The Word Ha Noi

Non-smoker Mark Bowyer makes the case for smoke-free bars and restaurants, and the enforcement of Vietnam’s latest round of smoking laws.

For many of us, a quick game of Angry Birds while waiting for a friend at a local coffee shop might be a sensible way to kill a few spare minutes. No justification is needed should one choose to spend a quiet evening at home, slaying the dragons of Skyrim, from time to time.

Volumes of copy have been written about the country's present economic woes. The nature of this vitriol has been so negative that it begs the question: is it time to hang up those well-worn boots and seek fame and fortune elsewhere? The answer surely must be no.

Tran Viet Hung is as tough as old boots, or in his case, an old boot. In 1982 he lost one of his legs to cannon fire. The northern province of Vinh Xuyen has always been blessed by mountains, jungle and rice terraces, but in the early 1980s it was much less peaceful for men like Hung. He froze on mountain tops eating canned Russian spam for the best part of a year before being evacuated after he lost his leg.

A wealthier population, the arrival of fast food chains and a changing diet are having an effect on the obesity levels in Vietnam. But will it also alter the traditional image of beauty? Words by Hai Vu. Photo by Aaron Joel Santos