Jason Voorhees...pedicab driver.

The longer I stay in Hanoi, the more I like the place. Let's start with the fact that it's a beautiful city. The construction cranes betray the hard truth that the city will be changing soon into another Asian metrolpolis. Come visit now. Also, the people are friendly and the prices are cheap. With a big influx of tourists, this too will change. Right now, Hanoi is amazing. In ten years it will be moving toward Bangkok.

There are small irritations, however. One of these is the gentle persistence of people trying to sell you things on the street. The tee shirt vendors who tag along will give up after half a block usually. The same for the book vendors and cigarette lighter vendors. The most lackadaisical of the group were the motorcycle taxis and the pedicabs. The motorcycle guys wouldn't even get up from lying down on their scooters to ask if you wanted a ride, they'd just kind of mumble at you from a half-slumber. The pedicabs will ride up next to you, ask if you want a ride, then take off when you shake your head.

Except one guy.



Behind the kind smile lurked some kind of demonic stalker personality. One pedicab driver followed us around like a horror-movie killer. Up and down streets, slowly matching our pace. We go in a store, he waits outside. We stop to have lunch, he waits outside. Instead of the "kill kill kill killl" whsipery sounds of a horror movie, we hear "mocha cafe....mocha cafe.....mocha cafe...." The worst part was his creepy smile. He followed us along tirelessly for hours. Just when we thought we had given him the shake...he showed back up. We are going back to the old town today and I am sure we will see him. I am taking my camera.