Bartering

The prices for goods in supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, hotels, official transport, basic commodity shops and so on, are usually fixed. Those for fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers from street sellers, motorcycle taxis (’xe oms’), bicycle taxis (‘cyclos’), souvenirs, clothes (especially in tourist areas), and goods bought from peddlers are usually variable.

To barter effectively, laughter and good humour are essential prerequisites. When an initial price is quoted, throw up your hands in exaggerated horror and offer between a third and a half. You can then negotiate towards a fair price. Walking away will usually determine whether the last offer really is the last.

Please remember that many of the people you deal with will be poor, so driving them down to an unreasonably low price is unfair. On the other hand, paying an unrealistically high price will encourage the recipient to regard foreigners as easy targets and inflate prices even further. Postcards from postcard sellers are almost invariably overpriced – buy yours from a shop!

Taxi fares are nearly always metered, (although the accuracy is sometimes questionable), but it pays to negotiate a fixed price for long journeys. For xe oms and cyclos, always agree a price in advance. If you want one of the many young boys who tour the streets with a box of brushes and polish to clean your shoes, fix the price in advance, make sure that they stay within eyesight and don’t pay for any ‘repairs’ without agreeing the cost beforehand.

You may come across some remnants of an earlier dual-pricing system that is gradually being phased out. If so, it isn’t local people trying to make a fast buck, but simply an official recognition of the considerable income gap between you and the average Vietnamese citizen.

Begging:

Beggars are common in Vietnam, but in tourist areas, only a minority are genuine. Grubby children with soulful eyes are usually working for a begging syndicate, and young girls and women carrying very young babies have often rented them for the day from a friend. You won’t be bothered often, but if approaches are made, ignore them, or complain to a police officer if they annoy you. Giving money to fake beggars only swells their ranks.

However, there are deserving cases. Elderly widows, invalids, amputees and Buddhist monks usually have no other source of income. If in doubt, see if they approach Vietnamese people, and what the response is from them. If you do decide to give them money, keep the amount small. Excessive generosity will attract other less-deserving beggars immediately.

Visitors to Hoi An never forget Cao Lau (vermicelli), the special Hoi An and Quang Nam special symbol

Cao Lau is the foremost traditional Hoi An food. Visitors to Hoi An always remember Cao Lau, which was considered by Quang Nam people as a special symbol for Hoi An.

Cao lau noodles are carefully made from local new sticky rice. Water used to soak rice must be taken from wells in the Ba Le Village; noodles thus will be soft, enduring and flavored with special sweet-smelling.
On the Cao Lau noodles were some meat slices mixed with fat made from fried noodles served with vegetables and bean sprouts. Sharp-witted eaters would find out the specific flavor of the dish.

Dry pancakes used as ingredient must be thick with much sesame on the surface. Greasy coconut quintessence and bitter green cabbage are also indispensable. The so-called genuine Cao lau Hoi An must satisfy all above requirements.

It was said that only some wells in Hoi An were used to make Cao Lau noodles. What is more, only some Hoi An families were able to produce Cao Lau by their own traditional way, but the quality was not as good as it was before. Cao Lau did not have Vietnamese flavor. Despite its Chinese-like appearance, no Chinese accepted it as Chinese food. Until now, the origin of Cao Lau still remains in mystery.

Bidding farewell to the harsh sun of the summer, Hanoi begins its winter with pleasant afternoons when there is sunshine on every street. Sipping a cup of coffee, listening to music and thinking of fond memories is a good way to enjoy oneself in autumn.

Hanoi in autumn can be felt by all of the senses. It is the passionate smell of milk flowers spreading along the streets, the afternoons in West Lake covered with mist, and the sweet aroma of fresh grilled rice wrapped in green lotus leaves.

In Hanoi’s autumn, if one wanders around streets in the afternoon, he will feel the cool autumn wind at his back and in his hair. If he goes around Sword Lake, he will see the ancient Turtle Tower covered by a light mist. In the evening, if he walks along streets such as Nguyen Du, Ba Trieu or Quan Thanh, he can smell the sweet fragrance of milk flowers.

