This is the Hanoi Marko Supermarket. Supermarkets have really started to take off in Hanoi. Up until recently, everything happened at the market, or specialised shops. When I say specialised, I mean it! If you want a pillow, for example, you go to the pillow store. Then for the sheets, you go to the sheet store. It is like that with everything you want to buy here, so I can't imagine how big an impact ONE shop with MANY different things for sale affects people!! The choice!! All in ONE store!!! Yikes!!
Anyway, the supermarket here is across the road from a huge Russian compound which is guarded by Vietnamese soldiers. The Vietnamese call the Russians "Muss-Ahh-Co-Vites" with a bit of a disdainful accent!
The supermarkets are a little like small versions of K-Mart - food shopping and "other" stuff all in the one place. It is actually really convenient. Big groups of girls like to come in and buy Dove Shampoo and those shiny lip glosses, taking great time to deliberate over their purchase.
We, on the other hand, marvel over M&M's, PAL dog food and Mainland Vintage Tasty Cheese. The girls with the lip glosses look at us like we're mad. Why would you want these things in the first place, and why get so excited over them!!
