- 21 hours ago
Bourdain joins the throngs of locals as he motorbikes through Vietnam's capital and indulges in its singular cuisine with president Barack Obama, who, over a dish of Bun Cha, shares personal stories and reflects on his own international travels.
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02:01Do you smell that?
02:06Motorbike exhaust, fish sauce, incense.
02:11The faraway smell of something is that pork grilling over charcoal.
02:22Vietnam. It could be no place else.
02:41Listen to me. Listen to me.
02:44There is no other way to see this city, Hanoi, than from a motorbike or a scooter.
02:51To do otherwise would be to miss it all.
03:01Woo!
03:09It is one of the great pleasures of my life to join the river of people rushing through the streets.
03:48Vietnam. It grabs you and doesn't let you go.
03:53Once you love it, you love it forever.
03:58I've been coming here since 2000, the first time I'd been to this part of the world.
04:02And it's held a special place in my heart and my imagination since.
04:07I keep coming back. I have to.
04:24Vietnam has changed since last time I was here. It's changing every minute.
04:35But some things, for now anyway, remain the same.
04:40Important things, like this stuff.
04:43That's gonna be good.
04:46Bon Oc. First meal in Hanoi, and it's something they do here better than anywhere else.
04:51Okay, I'm officially in Hanoi now.
04:58Magic.
04:59A spicy, wonderful broth with tomatoes and herb and noodles and fresh snails.
05:05Plump and delicious.
05:06Look at those beauties.
05:08Come to me. Plump little love muscle.
05:16Hanoi, capital city of Vietnam.
05:20Seven and a half million people live here.
05:23In the winter, it's chilly and damp.
05:25In the summer, hot, humid, subtropical.
05:28The boulevards and many of the buildings are French.
05:32But its heart and soul is always, always Vietnamese.
05:41Americans coming here as tourists for the first time, especially veterans of the war, are shocked by how friendly the
05:47place is.
05:48People are genuinely happy to see you.
05:53This is Hanoi's old quarter, but it's looking less and less old these days.
05:58It's a serious change, though, in the Irish-slash-Czech-themed pub next door.
06:06Vietnam is a young country.
06:08Almost half of Vietnamese are under the age of 30.
06:11Fewer every year even remember what they call here the American War.
06:19Those years were a defining time for just about everyone, Vietnamese or American, who lived through them.
06:24And though there are still a lot of conflicted feelings back home, for most Vietnamese these days, the war has
06:31become an abstraction, not even a memory.
06:36Vietnam is still a poor nation, but the standard of living has improved a lot with the relaxing of hardline
06:42communist economic policies.
06:45More and more foreign tourists every year.
06:48Western chains, inevitably, are everywhere.
06:52And President Obama is visiting for the first time, taking another step on the long path toward normalizing relations between
07:00the two countries.
07:01That is good.
07:02Ooh, hot.
07:03Ooh, I hit that chili hard.
07:07I hit that chili hard.
07:34Nice to meet you.
07:35Yes.
07:36Such a pleasure.
07:37Oh, and we have a beer ready to go.
07:39Great.
07:40So we're doing by bottle, or are we going to pour it in the glass?
07:43How would you do it if I wasn't here?
07:45I would pour it in the glass.
07:46Okay.
07:47In Vietnam, and particularly in the North, it would be very improper for a woman to drink
07:51straight from the bottle.
07:52Oh, really?
07:52Oh, really?
07:53Yeah.
07:53Okay, well, I'm glad I know this now.
07:55Cheers.
07:56Tao is an Eisenhower Fellow and a Fulbright Scholar.
07:59She's devoted her career to help strengthen the bonds between Vietnam and the U.S.
08:04Today, we drove to the outskirts of Hanoi.
08:07Mm-hmm.
08:08Cranes, tall buildings, people moving from the country to the city.
08:11Mm-hmm.
08:11Marc Jacobs, Prada.
08:13I mean, this is a very young country now.
08:15Oh, very much a young nation.
08:17They like to eat Kentucky Fried Chicken.
08:20They like to spend a lot of the time on the Internet.
08:24The history of our country is a history of wars.
08:27We had 1,000 years under the Chinese.
08:30And then we had 80 years under the French.
08:33And then the Japanese came in.
08:34And when the Americans left, finally in 1975, we got involved with Cambodia.
08:42So we only have peace since 1989.
08:47Just in a matter of a few decades, the entire population would be those without any war experience.
08:53And that's a great thing.
08:55And what are we eating today?
08:56Well, we are going to have a banh quon.
08:58And that means?
09:00Rice roll.
09:01Very thin.
09:03Like a crepe.
09:04Yes, it's like crepe.
09:05And inside, ground minced pork and booty and mushroom.
09:09Ah.
09:13You dip it in, and there you go.
09:19Mmm.
09:22Oh, that's very good.
09:24Everything we do internationally, someone refers back to the Vietnam experience.
09:29You know, let's not do that again.
09:31Let's not repeat Vietnam.