If tourists want a quiet spot, they can visit Tay Ho Pagoda in autumn, find a secluded place and sit watching the sunset on the water. Both time and space seem to stop; the pleasant weather makes people forget the worries of their daily lives. Alternatively, they could choose a café with only a few customers, sip a cup of coffee and listen to a soft piece of music to recall pleasant memories. That is the reason why it is said that the autumn is the season of nostalgia.

One of the natural beauties of Hanoi is its quietness, which brings people a peaceful feeling. Hanoi in the fall is even more beautiful with yellow sunlight, a layer of mist, and streets covered with leaves. All the features form a unique and very special autumn, which can be fully felt only by people living in Hanoi.

All of the things mentioned above are the reasons for a person who has never been to Hanoi to visit the city in the fall, as opposed to any other season.

With its rich culinary heritage and an exciting street food scene, Hanoi is a wonderful city for many delicious dishes.

They say that the way to man’s heart is through his stomach; cook him a good meal and he’s putty in your hands. I’d argue that somewhat similarly, residents of Hanoi are happiest at mealtimes, and many visitors fall in love with the city because of its incredible food. It’s a place that gets to you through the stomach!

For foreign guests and residents, if you want to understand Hanoi and its people, I’d argue that you have to understand the cuisine and enjoy discovering new foods. If you love food, you will love Hanoi; understand how people eat, and you’ll understand their nature.

Vietnamese people love to share a meal. Solitude is equated to loneliness. Anyone dining alone will be told “an mot minh dau tuc”, literally, you’ll hurt yourself by eating alone. But for the solo diners amongst you, fear not, you can always slip into the busiest restaurant and enjoy the buzz of jostling with your fellow diners over a bowl of pho or a plate of sticky rice. You’re alone, yes, but alone in a crowd.

The first rule for discovering Vietnamese food in Hanoi, is make sure you follow the crowds; the busier the restaurant, the better it probably is. Certain family run establishments are considered the place to eat certain foods. At peak hours, it should be hard to find a space at Hanoi’s best restaurants.

The second rule is that the best restaurants serve one basic staple – it’s often a one-dish-joint serving a ‘gia truyen’-specialty, a recipe passed on from one generation to the next.

Many of these dishes were originally created elsewhere. As a thousand-year old capital, people from the provinces have always been drawn to Hanoi, so the city has absorbed recipes and cooking techniques from all over the country.

One can loosely define Hanoian cuisine – generally the capital’s residents don’t care for sweet or spicy savoury food; there is a preference for fresh ingredients and subtle, pure flavours, and the fish sauce is served less diluted.

Certain dishes are year-round staples, such as pho (the nation’s signature noodle dish served with chicken or beef), bun cha (noodles served with slivers and patties of charcoal-grilled pork) or banh cuon (rice crepes filled with pork and woodear mushrooms). Other dishes are seasonal, perhaps, tied in with a festival, for example, banh chung (glutinous rice cakes stuffed with mung bean paste and pork and wrapped in a green banana leaf) is mostly served at Lunar New Year. During Mid-Autumn Festival (Tet Trung Thu), you will see mooncakes, sweet and savoury cakes filled with various things, including bean paste, salted egg, or preserved fruits and meats.

Other foods are associated with the lunar calendar. Eating dog meat – served in seven different ways at dog restaurants – at the end of the lunar month is considered a good way to wash away any lingering bad luck that might have been affecting you. The dog restaurants on Au Co road are often heaving with customers, mostly men, as this protein-rich meat is also considered to be “good for a man”.

On the full moon of the first and the seventh lunar months, Hanoians often cook xoi vo (steamed sticky rice with split peas) and che duong (green bean and sugar compote). When worshipping ancestors, boiled chicken with lemon leaves is a must. For a wedding, you cannot be without banh com (Sticky rice cakes with green bean paste) or xu xe/ phu the (Husband and wife sticky rice cakes).

Hanoi people love seafood, too. The city’s favourite fish dish is probably cha ca, which is famously served by a gruff family at Cha ca La Vong restaurant on Cha ca street in the Old Quarter. It is featured in every guidebook ever written about Hanoi. However, cha ca is now available in other restaurants and locals in the know complain that the quality of food at Cha ca La Vong has waned.

Bun oc (noodles and snails), banh tom (prawn fritters), ca kho to (caramelised fish cooked and served in a claypot), and mien luon or mien cua (glass noodles served with eel or crab meat) are also much loved in Hanoi. You can find seafood restaurants serving all kinds of shellfish – crabs, lobsters, oysters, clams and scallops, which are often simply steamed or grilled and served with a mixture of lime, pepper, salt and an optional diced chili for dipping.

