Vietnam as Nammers Know It

Rags-n-Riches: Parked down from my apartment complex is a a red SL55 AMG, which in Vietnam costs $500,000 because of the import tax. Checking it out is a disabled “vé số” seller, whose income is about the lowest in Vietnam – if he manages to save $1/day, it would take him about 1400 years to buy that car.

Lunch at Jas’pas – down the street from my office right in front of the Grand Hotel. This place sells a mix bag of Asian, French, and Spanish cuisine. This fillet migion steak sandwich costs VND 90,000 (about $6). Note: don’t order the ice tea, it’s bad and costs VND 30,000. For that money you’d be better off with a nice glass of freshly pressed juice.

At night, Saigon’s lit up with lights. The pollution is quite bad on the major streets. Walking & facemaks are highly recommended, or you will be coughing up tar.

I went to the beach of Vung Tau today with my brother and our distant cousins and their girlfriends – all of whom, according to the extended family tree, all have to call me “Ông” (great uncle).  After the drinking & swimming (the cooler people swam, the dating people didn’t want to ruin their hair:), we all went to this cool Café place up on the mountain called “Ocap” to have coffee and watch the sunset. Vung Tau has not fully recovered from Hurricane Durian - roofs are still missing, walls not yet rebuilt, and the most of the smaller coffee shops are still closed. I also had a chance to eat the matis shrimp (tôm tích) for the first time – these were the size of a lobster, but the meat is more tender and much sweeter. People, come spend your money in Vung Tau or Long Hai if you have to pick a beach…pick a smaller shops, where the locals hang out, drink heavily, and the roof of the place’s still missing.  

Full and fully roasted, as promised we zoomed back to Ba Ria by 7:30 to hang out with our little sister and her school friends. Ba Ria was packed like it’s Tết. Cell phone lines are jammed with “Merry Christmas” SMS. I could not find a Santa Claus hat, so I wore my USC beanie because it’s red and Christmasy, and because it’s always good to wear USC color. 

Merry Chrismas, dear friends…wherever you are. Go live long and well.   

I have never seen so many sweaty, skinny Santa Claus. They were gathering in front of KimDo hotel on Nguyen Hue street, just down the streets from where I work. Here Santa Claus ride honda and don’t laugh “ho ho ho”. They are lactose intolerant, so no milk and cookies for Vietnamese Santa. Vietnamese houses also don’t have chimneys, just front doors that are usually entry ways to some kind of business on the ground floor (the family would live on the upper floor).

The fake snow made from styrofoam. Faker Christmas tree with a golden star on stop. Shopping malls have them. Coffee shops have cheaper versions of them. They all reek of plastic. The malls are busy, not from people shopping but rather people taking pictures.

Last night I went to the company’s Christmas party. It was hosted at a villa in Phu Nhuan district. Elegant setting with all the Christmas trimmings. There was an endless flow of French pinot noir. Catered seafood and customized cloth napkins. It felt like a Thanksgiving party. Of course, there was Karaoke at the end (it’s Vietnam).  

Where can I find a real pine tree? At least a few pine-scented car fresheners so I can hang them on the fake christmas tree.

Vick and Ed, colleagues I am honored to call friends. My Taekwondo team. Tiong, the man who made the “Pho tombstone” on every CSC machine the day I resigned from the university. My car. The people of the CSC.

The street performers of Santa Monica. A relaxing meal at the backyard in the hood with a special friend. Be Hanh & Be Mai. Downtown LA nightlife. More to come.