09:32But I find it interesting that the people who had perhaps the most painful experience were among the first to
09:43reach out.
09:43I think the John McCain story is particularly interesting because here's a guy who had an atrocious experience here in
09:51prison, and yet he has been among the most vocal supporters of normalizing relations.
09:56It took several trips to Vietnam, and so he could see Vietnam in a different light.
10:02It's no longer a war.
10:04It's a country with people.
10:06Have you been out with returning veterans from?
10:08Oh, yes.
10:09All the time.
10:09They often want to go to the area that they serve.
10:13Oh, yes.
10:14They often even meet with the people they fought.
10:17Yes.
10:17B-52 pilots come to the areas they unloaded their bombs.
10:21Yes.
10:24What is that experience like?
10:26What do you see when they come?
10:30Extremely emotional.
10:33Extremely emotional.
10:40People burst into tears.
10:43The memory I kept of you 45 years ago was an enemy.
10:47I did anything and everything to protect my life and to protect the people in my platoon.
10:55But today, when I see you again, not as an enemy, as a person, everything just disappeared.
11:03All the bad feelings disappeared.
11:05And now you actually know how, oh, are you married?
11:08You know, how many children do you have?
11:09You know, what are you up to?
11:12Then life turned into a new chapter.
11:15And this chapter is a good chapter.
11:36It's a good chapter.
11:38Hanoi in the morning.
11:40The usual high-pitched whine of thousands of motorbikes.
11:45People and the things they carry coming out to work, to set up shop.
11:49The sound of commerce.
11:52Of a wildly free market economy in a system that's decidedly not.
12:20When I first came here, it was Tai Chi at dawn.
12:24And that's still here.
12:27But there's also this.
12:33Good to see you.
12:35It's nice to see you, too.
12:36This is my friend.
12:37Nice to meet you.
12:38She's also my Zumba instructor.
12:40Wow.
12:40No Zumba for me.
12:44Breakfast, though, sounds good.
12:46How often a week do you think the average person cooks?
12:49And how often do they eat out?
12:50Mostly we just cook at home for dinner because that's the only meal in the day that everybody can be
12:55together.
12:56But for other meals, normally we eat out.
13:10I meet my old friend Ha on the edge of the old quarter, a place known as Cussing Noodles.
13:15This is my favorite, favorite restaurant.
13:17This way?
13:18The name comes from the owner, this lady, known for the free and frank way she communicates with her customers.
13:24I usually yells at people.
13:25Yes.
13:27Yes.
13:28Yes.
13:39If you go to her counter and order something, and then if you're indecisive, like,
13:45Oh, can I have these?
13:46Oh, no, no, no, no.
13:47No, maybe I have these instead.
13:49Right.
13:50She's like, I don't have a lot of time for you, so just get out of here.
13:54Really?
13:55Yeah.
14:00What's the specialty of the house here?
14:03Bún chân giò.
14:04Chân giò means pig knuckles.
14:06Pig knuckles.
14:07We know that's gonna be good.
14:08You put up with the abuse for this glorious, steaming bowl of rice noodles with spicy chilis, a rich, hearty,
14:16porky broth with pig knuckle and snout.
14:18It's the only item on the menu, and it's good.
14:21You know taro?
14:22Yes.
14:23So this is the stamp of the taro glass.
14:25And to prepare this, you have to be very careful because if you don't do it right, then you get
14:31itchy mouth.
14:32Not toxic, you won't die from it, but it makes your mouth really itchy, so...
14:36Interesting.
14:42Mmm.
14:43Wow, that's delicious.
14:45When people talk about Vietnam, they always say about spring rolls, pho, but I think this should be in the
14:52list.
14:53Yeah.
14:54I'm easy.
14:54Give me some spicy noodles, some pork.
14:57I'm happy every time.
14:58I'm so happy.
14:59Let's go.
15:08This is a T-shirt.
15:10This is the T-shirt.
15:17I'm so happy.
15:21I'll be able to do it.
15:22This is T-shirt.
15:25It's the T-shirt.
15:29It's a T-shirt.
15:46It's a maze of narrow streets and alleyways behind the old French
15:52cathedral. Vendors set up stools and it's happy hour in Hanoi.
16:16Every doorway, every window, a little slice of life.
16:29A story all its own. Lives lived, being lived, caught for a second, a moment, then gone.
16:56Lin Din, my oldest friend in Vietnam from the very beginning. Many happy memories, my friend.
17:05He was my original minder for Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We became, in spite of his official responsibilities, fast
17:13friends.
17:13One, two, three, four. Welcome back. Welcome back. Cheers.
17:18Lin has brought me to a great and proud and uniquely Hanoi tradition, bia hoi.
17:24Bia hoi refers to the roadside joints where locals gather to consume keg-dispensed, freshly brewed draft beer.
17:31Ah, that's good. It's not strong at all, my friend. Just like between three to four percent.
17:37Ah, so we need to drink a lot. Yeah. Chia Hoi Hanoi beer.