New dishes are constantly surfacing, too. In recent years pho cuon, sheets of banh pho, wrapped around either beef or shrimp, has suddenly emerged as one of the city’s most popular meals. However, the ultimate communal dish is perhaps lau (hotpot), always popular in wintertime. Friends and families gather around a steaming pot filled with a vegetable or meaty broth and toss in fish, meat, eggs, vegetables, squid, or prawns – just about anything at all!

It’s hard to write about food in Hanoi without feeling like you’re only scratching the surface. As the city celebrates 1,000 years since its birth, you could probably name a 1,000 dishes to honour the capital’s millennium.

The city’s culinary heritage has been noticeably influenced by a few old foes over the years. Some people argue that pho is the product of both French and Chinese influences. From the former came the notion of using beef stock and beef in the style of pot-au-feu; from the latter perhaps the noodles and the use of star anise and ginger. Using beef would have been quite extravagant 100 years ago, so one theory is that the Vietnamese only started putting beef in their noodle soup to please the French colonists.

The French certainly left their fingerprints in the Vietnamese pantry and beverage department – you can find banh my (crusty baguette) served with pâté. The words for butter (bo, pronounced ‘buh’), coffee (ca phe), beer (bia) and cheese (pho mat) are clearly derived from the French language.

Today, many French chefs are inspired by Vietnam’s indigenous ingredients and recipes. Restaurants such as La Badiane, Green Tangerine and La Verticale are creating a vibrant amalgam of French haute cuisine infused with local flavours and ingredients. These restaurants are something of a sub-genre but they are also encouraging some high-end travelers to venture further and discover more about Vietnam’s culinary arts.

As Vietnam’s reputation grows, more and more people are discovering the country’s incredible cuisine, much of which is exceedingly healthy. Visitors to Hanoi are enthusiastically signing up for cookery classes, in the hope of learning how to create a local dish or two. Rather than buying a conical hat or a silk ao dai as a souvenir that will be stashed away and never worn back home, tourists can now pick up some noodles and fish sauce in the local Asian market and whip up a delicious bowl of bun cha, they learned to make on their holiday.

That way they’ll remember Hanoi as they first experienced it – right in the stomach.

Arriving in Vietnam, all visitors must fill in declaration forms and show their luggage to Customs Officials upon request. There are no limited amounts of foreign currency, objects made of gold, silver, precious metals and gemstones or plated with silver or gold but visitors must declare these in detail on the customs forms.

Luggage of Prohibited and Restricted carriage

•     Following materials are prohibited accompanying baggage: corrosive, gas, explosive, toxic, oxygen, radioactive, flammable…

•     Following materials are not permitted accompanying baggage: knife, scissors, gun, cartridge, wheelchair with battery;
•     Passenger should not put money, jewel, document, important samples… in your baggage. Baggage should be covered and locked carefully;
•     Passenger should not put breakable materials such as china, electronic, bottle, jar… inside your baggage;
•     Following goods are prohibited carrying in flight: fish sauce, durian…

Entry Vietnam

•     Tourists are authorized to bring in the following items duty-free: Cigarettes: 400 pieces; Cigars: 50-100; Tobacco: 100 gram; Liquor: 1.5l.

•     Personal effects of a reasonable quantity
•     Small gift items valued at not more than US$500.

You are expected to declare:

•     Cameras, camcorders and other electric equipments not for personal use

•     Jewelry not for personal use;
•     Currency over US$7,000 (There is no limit to the amounts of cash, precious metals and gems people can bring in, but amounts of over US$7,000 must be declared);
•     Video tapes (they may be kept few days and screened).

Exit Vietnam

•     Goods of commercial nature and articles of high value require export permits issued by the Customs Office.

•     Antiques, some precious stones and animals listed in Vietnam’s red-book may not be brought out of the country.
•     Money: below US$3,000 of cash.

