We took a long bus journey, even got lost some time, to come to Ciputra at 2pm. It was a rainy day in Thanh Xuan but seemed quite dry in the North of Hanoi where Ciputra was located: Not rainy, not sunny, not too hot … but windy and so nice that day was.
The first impression is that Ciputra is so large – 5 square kilometer area. And it was impossible to walk to every corner of Ciputra, then we just discovered a part of it which is near the UNIS School, to the Southeastern of Ciputra.
Nice and polite guards. Clean and quiet streets. Luxurious villas and restaurants. Almost people are foreigners. Fast-moving lifestyle. Neighbors have little interaction with each other and stay a personal/individual life in a beautiful house, with comfortable material services, deluxe habits, costly needs and supplies, noble sports, posh cars, etc. In general, it is a far different world in comparison with the one outside the huge gate! The living standard here is not the level we often see on TV or any other telecommunication channel. Noble things are for noble persons, of course.
I think I can understand why Ciputra is so far from the centre of Hanoi. Not to mention that it is too large, that there may be no place for such a big one or that land is so expensive in the central Hanoi, imagine that it is located near Hoan Kiem Lake or so, it would be isolated too. Tina said it was similar to her campus in LA to some extent, Peter said it was a picture of Beverly Hill, I said it was not Vietnamese culture. Ciputra is far different from the central Hanoi, in architecture, living standards, material conditions as well as lifestyle and culture. Privatization and individualism are so clearly seen here. We walked along many corners and roads, finding only restaurant, supermarket, schools, villas, blocs and blocs. Outsiders are not often allowed to get into Ciputra. We have to pretend that we are residents here. Thank God, we have Tina and Peter – foreigners, to make they trust us. That’s how we were able to be there taking pictures!! The most funny thing is that the only one we can talk to is the guards, not residents, not students, or any else. We have to buy something from them then ask them questions; otherwise there is no one who has time for us. There are almost only cars on the road when we got there. How can you find a shoe shine boy there? A knight-sharpen man? A key-maker? A cup of Bia hoi? No way. Even a glass of fruit juice is priced in dollar!
It is such a foreign part inside the border of Hanoi and Vietnam, a stranger who was welcomed here by foreign investors and by domestic billionaires and a stranger in our culture absolutely!
If I had enough money to live here, it would be great! But honestly, I don’t like living here much due to its quietness and isolation from the other sides of Hanoi. I love interacting with people, esp my neighbors, and love to have a friendly lifestyle among a community where we share our feelings and culture.
Anyway, it was a lovely adventure to Ciputra with my teammates. I love to walk around in such a nice day, on a beautiful roads and experience a different corner of Hanoi, with such funny and lovely Peter, Tina (10-o’clock rose^^), and Yen. You guys are so awesome! Love you all!
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