I feel like I'm back in Mexico

I know I said I was finished talking about the buses, but I lied. Because there's one more thing I forgot to mention: the religious shrines found on the dashboards of many of them.

There is no official religion in Vietnam. However, Buddhism is the dominate faith with about 85% or so supposedly practicing. Of the other 15%, Christianity makes up the largest portion with around 10% (although I truly believe the statistics are very wrong on this). Strangely, on many public buses you'll find a shrine to either the Buddha or Jesus on the dashboard. With Buddha, it might only be a figurine or an entire display including incense sticks. With Jesus, it might be his cross hanging on the frame of the window or a figurine of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. Not as heavy as in Latin American countries, but the same idea nonetheless.

That's all I have to report.

More videos to entertain you

We interrupt your regular program to bring you the latest video finds involving Vietnamese driving.  If you watch these videos over and over again, you may begin to believe what you're seeing!  (I particularly recommend the third video listed.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eFlF_tBLFI - notice the Buddhist shrine on the dashboard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdpzgtBXXAU - notice the face masks, the kids on the front

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/39552_Video-_Wild_Traffic_in_Ho_Chi_Minh_City_Vietnam


 

It doesn't go toot toot.

I've written about the green public buses, I've written about the public bus system. And now I think I'll conclude with what must be the most endearing aspect of the long, green buses.

The long green buses of HCMC

As I've mentioned, when you go out on the streets, you'll hear honking from every type of vehicle, especially the buses. But what I didn't mention was what the bus horn sounds like. It isn't a regular toot toot horn of a car, and it isn't the Cuckaracha horn of Latin America. It's a sound which can best be appreciated by clicking on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCvtEjML6QU - listen to the bus around second 10