Miss(ing) Saigon (Not)

  Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Thursday, March 15, 2007

Last night I sat and watched the traffic in the Go Go bar (no Mom, it's not that kind of bar really). Really you don't need TV here - the traffic is entertaining enough. I got talking to Alicha from the states and we ended up taking a taxi to a bar a friend of hers had recommended - very swanky.  Deciding we could be anywhere in the world in the swanky bar we headed for Saigon, Saigon, on the 10th floor of a very swanky hotel across the road from the swanky bar.  Of course it had great views but the ihghlight was a band who were so bad they were good.  The girls looked like they'd be less out of place in a real Go-go bar, and the balding, middle aged Vietnamese guy's rendition of the pussycat dolls 'bleep' song was hysterical.  Anyway once we'd seen enough of the singers underwear (a very short skirt and she'd clearly been watching too many American pop videos for her dance moves) we headed home.  I think it's the first night since Chinese New Year I've been in bed after midnight (Curfew in Laos makes early nights somewhat mandatory) - so I've gone against the Chinese horoscope I got in Singapore for the first time!  Wonder what will happen?  Maybe I will stop being 'extra dazzling at night' as it promised! 

On my return I turned the TV on - bit of a novelty having one - and did a bit of channel surfing. Came across a French TV channel reporting live from Crosby Beach on the Anthony Gormley statues.  Quite funny listening to the scouse dubbed in french - "Are' ay, I think it's grrreat, like" became "C'est Magnifque".  Kept my eyes peeled for Ginni or her sister but no luck!  Doesn't seem that long ago since I was walking down that beach with Gin last summer - how time flies when you're having fun!

Any way today I escaped Siagon on the basis that the traffic here gives me a nervous breakdown every time I cross the street and did a day trip to the Mekong Delta.  It was a very touristy trip that took us via souvenir shop to fruit farm to coconut candy factory (yummy especially when still hot!) via the Mekong Delta - the first really touristy trip like that I've done since the Cameron highlands!  Well at least I was safe from the traffic!  Having spent two days going down the Mekong in Laos it was good to see where it ended up and cruise some of the little canals on the islands in the Delta - or course wearing the traditional Vietnamese hat which we were given on loan for the duration of our boat ride.  We wre played some traditional music at the fruit farm. The picture can not convey how out of tune this was. I'm not sure if it was supposed to sound like this but it sounded like the musicans and singer were all playing different music in different keys.  They did end with 'if you're happy and you know it clap your hands' though for the benefit of those who wanted to sing along!  At lunch we had the opportunity to 'upgrade' from the stir fry provided to 'elephant fish' (so called because it's supposed to be as big as an elephant's ear!) which was fished directly out of the water.  Some Koreans in the group braved it - they said it tasted good. 




I now note that travel-pod calculates I've seen 10% of the world.  To celebrate I've changed my welcome pictures (secretly I have only just worked out how to do this!).  The percentage however is a lie, there are quite a few places on it that I haven't told it I've visited (childhood holidays and the like) so the true percentage is probably a bit higher - but probably no more than 20%.  Such a lot left to see and so little time!  I met a British couple my age on the trip who've been traveling for 3 years through South America, the Middle East Australia, South East Asia, and still have trans-Siberia and Africa to go before they call it a day - now that is stamina!