Day 3 - Vietnam ...It seemed like such a good idea

Three days...no sunshine

The day started out with a nice cup of black vietnamese coffee and what I thought was to be something like an omelette, what arrived was a toasted baguette cut lengthwise with a scrambled egg, cheese, sliced ham tomato and lettuce. I can say what arrives at the table is rarely what I expect.  But not once, have I not liked what was served. I'm thinking by the time I get back to Colville, my deep cravings for good asian food might be supressed, for at least a week It's still my intention before I leave SE Asia, to take a cooking class. I had the opportunity to take one in Chang Mai, and should have, especially as much as I like Thai Food.
Once I finished my breakfast,  I went for a to the  market, that was situated along the edge a inner coastal bay. You'd think after 5 weeks of going to markets, I'd tire of them, but because each one is so uniquely different, especially so if they are NOT geared for tourists. I've always loved watching people no matter where I've been, and while in SE Asia there has been no shortage interesting , colorful, characters, I"m usually good at resisting the constant bombardment of mostly women getting me to buy there product, or look at their booth. For whatever reason, I was a softy today buying things from at least five booths. What the heck with Christmas coming up, it's a perfect place to buy things, even though I have to stuff it into my backpack and carry it home.

After shopping I decided it was time to GO TO THE BEACH...something I hadn't done - not even once. After getting directions from the hotel receptionist, I was on my way. I"m nut sure what beach the directions were to but it was at least 6 miles, not 2k. As I was walking towards the beach I passed what I guess would be called a covered patio, where there were at least 20 men drinking and playing cards. One of the gentleman catches my attention calling out a friendly hello in very good English.. THIS IS WHERE I SHOULD HAVE RUN!! Introducing  the main character in today's installment of "Adventu
res With Bob" - Milo, pronounced Meelo, a 33 year old Vietnamese. He asks me where I'm going, which everybody here in Hoi An is always asking. I tell hime I"m walking to the beach and he offers the motorcycle services of his friend. We negoiate a price and we're off. This was the wisest 3 dollars I'd spent, as it would have taken at least two hours to get there and back. Once we get there I take my sandles off and step into the warm ocean waters of the Pacific. A long anticipated action, but as far as the sun...not today or anytime soon. I spent about 10 minutes there soaking up the beauty of this deserted beach, with absolutely no one for miles, just two dogs that want to play. I love beach dogs, they seem to have much better attitudes than city dogs or village dogs.

We head back to Milo's and he invites me for a beer or two. This is what the first one looked like. Turns out the beer is called Ba Ba Ba which is Vietnamese for 333. There is where it get a bit funny. Milo asks me my name, after telling me his. I tell him Bob, he repeats BaBa, I tell him again..BaBa his response. About the 10th time I realize he's not going to be able to pronounce my name..from time forward I'm known by him, all his friends, sister, mother and father as BaBa or probably in there language as 33. Guess I've been called worse. Actually one time I was paged in high school as Barbara Vey.
After about 2 beers, hi invites me back to watch the Soccer, or Football as it's known in the rest of the world around 5:30 - a game between Vietnam and Timor. My motorcycle driver agrees to take me back to my Hotel and then pick me up around 5:30. After taking a shower and taking care of a few loose ends, I steip outside to have my ride waiting.
Turns out Milo not only went and got more beer but also went to the Market and bought and prepared some wonderful food. It seems as if his place is the neighborhood hang out as people were always coming and going. Strange thing was the party kept on moving from one residence to the other.

Another very red, blinking red flag. DO NOT MIX BEER WITH ANY OTHER HARD LIQUOR!!! I learned that lesson long ago, and for the most part never do...but this was different, I guess it's a tradition to pass a shot glass of vietnamese whiskey, probably made with rice, filling it as you finish it and passing it to the person on the right. I lost count somewhere around 5 or 6....or was it 10 or 15. All I know I was starting to get a bit of a buzz going.

I must say Milo was the perfect host, explaining many of the foods he prepared, and some of the customs. I forget to mention it, but Milo told me he was a cook by trade, and was currently on a 30 day holiday. Back to the soccer game, turns out the East Timr doesn't have much of a club. By the end of game, Vietnam won by a score of 4 to 0. Everytime they scored I would "high five" everyone sitting around the table. By now my beer is starting to look a distorted, but I'm still doing ok. Not sure what percentage alcohol the whiskey had, but it had a potent kick.

Not sure what time it was, probably around 9, Milo ask me and several others to go to Da Nang, about a 20 mile drive to the north. I say "Why Not?" which seems to be the saying of the day. What I should have done earlier was had my standard response to that question - "because I don't foo king want to" but that wouldn't have been very hospital. So we hop on Milo's motorcycle and take the about 30 minute ride. To his credit, he was a very safe driver. Two of his friends wind up joining us.

I'm not sure what kind of club this was, other than very nicely decorated, sort of in a warehouse retro theme complete with what look like fifty five gallon barrels with a faux flames. When we got there, 5 young men dressed in orange overalls were dancing on stage...hmmm...but it wasn't too long and they were replaced by young asian women. I'm starting to get the idea. The beers keeping coming and by the end I'm presented with a bill...much higher than I anticipated. I look at it...there is several shots of Remy- Martin on it. Not my bill, I protest trying to be heard over the blaring loud speakers. I'm taken back to the office where things are straightened out. We finally leave around 1:30 heading back to Hoi An. I should also mention here, that Milo wanted the equivalent of about 100 dollars for the day. Not something I negoiated, but always expected, I give in and pay him.
 If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't hesitate.  It was a very interesting day, being invited by him and his family and friends to share food and drink. But I would have been a less than obliging guest at about the third beer and one or two shots of vietnamese whiskey. I woke up the next morning feeling better than I had anticipated, but still a slightly hurting unit. Because I didn't do much today, I'll just say that it was a very quiet, lost kind of day. Around 2 pm, I got up the strength to go out for some food. A bowl of vegetable and chicken soup was just the fix. I usually don't like cooked carrots, but they tasted great.

Thanks for reading and if you'd like to comment...click below...tomorrow...off to Nha Trang by train. BTW - I have to mention this. Weather forecast for Hoi An...sunny (I've just spend 3 rainfilled days here...no more) ...forecast for Nha Trang...rain for the next 3 days...oh well. Had I read beforehand I would have discovered this is a very normail pattern for Northern Vietnam...it's tail end of the rainy season. Not true in most of the rest ot SE Asia. Should just consider myself lucky for so little rain I've experienced