]]> http://vietnam-travel.org/travel-tips/vietnam-custom-regulations/feed/ 0 http://vietnam-travel.org/travel-tips/10-things-not-to-miss-in-vietnam/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-things-not-to-miss-in-vietnam http://vietnam-travel.org/travel-tips/10-things-not-to-miss-in-vietnam/#comments Wed, 24 Aug 2011 03:18:31 +0000 thaonguyen http://www.vietnam-travel.org/?p=3394 There are so many choices of activities and services in Vietnam that you may become quite confused about what to do and what to leave for another time

Vietnam Spirit Travel would like to list some of the highlight activities that we think you should try while travelling in Vietnam. However, we also understand that everyone has their own ideas, so what we suggest is just that. We look forward to hearing your comments and recommendations to extend this list.

Having Pho – Noodle soup.

Vietnam’s most popular breakfast made from rice and different kinds of herbs. This is not o­nly simple food but also our culture of food – art. Where do you go to try this? Everywhere! Ask your tour guide or any local people and they will show you the o­ne that they normally eat at daily. However, the many Pho 24 or Pho 2000 restaurants are famous with travellers.

Bia Hoi – Vietnamese Beer

The French had brought beer to Vietnam so we have beer from can, from bottle. In recent time beer from Germany , Denmark , Czech.are brought to Vietnam . But the most beer Hanoians drink is “bia hoi” that means “steam beer”. It is a kind of premature beer.

In the summer, after a hard working day or after a short exercise, nothing is more refreshed than a couple glass of “biahoi”. The restaurants store the beer barrel in a cellar filled with ice. Important is that the beer stays at a fixed temperature (it is the secret of each restaurant) for a fixed time, if the temperature is hotter the beer will be bitter. Otherwise it will be sourer.

From the barrel beer is poured in 400ml glass and will be brought to customers. People usually order some meat dishes to accompany the beer. Sometimes people (mostly men) can spend more than 6 hours drinking “bia hoi”. You can find “bia hoi” almost o­n every street, it is a great idea to sit o­n the sidewalk of a street corner drinking “bia hoi” and chat with your friends.

Riding Xich Lo (Rickshaw) in the Hanoi old quarter

Hanoi ‘s old quarter itself is interesting but riding by Xich Lo to see it is even better. There are plenty of routes to cruise through the 36 old streets. We recommend a 1.5 hour ride to see that special part of Hanoi . Most of Vietnam Spirit Travel tours include this experience in their itinerary.

Sit back for water puppet show in Hanoi.

The original Water Puppet shows were created by farmers in the 11th century during flood seasons. Plays are very simple representations of daily activities and something o­nly rarely ever seen out of Vietnam . This is another great chance to understand the Vietnamese ‘water-rice’ culture.

Junk cruise in Halong Bay

Many people travel to Vietnam just because of Halong Bay . This natural world heritage site attracts millions of visitors per year. It is definitely the most popular destination in Vietnam . Let’s have a nice junk to enjoy this famous spot.

Visit Sapa homestay

Sapa is in the northwest of Vietnam and is the hometown of many different colorful hilltribe groups. This remote area is highly recommended to adventure travelers especially for trekking and homestay. Quite different from homestay in Mekong Delta, a stay in a local house of o­ne of the people in Sapa is more rustic. Everything seems to be very simple but what you really get from it is the diversity of the local culture, atmostphere, scenery and unique hospitality.

Motorbike cruise in Hue

A great way to get off the beaten track & see Vietnam in close-up. It is also the only way the locals get about as a car is too expensive to purchase! Please note that all guides carry helmets which can be used, and the top speed ever gained is no more than 25km/h.

Begin by departing the hotel by 08.00am and the first stop is o­n the Vi Da Bridge for a great view of the river, and photo opportunity. Then head out of the city and through the rice paddies and countryside. There are many things to see including the Old Covered Bridge; the Tiger’s Arena (where the elephants & tigers used to fight and the elephants always won!), visit some of the local cottage industries such as incense making and conical hat making, then head up to the military bunker o­n the top of the hill for a great view of the Perfume River. At 11am you may be lucky enough to get to a monastery and hear the monks chanting. Lunch is usually either in a monastery or a convent. The nuns are super friendly at the convent, and the meal – a fully vegetarian buffet – is usually o­ne of the client’s trip highlights. After lunch, you will head to o­ne of the Emperor’s Tombs and then maybe o­nto the Thien Mu Pagoda before heading back to the hotel. You will usually get back around 4pm or maybe earlier.

