The sad truth is I don't really go out all that often and if someone asked where should I go to explore the city, I would be stumped after I say... "Ben Thanh Market."
My old friend Stephan Georganis from Melbourne, who I mentioned in my Dealing with clients post, arrived to HCMC this Saturday with his wife and another couple. All were very excited to explore Vietnam and eager to learn about the culture... were unfortunately stuck with me for the night as the worst Vietnamese tour guide. "Have you eaten street food?" Err... nope. "What street are we on?" Err... I don't know... "Are you even Vietnamese?" Hmm... trick question? It's most likely that they'll go home seeing and learning more about Vietnam than I have this last year and a half.
The truth is I have been working since setting foot in Vietnam. I arrived on a Saturday and started work on the Monday and haven't stopped since. This is my weekly routine:
Monday - Friday
Wake Up - Work - Lunch - Work - Dinner - Work - Sleep - Repeat until Friday
Saturday
Wake Up - work - lunch - work - go somewhere nice for dinner - Whoo hoo DVD night - sleep
Sunday
Wake Up late - breaky - watch tv - work - gym - maybe not gym and work - sleep.
I just get so buggered after work that some lone time to relax at home is nice. So as you can see, this is why I made a new years resolution to get out more. The trouble is, I haven't been keeping it up. So this Saturday, I had friends in town, my sister J was also in town and we all went out the night. It ruined my usual DVD night, but this Saturday was totally WILD:
- Dinner at a nice Vietnamese restaurant at "We" on Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, District 3
- Crepes at "Fannys" on Ton Tat Thiep St, District 1
- Finished off with drinks and listening to a live Spanish band on Ly Tu Trong St, District 1.
- Made it home by 10:30PM
Food at We
Fanny's
Carmen
Okay, Okay... it wasn't too wild. But it was a night out neither-less ... and with great company and family, it was a fantastic night in the end. No street food, but that's not my style... I'll game up next time!!
Typical Vietnamese Clubs, Bars & Beer-Hug Cafes
If you like smoke, loud techno and girls in skimpy outfits, then you'll love the typical Vietnamese cafes. I personally, absolutely hate it. In particular, there's a really popular cafe called Windows. Now... nice surroundings but the loud techno music pumping and old men with staring problems, is not exactly the most comfortable place to catch up with friends. But the Vietnamese love it.Beer Hug Cafes is a unique place. A Beer Hug Cafe, is designed to have girls hugging men whilst they have a drink. I'm not sure how could that possible turn men on? A brothel I understand, because at least they're getting something. But a hug? Come on, don't you get enough love from your mother? I've never been into a Beer Hug Cafe, but I can tell you this... You'll know when at a Beer Hug Cafe, when there are ferns outside the front of the dodgy cafe.
That's one too many secret the Vietnamese men didn't want me to share.
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I just found you at New Friend Friday at The Girl Creative. Wow... it would be awesome to live somewhere other than your own country. I am glad you were able to get out at least one night. I love to snuggle up and watch tv or read a book too, but it is healthy to get out once in a while! The food looks so awesome, by the way!
ReplyDeleteI go out every night in Saigon and drink until I fall over, is that bad? I don't really. I do think you should get out more tho, do you have a motorbike? have you been to the driving range for sunset? its cool you can drink beer and hit balls at the little buggy thing that drives about, we take some speakers and play some tunes and laugh out loud at dumb stuff, its fun.
ReplyDeleteyour photos are great.
ReplyDelete