Saigon and I need real beer

I am continuing to live a rather odd existence, nothing quite fits here...Within one week of arriving, my moped - a cute little vespa that would suit a small girl, but looks like its 3 sizes too small under me - got 3 punctures in the rear tyre. Now this in itself is not very spectacular except that one of them was caused by a house key! The roads continue to resemble rivers as the rains continue to fall in buckets.


I went for a Hash run on Sunday, it took us one hour in the coach to reach our jungle destination, and after our 2 hour run/swim, we headed back to Saigon central, the return journey took 3 hours and the muddy water was so deep in places in was coming up into the bus through the doors!

Nice!

These Hashes are cracking fun. A bunch of people from all walks of life jump on a bus each Sunday at 2pm and head out to the Vietnamese countryside. The previous day two course setters had laid a complicated paper trail for us to follow with false trails and confusing routes through jungle, swamp, rivers and villages. We all pile off the bus and run the 10km, some barely moving faster than a slow walk. But because of all the false leads and obstacles, we always seem to end up at the finish pretty much together. After a few beers and a run review stood in a circle in the pouring rain, we hopped back on the bus. Toilet stops became more frequent as the journey lengthened and more Saigon beer was consumed.


At one point I got off the bus, jumped down into half a metre of water and waded to the roadside wall. I added to the flowing liquids and turned to hop back on the bus. But it was dark, raining and the road was incredibly busy - I lost the bus! I was at least 5 beers in so was not fully appreciative of my predicament. The locals offered me a lift, they laughed and jeered as I waded along the road back and forth trying to locate the blue bus - they are all blue here!! I even got on a bus and thought my luck was in - it was full of female university students! But alas they were not heading into the city. I jumped off again and laughingly staggered around the now stationary traffic, wondering blearily how the hell I was going to get out of this one, when I decided to head back to my toilet stop and have another look. When I got back I found the bus, I had been wondering around like a lost lamb for half an hour and the bus had moved no more than 50 meters -  did I get a ridiculing when I finally got back on or what!



The BBC News is banned here, it seems they offended to ruling classes last year with some news story or other and now they can no longer broadcast onto the Vietnamese cable system. However, I have kept up with the new technologies and have invested in a Virtual Proxy Network connection. For 5 pounds per month I can now use my computer to watch all the tv channels and download movies etc etc. So I am now feeling a little more connected with the world and back home in blighty. I enjoyed watching the proms last night.

 On Friday I went to an Irish bar, Sheridan's - yep they are everywhere, and watched a live local band play Irish jigs and folk songs. Wild Rover from the mouth of a Vietnamese teenager just doesn’t seem to fit!? But they were good enough and my alcohol free night (one of many this week due to my need to slow down the excesses of recent months of nearly nonstop drinking) was a pleasant battery recharge. I met the head of music at my school and he advised me of a concert the next evening at the Saigon Opera House - sounded like a chance for a bit more culture -

So next evening I booked a ticket and arrived at the French Arts cafe for coffee with time to spare - some real relaxation. After walking a rich roast Vietnamese treacly refresher I walked across the wide open street dodging the motorbikes and taxis, towards the French built white stone opera house. About the size of a University lecture theatre but slightly nicer decorated. The white washed plaster of paris walls and musty smelling carpets added to the authentic experience of a Victorian Opera House. The chamber music was pleasant with some good soprano solos and a calmness that sent me to other places in my head.

The weekend finished with me finally getting home and crashing out in my bed exhausted from all that relaxing!

calm tranquil streets of Saigon

At work this morning we all got an email about how one of the students relatives had been killed on the roads over the weekend – a truck driver had knocked the teenage girl off her bike and stopped. The driver got out to check on the girl and seeing that she was clearly seriously injured, promptly got back in the truck and drove over her again – killing her outright. He then drove off. The reason why he did this is that if she survived he would have to pay her medical bills for the rest of her life. By killing her he only had to pay a one off cost for the funeral! Yep – everyone smiles in Vietnam!




I.m heading off on a mini tour of southern Vietnam at the weekend. I hope to do jungle, hills, villages and a few days on the beaches. Should be a laugh.