Cooking class in Hoi An.

For many visitors to Vietnam the food is, a highlight and eating it a serious activity in itself. Hoi An is Foodie Heaven, and budding gourmets who want to take a step further into Vietnamese cuisine will find ample op portunlty here. Many of the popular eateries offer cooking classes, and the best bit is that you then get to sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labour. One of the best classes is offered by Hai Scout Cafe at its Red Bridge Cooking School (Starting out with a trip to the market, you then cruise down the river to this relaxing retreat about 4km from Hoi An The lesson includes a tour of the herb garden, making rice paper, several local specialities and some decorative nourishes – although it’s hard to imagine how your dinner party guests hack home will react to tomatoes morphed into roses and lotus flowers.The class costs 235,000d per person; it starts at 8.45am and finishes at 1 pm. You’re given print-outs of the recipes to try at home. More informal classes can be found at Hong Phuc restaurant, Cafe 96 , Green Moss and Cafe des Amis.

Fighting Cu Chi tunnels.

Begun during the French war, CuChi was used widely during the more recent Vietnam war. These were hidden tunnels to protect the village people from bombs and fighting. Most now is closed for security purpose, however enough is maintained so people still have a great opportunity to see how it was built and its various uses. The highlight of Cu Chi is you can actually crawl through it (if you want to). It will be hot down there but this is the way you understand just a bit about how hard it was for people here who had to live in the tunnels during the actions above.

Homestay in the Mekong Delta.

Vietnam Spirit Travel believes the local culture will be best understood if you join local activities. That’s why we recommend this action. The best tour is a small private tour and an overnight stay with a small family in Vinh Long or Ben Tre. Stay to understand the lovely locals of the Mekong Delta – always selected as the highlight of a Vietnam trip from our past customers.

Not only is it a tourist centre, Vung Tau also has the biggest offshore oil fields in Vietnam and its shopping choices reflect the town’s cosmopolitan nature. Though it might not be the best place in Vietnam to shop for souvenirs, what the town has by way of shopping is quite interesting.

Con Dao Market

Go and visit the Con Dao Market even if you don’t plan to buy anything as it’s quite a feast for the eyes. Most vegetables and fruits consumed on the island are sold here. The market starts very early each morning.

Imperial Plaza

When the Imperial Plaza opened in 2006, it set new standards for Vung Tau shopping as it is the first luxury shopping and entertainment centre in town. With brand-name fashion accessories and good variety of sportswear, surfing wear and other casual fashion items, the plaza is a part of a big project – the Imperial Plaza and Hotel Complex.
Surfing and Kitesurfing Equipment If you need surfing and kitesurfing equipment while in Vung Tau, stop by at Surf Pirate. They also provide kitesurfing lessons. Run by the same team as Vung Tau Beach Club, this is a convenient place to get good food as well as free Wifi.

Vung Tau Market

This market was built in 1985 and houses many goods from fresh food to household items. It is the place most housewives go to get their fresh ingredients for the day’s meals. Many visitors love exploring the market to shop for local handicrafts as well as to learn more about tropical vegetables and in-season fruits including durian, mangosteen and rambutans.

Vung Tau Co.op Mart

This newly opened mart is part of the nation’s leading supermarket chain. They sell all kinds of household goods and more. The shop usually gets pretty busy over the weekend.

In Hue especially, the hat makers insert poems into the weaves and the poem can only be seen when the hat is held up to the sunlight, making it even more special.

Dong Ba Market

Dong Ba market is on the north bank of the Perfume River, not far from where the Hue Citadel sits. It has hundreds of stalls selling almost everything from clothing, house-ware items to souvenirs and all at reasonable prices. You will also find local food, fruit and Vietnamese wine sold here.

Posh Boutiques

There are some really cool posh boutiques located near the junction by Trang Tien Bridge. To be exact, they are located between Duy Tan Hotel and Trang Tien Bridge. They are all tastefully decorated and usually accept credit cards.
The Gift Shops at the Pilgrimage Hotel

These gift shops are outstanding. Divided into four types of crafts, silk/fabric, woodwork, ceramics and rattan/wicker, they feature an assortment of tasteful, traditional and local crafts. There are also local craftsmen on hand to demonstrate their work. The quality of the merchandise is good and the selection and prices are reasonable.

