has been trying to figure out what the author is talking about when he mentions a proper name of a person or brand, usually French in origin. That's because he often doesn't use the original French spelling, but rather a phonetic Vietnamese spelling so that the reader can pronounce it (reasonably) correctly.

I know that most readers may not know how to read these Vietnamese vowels correctly, but for I have sprinkled some of these spellings into the article today for the amusement of those who do, alongside my 'translations' in parentheses.

Overcoming the Bumpy First Steps of the Railway Industry

The first train in Việt Nam rolled from Saigon to Mỹ Tho in 1885, a 70km line that took 5 years to build. In 1895, a trans-Việt Nam route was opened from Đồng Đăng (north of Hà Nội) to Saigon. It was built in sections and took 40 years to complete. The train Mikado departed Hà Nội on September 30, 1936 and arrived in Saigon on October 4 for an inauguration ceremony. It was a boon for traders and travellers for it was spacious and half the cost of going by car, although it was slower.

After four years of smooth business, Japanese fascists arrived and American planes followed to destroy them by bombing railways, stations and bridges. After the August Revolution, France invaded again; in early 1947, a scorched earth resistance meant railways were dismantled and bridges were mined by the Vietnamese.

After victory against the French in 1954, the government proceeded to rebuild many train routes. This lasted until 1964 when the US escalated the war and destruction of the north. The railway was a main target, day or night; American planes could bomb stations, bridges and roads at any time. In 1973, after the Paris Agreement, rebuilding the railway was a key priority. 475 bridges had to be rebuilt and 250 more repaired and reinforced; thousands of kilometers of railway needed repairing. Tens of thousands of workers worked hard on this project. It took only four years this time; the North-South unified railway was reinaugurated on December 4, 1976.

Businessman Bạch Thái Bưởi (1874-1932)

The launch of the vessel "Bình Chuẩn" in September 1919 from Hải Phòng surprised the business world. The name of the businessman who built this ship rose like a kite on the wind. Who was Bạch Thái Bưởi?

Born to a poor farming family in An Phú village (now a part of Hà Nội), he was adopted by the Bạch family in order to receive an elementary education in Vietnamese and French. He worked as a secretary for a trading company and then moved into public works and industrial machinery. In 1895, the governor of Tonkin sent him to a fair in Bordeaux to promote Vietnamese products abroad, and while there he visited Western factories.

When he returned, he tried every way to become rich. In 1899, he worked as a foreman on the construction of the Paul Doumer bridge. With the money, he made several investments, but for every gain he also suffered losses. He finally settled on river transportation, renting three French ships and operating routes from Hà Nội-Nam Định and Nam Định-Bến Thủy. With his earnings after seven years, he bought the shipyard. He put his name on the company, moved it to Hải Phòng, and hoisted a yellow flag with an anchor and three red stars over it.

Bạch Thái Bưởi ships spread from the rivers to the sea. His ships had the names of historical Vietnamese figures like Lạc Long Quân and Gia Long. He operated special routes to take people to festivals such as the Hương Pagoda festival. It exposed many people to the idea that Vietnamese could build their own products.

He hired an advertiser to encourage Vietnamese people to travel on Vietnamese vessels. He gave his passengers free paper fans. He offered discounted return trips. When he lowered his prices, his competitors lowered theirs even more. When he offered free tea, his competitors offered free cakes.

The high competition hurt him, and the French government controlled him in other ways. Comprador companies were given tax breaks that he was not given. He was not allowed to import new engines, so his ships were slower and his passengers dwindled. A shipwreck caused further financial troubles.

After several decades in business, Bạch Thái Bưởi had little to show for it. He died in 1932. While not successful, he had a lot of determination. Scholars call him the nation's first "economic hero".

Travel in the Early 20th Century

Since the completion of the Paul Doumer Bridge in 1903, many roads were expanded in the Northeast. It is convenient for the roads and waterways to be close together, so there is a bustling of both boats and buses.

The bus station at Cửa Nam has buses operated by many different owners. The routes are indicated by animals painted on the side: elephant, rabbit, butterfly, zebra. The tiger bus must have been too fierce, so the owner had it repainted as a horse. In advertisements, catchy poems help customers associate the animal to the route, and tout soft cushions, polite attendants, and punctuality.

