3.31.2009
3.23.2009
3.16.2009
Vung Tau
Last weekend I went to a beach close to Ho Chi Minh City, and it was...not the greatest. Unlike Mui Ne, the beach that I went to early in my trip here, Vung Tau is a purely Vietnamese beach--it doesn't really have much appeal to many expats. It's a place where the Vietnamese go on the weekends to get away from the city. This is why, when I called ahead to book a room in a cheap hotel, none of them spoke enough English to do so. Thus, when I got there, I had to pay way more than I wanted to ($30 a night), and I was cranky about it.
The Vietnamese don't like the sun; as I've said in older posts, white skin is a status symbol. So they go to the beach and plop down under umbrellas. Also, the women don't really wear bathing suits for modesty reasons, I'm guessing, so they swim in their clothes--shirts and shorts, usually. This made me the only pale person on the beach, the only one in the sun, and the only one showing any skin. (I wore my tankini top, so as not to blind people with my tummy, and I kept my shorts on. Scandalous.) Needless to say, I was the entertainment of the day. I was gawked at, talked about, and yelled at (I pretended not to notice). Not conducive to relaxation.
Incidentally, Vung Tau is home to one of the largest Jesus statues in Asia, as well as this random abandoned mansion.
The photo album is here.
Nothing really eventful happened on this trip, except that I got very flustered and anxious and sunburned. Not an awesome combination. But hey, look, some Engrish!
Mmmmm, I love mouse chocolate, but only when it is made from Italian Chef.
3.04.2009
Miscellany (sp?)
I'm currently at a high-stress point in my time here, with work, my personal life, etc. Lately I've been a combination of angry and exasperated pretty much all the time, and it has prevented me from having very many deep thoughts that I would want to share here.
(Side note: the most random people have "stumbled upon" my blog and talked to me about it. I guess if you put in a few phrases in Google regarding my name, my company, or the country, you get the blog. For example, my coworker Thu, whose wedding I attended and blogged about, read it with her husband--they said they had searched "Baseline" (my office name) and found it. Lucky for me, they weren't offended by what I had written. But I've also had a few random people who I've seen in bars find the blog, and that combined with the other thing is making me think more about what I post. This isn't a journal, it's public, and I have to remember that.)
So. Because I don't have any really good stories to put up right now, I have some photos:
Ginger and Chilli, being cats.
"Take a load of your feet" at a place called Texas BBQ,
where they make a really good bacon cheeseburger
A plethora of crocodiles at an amusement park/zoo--these appear to be the "reserve crocs," the ones on break while their brethren lurk around in the swamp area
Dam Sen Amusement Park
Le Pub, my most frequent hangout. During the week the have drink specials, such as $1 vodka mixers or $1 gin and tonics. Saigon Beer (which is pretty decent, in my opinion) is $1 all the time. And it's really nice, air conditioned with a patio, and the people are friendly. Whenever I go, I run into someone I know. This is also where quiz night happens on Tuesdays.
So, there it is. I hope to be more inspired soon.
(Side note: the most random people have "stumbled upon" my blog and talked to me about it. I guess if you put in a few phrases in Google regarding my name, my company, or the country, you get the blog. For example, my coworker Thu, whose wedding I attended and blogged about, read it with her husband--they said they had searched "Baseline" (my office name) and found it. Lucky for me, they weren't offended by what I had written. But I've also had a few random people who I've seen in bars find the blog, and that combined with the other thing is making me think more about what I post. This isn't a journal, it's public, and I have to remember that.)
So. Because I don't have any really good stories to put up right now, I have some photos:
Ginger and Chilli, being cats.
"Take a load of your feet" at a place called Texas BBQ,where they make a really good bacon cheeseburger
A plethora of crocodiles at an amusement park/zoo--these appear to be the "reserve crocs," the ones on break while their brethren lurk around in the swamp area
Dam Sen Amusement Park
Le Pub, my most frequent hangout. During the week the have drink specials, such as $1 vodka mixers or $1 gin and tonics. Saigon Beer (which is pretty decent, in my opinion) is $1 all the time. And it's really nice, air conditioned with a patio, and the people are friendly. Whenever I go, I run into someone I know. This is also where quiz night happens on Tuesdays.So, there it is. I hope to be more inspired soon.
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