Updates and Overdue Pics

This is the Notre Dame Cathedral, in Ho Chi Minh, I think. I might be wrong and I seriously currently be arsed to check it out. Was taken in my first week here. Anyone who knows me, knows I rather spend time chilling at a cafe over a drink, absorbing the atmosphere, people watching - hopefully inconspicuosly rather than heading to tourist traps. No matter how beautiful they are. Of course exceptions are made if I have companions.

A typical vietnamese alley - where many restaurants are housed. Some times the small cosy streets remind me of the little town of Dharamsala a 12-hour winding ride up in the moutaints.

This photo was taken the day I landed. Well, I ran into these 4 school mates from uni in Singapore. Well, the guy I know personally, the other 3 might be exchange students. See how small the world is. That's why I thought it was absolutely necessary to snap a shot of them.

Hotel Majestic. An old, but restored 4 or 5* hotel in the city. Apparently, they have a really nice rooftop - cafe-cum-bar that has an amazing view of the city at night. Also a former popular

watering hole with US soldiers in the war in the 1960s. Will check that out sometime.

Ban Xeo - Or Viet Pancake and Fried Rolls. One of the food establishments with a greater local flavour. Bean Sprouts, pork , shrimp in between the crepe folds. You break a piece of, fold in within lettuce leaves, basil and other fresh herbs that Viets are so fond of. Then you dunk in the fish sauce. You know one thing that confused me was the fact that some western publications I have come across describe fish sauce as "pungent". Er, durian and jack food is pungent. For me, even the name fish sauce is a misnomer when it comes to the taste and smell. It really doesn't smell or taste like dead fish you know. Hardly a hint of fish. Its good by the way.

Fire eating dragon-lady on the restaurant cruise boat a long a river - during a company dinner. Food was great - ambience circa 1970s. Chic would be totally in appropriate, campy would be precise. I had fun. The Vietnamese love to kara-oke cantonese songs. Fire-eating lady's, pulsating raunchy dance which gyrations according to ah beng techno music, while no where in the indecent league as lap dance given in thestrip clubs, I felt slightly embarrassed as kids stood on there chairs and gathered near the stage to watch.

















Alright, I know I suck at photography - but those are already the best pictures I picked from the lot. Think cruise ship galley, fluorescent,neon,lights. Make-shift karaoke booth in front of the stage. A colleague of mine, said to me he'd tell the waiter pick me a song and that I'll go sing it. You know - it wasn't like he was trying to sabotage me or something. It was more like its an "honor" or a great fun thing to do. I was absolutely horrified. It never happened of course. All due respect to their national past- time, but croaking embarrassingly to an audience isn't my idea of fun.