17:47It was something luxurious 30 years ago. Yeah. Right. And now it's for everyone. Yeah.
17:53It's not expensive. Right. 10,000 đồng. So that's... 40 cents. 40, 45 cents.
17:5845 cents a beer. Yeah. I'll have another. I can afford that.
18:06The country's changed so much. When I first came, bicycles and motorbikes. Now, a lot of cars.
18:13More cars. Look, money. People are making money. Business is good. Yeah. Right?
18:18I mean, much, much, much more tourism every year. Yes, yes. People also enjoy life more.
18:23You know, have a good, baby. Yes, yes. Oh!
18:31Oh, my God! My God!
18:32What? sociales, millimeter, volleyball!
18:41lucky for a child.
18:44laughter
18:47Users, wherever I am,
18:49There is a piece of dream on the ship
18:50holding...
18:50I don't know what I'm going to do.
19:41Search the globe and you will find no other place that looks remotely like this.
20:00How long means where the dragon descends into the sea?
20:05And legend says that this is where a great dragon charged, protecting Vietnam from foreign invaders.
20:11War is a constant theme in Vietnamese mythology and history.
20:16The Chinese, the French, the Japanese, the Americans, the Cambodians, again the Chinese.
20:22The Japanese.
20:30THE END
20:53How Long Bay has become, for better or worse, one of Vietnam's most visited destinations.
21:02Fortunately, this time of year anyway, you don't have to go too far to lose yourself
21:06in the past.
21:07Find a quiet place where you can still imagine the great dragon's tail thrashing and churning
21:13and kicking up these great karsts of rock.
21:20The chosen mode of transportation, the Emerald, an old French-era steamer, refitted for more
21:28current-day needs.
21:33A big, freakin' boat.
21:39And it's all mine.
21:44Along with friends and crew, of course.
21:58THE END
21:59The END
22:00The END
22:04The END
22:08The END
22:31I like this boat.
22:32We're living a little larger than last.
22:34Last time, the boat was not this nice.
22:37All the modern conveniences, but the charms of the past.
22:40It fits perfectly with my over-romantic delusions, and in general, it does not suck.
22:53Hello, gentlemen.
22:55Hi, Tony.
22:55How are you doing?
22:56We're having some gin and tonic.
22:58Gin tonic, traditional Vietnamese drink.
23:00Well, not really, but...
23:02All right.
23:03This is my first time trying this.
23:05Yeah?
23:05His first time.
23:06How old are you anyway?
23:06Wait a minute.
23:07You were five years old last time I was in Halong Bay.
23:10Yeah.
23:10He's five.
23:11He's 20 now.
23:12Wow.
23:13Lin and I came here for another show, what feels like a lifetime ago.
23:17Back then, I got to meet his son, Min, who's apparently grown up.
23:21These are pictures of you and him.
23:23Whoa.
23:2415 years ago.
23:2514 years ago.
23:26Oh, my God.
23:28Look at my hair.
23:32It's changed a little bit.
23:33Like, over 8 million people are coming to Halong Bay now?
23:37Yeah, every year.
23:38Tourists.
23:42All of this is protected, right?
23:43You can't do anything on these rocks.
23:45No.
23:46Wow.
23:46And how many of these islands, there's like 1,900 of these rocks out there?
23:501,969.
23:53And this is a good number, you know.
23:55That's a lucky number?
23:56Six is for fortune.
23:57Right.
23:58And nine is for forever.
23:59So fortune forever.
24:02A drink or two on the top deck, check.
24:06Now, for the rest of the day, try to do as little as possible.
24:11A nap, sunset, maybe some more drinks.
24:16And what about dinner?
24:19One for you.
24:20Oh, thank you, sir.
24:22Cheers, my friend.
24:23Cheers.
24:24So, we're eating some squid.
24:27Tons of squid.
24:28Tons of squid.
24:29Tons of squid.
24:30As many tons as possible.
24:33Cue the majesty of the squid.
24:39At night this time of year, the bright lights of Halong Bay's fishing boats are unmistakable.
24:44They can only caught the squid in the evening.
24:46The light attracts the squid, so they can catch them.
24:49Right.
24:50They say that because of global warming, all the fish are dying,
24:53but that the squid and cuttlefish populations are increasing.
24:56So soon the whole sea will be filled with plenty of squid.
25:00Oh.
25:00We'll be eating it every day.
25:11Oh, yeah.
25:12Those are cute little squid.
25:14Oh, those are really tender.
25:16Mm.
25:17Mm.
25:17Oh, yeah.
25:18The tentacles are the best.
25:20It's a case of squid.
25:21It's a very hot job.
25:22They work all the night.
25:23All the night.
25:24They work all the night.
25:25The light, it turn on all the night.
25:27Right.
25:27And then sleep all day?
25:28Yeah.
25:29It's got to be hot out there, man.
25:30Yeah.
25:30Sleeping in the day.
25:32Cheers for the day.
25:33Cheers for the day.
25:34Oh.
25:35Cheers.
25:40Cheers.
25:42Cheers.
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