Gifts and souvenirs from Vietnam

Good quality Vietnamese tea:
This can be bought in specialist shops in the large cities. A kilogramme of top-quality tea costs around $8.00 US if lightly flavoured with flower or herb ‘essence’, or about $5.00 US without flavouring.

Good quality ‘Trung Nguyen’ Vietnamese coffee
A kilogramme of top-notch Robusta coffee beans from Trung Nguyen (the Central Highlands) costs around $4.00 US. Arabica will be more expensive. An unusual present would be some ‘Weasel Coffee’, but it is advisable to tell the recipient how it is produced after he or she has experienced its mellow taste (check the ‘Eating and Drinking’ page if you haven’t already done so!)

Ethnic scarves, garments, etc.
Items made by members of Vietnam’s many ethnic groups make excellent and inexpensive souvenirs and presents. They are available from shops in the tourist areas of cities, and from towns near communities of ethnic people. However, ethnic products have usually been bought at low prices by intermediaries, denying the producers a fair price for their work. We recommend buying direct from the producers wherever possible.

As a rough guide, a reasonable amount to pay for a woven scarf should be from $2.00 US upwards, depending on the complexity of pattern and design. A garment, such as a woven, embroidered or appliquéd jacket, should cost from $15.00 US upwards. Natural dyes are often used, so colours should be fixed before washing.

Vietnamese lacquerware
Lacquerware is a long-standing Vietnamese tradition. Usually applied to a pâpier maché object, it is both light and durable. It is also an artwork technique. Prices for lacquerware articles begin at $1.00 US for a small dish, $3.00 US for a large dish, $10 for a set of table mats, and so on. However, the quality of lacquerware depends upon the number or processes used – good quality products are expensive. A wide range of lacquerware, and lacquer artwork and objects, are available in souvenir shops and galleries in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Larger items such as ornaments and furniture are good value – we can arrange for them to be shipped to customers’ home addresses.

Ceramics and pottery
Products vary from high-quality porcelain to simple fired clay objects, and the range is enormous. As an indication of prices, a good quality plate from Bat Trang Village costs about $2.00 US and a café cup about $1.00 US. Small tea sets make good presents.

Embroidery
Hand-embroidered items are good value and excellent souvenirs. Prices vary according to detail and the quality of the base material. A good pair of pillow cases or a set of bed linen, both on a white cotton base, should cost around $6.00 US and $25.00 US respectively.

Vietnamese silk
Genuine Vietnamese silk is mainly muted in colour – bright colours are often indicative of Chinese imports or synthetic fibres. Quality varies widely. Prices for reasonable quality silk begin at about $3.00 per metre for 90cm wide material.

Artworks
You’ll find a huge range of paintings in oils, water colours, lacquerware and just about any other conceivable media. Styles are equally eclectic, not only ‘western’ derivatives, but also an emerging Vietnamese genre. You’ll also come across studies where several artists make copies of famous paintings ranging from Leonardo da Vinci to Salvador Dali and everything between. Prices are what you’re prepared to pay – negotiating a price is de rigour.

Stones
There are plenty of jewellery shops in the large cities offering a bewildering array of gemstones, both genuine and fake. Pearls, both fresh and saltwater, are common – the latter are mostly farmed. Amethyst, aquamarine, corundum, jade, peridot, ruby, spinel, sapphires, and topaz are also on sale.

Unless you’re an expert, detecting the genuine article is very difficult – a fancy western-style showroom doesn’t mean you’re less likely to be sold a pup. If it’s a good price, and you like it, go for it – it’s doubtful anyone else will know the difference, anyway.

Antiques
The same caveats as those for gemstones apply to antiques – it’s almost impossible for a layperson to distinguish the real McCoy. However, realising that Vietnam’s historical treasures were haemorrhaging out of the country at an alarming rate, the government has slapped a blanket ban on exporting anything more than a hundred years old. Customs officers are present at airports, but they are not experts. Consequently, anything that looks old, be it fake or genuine, is highly likely to be confiscated.

It’s probably wise to avoid ‘antiques’. However, there are several workshops making high-quality traditional furniture. It’s not cheap, but it’s a fraction of what you’d pay if it were on sale in your own country. The wood used is very heavy, but shipping charges are based upon volume, so exporting is reasonably straightforward. We can assist if you’re interested.