Hàng Bông street is famous for its ten shops that rent wedding cars. They are nice cars like Sơvrôlê (Chevrolet) and Xitơrôen (Citroen). For luxurious weddings, people often rented a dozen cars, so you usually have to rent from 2 or 3 different shops. In order to maintain trust, these drivers are always punctual and maintain their vehicles well.

Bicycles in the Old Days

Eighty years ago, having a bicycle meant your family had good blood. In 1930, a normal bicycle cost only 8đ, while a really good one like a Pơgiô (Peugeot) cost 15đ. Compare that to the price of rice at the time: 2đ for a quintal (100kg). So few families could afford a bicycle.

A typical bicycle of the time was very heavy and painted black with a type of brake like chopsticks. Under the handlebars is a western oil lamp, and on the left handlebar is a bell. Under the seat is a rectangular or oval copper plate with the owner's name and address engraved on it, plus the tax plate. Every year, one must pay 1đ to replace the tax plate. Few women dare to sit on the back of the iron horse.

There was a time when the wheels were solid tires with wooden rims, but it was not cheaper so they returned to pneumatic tires. The most trusted brand of tire is Mitsơlanh (Michelin). There are many shops for renting bikes, and you can rent a bike for a whole day for two cents. The special thing about the 1930s was that you didn't need to lock your bike when parking on the sidewalk. Maybe the thieves at that time didn't know how to ride?

From Handcarts to Cyclos

Handcarts was imported to Viet Nam at the end of the 19th century, brought by the French but built in Japan and Hong Kong. These first carts had wheels as big as horse cart wheels, and were spacious enough for two people to sit in, with wooden planks and no cushions. One person had to push while another pulled. Because of this, an improvement was made to make them smaller and lighter.

In 1915, rubber tires were added and they did not jolt the passenger so much. It cost 6 cents an hour to rent, subject to bargaining. The driver would rent his handcart, turning in his tax card and 2.5 cents for the day, to receive his vehicle, a conical hat, and a blue and white-striped uniform. He was liable to pay for damages done to the seat cushions. Many drivers would get exhausted and catch tuberculosis or be beaten for not making enough to pay the rental company.

Xe nhà (A house car, or family car) was another kind of handcart that a rich family would own for themselves. It would be painted shiny black, or cockroach color, or imitation tortoise shell. They would retain a driver who received two meals a day, two sets of clothes per year, and a few silver coins a month. The driver would pull the master and mistress and then make a second trip to bring the children.

In 1937, the xích lô (cyclo) appeared in Saigon - coming from Thailand - allowing the drivers to use pedal power. A few years later they came to Hà Nội. Currently, cyclos have been banned except in some tourist areas.

Think of the Trams

The first electric tram lines opened in Hà Nội at the end of 1901, and many more followed in the following decades. The trams usually run with 2 cars, extra cars are added along lines where a major market is open. The screeching of wheels and the clanging of the bells remain deep in the hearts of Hanoians.

Sometimes an old couple would sing xẩm on the train and hold up a bronze basin for coins. At tram stops, vendors would hop on and hawk their wares and jump back off before the tram started again. Herbalists sell cough or toothache medicine, while others sell bánh mì (baguette sandwiches), green bean cakes, or other snacks. Japanese ice cream is popular in the summer, salty roasted peanuts in the winter.

In the 1980s, the transportation department suddenly removed all of the decaying tram tracks. Electric buses with inflatable tires ran along the tram lines connected to the electric cables. This type of vehicle operated silently, and no one paid attention to it or noticed when it died out.

Advertising for a Night at the Vietnamese Opera

On dry evenings at 4:00 pm, 3 handcarts pull away from the Quảng Lạc Theater. The drivers must bend their backs, because as many as three actors are in each car, dressed up with costumes, fake beards, and swords. The parade is accompanied by drums and cymbals so everyone sees them. Children run after the carts to ask for a flyer. The parade advertises the evening show; the last car has a sign saying what time the show starts.

In the summer, fans are mounted on shafts above the audience and pulled back and forth by an attendant with a rope. The plays are based on ancient Chinese stories. The bell rings three times and the curtain opens. During the performance, the audience sits attentively, although sometimes they are a bit noisy.

Whether good or bad, the performance does not involve applause or whistling. When the curtain closes for the final time, a person in the wings holds up a sign that says: "Bonsoir".

In the next edition: A Wedding, a Funeral, and a Circus