Of course, I only realized all this today as I ventured out and about, alone, waiting for the call regarding my potential apartment for the next two months. I decided to explore Dong Khoi Street, looking for a place to purchase heels actually, and found myself resting at a little park-like area. I had seen a building that looked unique enough to be considered a touristy sorta thing and wanted to know what it was, not that I was interested in going inside, so I turned to good ol' trusty Lonely Planet.
Sitting on a stone bench, staring deeply into the book, looking 110% like a foreigner, I was approached by some guy who spoke pretty good English, surprisingly. He told me the building was an Opera House. How did he know that's what I was trying to find? I've no idea. Had he been watching me for awhile? Who knows. Lo and behold, he was a motorbike taxi driver who gave tours to people like me. He had these little laminated things that listed the places he'd take me to for touristy purposes and also how much he charged. Oh, I wasn't really ready to explore the city with a stranger. I wasn't willing to pay an amount when I was unsure of what a good deal was. But his English was quite good. There was some places on the list that I wanted to get to (because they may sell cheaper items than what I was seeing in the nearby shops and because I did want to get a pair of heels since I had persuaded myself not to bring any with me but then realized upon arrival that the women here love, love, LOVE heels)...so I agreed. Fine, take me to Chinatown where the goods are cheap and plentiful. And so we went. And so I realized the beauty of a motorbike ride.
The best part was this guy spoke pretty darn good English, which is hard to come by here. He was willing to show me around where we would stop and wait along, acting as translator. In the end, I got a pair of heels (sandalish heels) and some flats. I got some things tailored just for me, including an ao dai, the Vietnamese women's traditional dress. I sure hope they all turn out nice. And, I improved my bargaining skills...at least, that is what I would like to believe. For this two and a half hour trip and his services, I paid him the equivalent of about 20 USD. Not bad right? And the three items I ordered, 125 USD. That may seem expensive, but considering that the ladies were planning to charge me 140 USD and that these items are meant to fit me like a glove, I'll say the money was well spent. Well, I hope so.
After what seemed like a successful morning, I received a call from the agent telling me that the apartment I had reserved had not yet been completely prepared for me by the darn landlords and I would have to wait another day. Seriously, I want it now!! The area may seem a bit dodgy, but well, all the living here seems that way, except for the Sheraton hotel maybe. But I cannot afford to stay there, so I will man-up and try my hand at this apartment that costs 450 USD a month and is in walking distance of the firm. I just hope they hurry up and get it ready for me so I can move in by tomorrow evening at the latest. I'm also hoping I can find it again after I start living there because everything here sorta looks the same but not really and it's quite hard to distinguish one "alley" from another. I've already had one "lost" experience, which was unpleasant but definitely helped me realize I need to be more observant and, as I think back about it now, helped me learn more about Vietnamese streets and addresses and people.
Tangent - In sum, I was trying to find Elliot's apartment and forgot which alley to turn into. I eventually found the place because some nice Vietnamese guy (who was actually a French national) helped me to figure out that there is a complex system of distinguishing the alleyways. Of course it wasn't much help since, at the moment, I had no idea what the specific address of Elliot's place was. I asked Elliot for the proper address but he didn't know; he only knew by walking and such. But the French guy helped me to figure out where the apt was and he even drove me around on his motorbike, and in the end, when I offered to give him some money, he declined it all. what a sweetheart. He then tried to make out with me but...just kidding. That was the ending Elliot was expecting when I told him the story, but that's not how the story really ended. He simply declined my offer and left as I repeatedly thanked him. I especially appreciated that he spoke great English as well as fluent French and Vietnamese. Thank god!
Anyway, Mr. Agent, please call me tomorrow with good news...
Having gained a small ounce of confidence to travel the surrounding area by myself and to dare to bargain low, my next task, of course, is to master crossing the streets. I've done it a countless number of times already, but still, every time I approach the crosswalk, I sorta hold my breath and pray I make it to the other side. The motorbikes are numerous and the traffic is endless and you really never know what is going to come at you from which direction. Also, the people here seem to love using their horns and there is never a moment where honking ceases. I'm hoping that by the end of this trip, I'll be crossing the streets like a local, fearlessly and with an air of ownership - like, you can't touch me! Until then, I will clutch my bag tightly, take deep breaths, and move slow and steady from one side to the other.
On to what I've eaten since the croissant yesterday(not that you care but I'm determined to keep track of what I've eaten):
Yesterday (June 2):
Lunch - I forget the name but its like a spring roll with ground pork (we have something similar in Hmong). I had this with a fresh guava drink - not as good as the canned pink guava juice I am used to.
Dinner - I wanted fried rice (or was it just rice?) with garlic flavored chicken, but since they had run out of it, I had rice with meat (pork) and eggroll (which was not actually an eggroll but an omelet - literally an egg rolled). Either that or they definitely gave me the wrong dish.
Today (June 3):
Breakfast - Salmon and egg sandwich (which the buns were like soaked in butter - yeck) and I did get my cup of orange juice - turned out to be the child-size drinks that fast food restaurants serve in the US so I was highly disappointed; actually, the portions here are quite small; they make our appetizers seem like ginormous meals.
Lunch - Carl's Jr. No joke. The charcoaled chicken sandwich combo meal. It was kinda disappointing but I was really thirsty and they gave me a big cup. Yay.
Dinner - Yet to be determined.
Well that was boring...What a long post. I will end with some quick snapshots of a few places worth taking a picture of.
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| The Metropolitan - the place I will soon call work. You can't see it but to the right is the Coffee Bean where I had my first meal in Vietnam. |
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| This is a post office, seriously. I think it's beautiful. |
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| A cool statue in a cool little flowered area. Behind is the Notre Dame Cathedral. This is right across the street from the Metropolitan. |
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| A man wearing a conical hat watering some flowers in the cool little flowered area. |
AHHH!!! I just got my first mosquito bite in Vietnam while writing this post. Dammit! Please, no more...
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