Trip to The Manor

Last Friday, our UCHANU class had a chance to visit The Manor Hanoi – a complex of luxurious living apartments in the west of the city. The area, described as a high-end living community, certainly includes classy apartments and villas, a wide range of deluxe facilities and services. I myself was so excited to visit one of the most expensive areas in Hanoi, and that maybe (just maybe), I could enjoy being a part of it. Hmm, but reality is always not kinda dreamy things, and that really hurts. ^^

Hurt no.1: Well, after saying goodbye to us at the main entrance to The Manor, prof. Gerard heartlessly left all of us facing with tough and unfriendly guards. No matter what we explained that we would just go around, have some look, make some conversations, they seemed to have no intention letting us get inside. From gate to gate, from this guard to another, noone accepted our heart-touching imploration. Hmm, if I had been in their position, I would never have let a huge group of “crazily curious” guys with notes and cameras: What if these people could harm the residents? After that, we decided to go in small groups, to different places, not to raise the attention of other people. That seemed working! Hehehe, the guards could “prevent” a whole horde of us, but how could they even control when we use “divide and conquer” method?

Hurt no.2: At first, I joined the group with Trang Qua, Diep, Vivian and Wayne, but soon I realized I lost them when I was going around with Lan Chan, Chanh. Hmm, doesn’t that hurt? Or because this complicatedly-designed architecture made me dazzled? Hmm.

Hurt no.3: My dream about this place was definitely a “dreamy” thing: I could never be a part of The Manor. Firstly, it’s unexpectedly hella expensive, a four-storey villa of ‘bout 30m2 costs more than 10 billion VND (according to a girl I talked with). Where on heaven could be as expensive as that? Secondly, I don’t wanna live there anymore, and there are some reasons for this. In apartment block high-rise buildings, each apartment is only ‘bout 2.5m high. Who could ever live in this tiny “Paris-like” space? Moreover, it doesn’t look like a community, which it should be. How can tenants communicate with each other in a close-door living lifestyle? There are not so many people hanging around in public places like corridors, garden, swimming pools, side roads. How could that be even called a “community”?

Hurt no. 4: After wandering around, having some drinks in a family café, Craig, Chanh, Lan Chan and I decided to break into inside The Manor. However, the adventure had to stop when we had barely anything to see. Finally some guards tried to stop us when we were getting out. They kept asking us, quite aggressively: “Có ai biêt nói tiêng Viêt không? Lang thang thê' này thì chê't tôi không. Có hiêu gì không?” We pretended not understanding anything, and that might go well and helped us leave safely. Who could ever be sure that If we said a word, there wouldn’t be a serious quarrel or fight?

That’s quite enough to tell ‘bout The Manor. I thought to myself that I would never live there, but that’s due to financial problem only. Hehe, does anyone get my point? ^^