118,000 dong

For ten six inch flour tortillas!  That converts to $5.90 cents for ten six inch flour tortillas. Guess we're not in Mexican food territory!

Thursday

Before everything shuts down I went to supermarket and found stuff for veggie tortillas things. Pretty successful except sour cream and I'm told it's there (by dad). Proud to find El Paso tortillas. So that's taken care of. Then lunch at Hyatt with ms Nhi Jess' wife who is same age as Elizabeth!  Okay. She had pizza I had cheeseburger. Walked to dept store so she could get lipstick. But along the way saw probably the grossest thing I've seen lately. This older guy walks into street, puts one finger on side of his nostril and snorts OUT snot into street, then steps back to sidewalk and wipes his fingers on a sign post pole. Gross. Guess it's just another version of spitting.

So my whole plan for shopping has been compromised. I thought after visitors left I could run around and pick up things requested. Not so much. Dad didn't really work this week and although I could probably have said I'm leaving, I wouldn't be very happy if he did that to me. But he certainly has before. Not to mention that the whole town is at a standstill. Compare it to Christmas Eve (today) when shops close at 3 or 4 and Christmas day when nothing is open. Same thing.  So unless I have it, I won't get it.

Dad has been watching the FX series the Americans non stop. 2 DVD set and he's somewhere on disc  2. I'm pleased since I recommended it.

Guess ill do a load of laundry at some point. Ms han returns on Monday and it would be nice is she didn't have mountain of clothes waiting.
Had a bit of panic when I couldn't remember ever seeing can opener .. She uses only fresh so an opener might be missing but fortunately dad found it. Smells good so I might have scored. Avocado and cheese should finish the job.

Counting down

Lost track of days and dates.  Everything is shutting down for lunar new year. Supermarket close on Friday. Bakery closes today at 2. Gourmet shop closes today too and that the cheese and potato chip place. Wednesday dinner at park Hyatt last night share stir cried beef entree with dad. Mike McCollum joined us. Had a massages yesterday 90 minutes. Delightful. Refer to flickr photos that I finally had patience to upload off iPad. Still have camera full of pictures. Love seeing the snow pics and the beach pics. What a world!  Lunch today with ms Nhi. Dad is reluctant to venture into crowds in town but I think a morning trip would be ok on Friday. The flower displays are impressive.   I'm doing. Breakfast duty since ms han is off. God bless the person who invented dishwashers!  And coffee pots that make more than five cups.   Updates to follow.

New week

Sunday we ventured into town, looked for DVDs, ate at sidewalk cafe pizza and tuna melt, checked art gallery, taxi back. Picked up cheese and salami and baguette for supper, watched men's tennis final, ate cheeses and watched captain Phillips, very good movie.

Monday  no work for dad this week. He went swimming I showered and did nothing. Ms han fed us And did eh thing. Dad worked on computer and sky pied with some guys. Tomorrow is her last day before her holiday off. Yikes. Red envelopes, lucky money for staff.  Dad give guards at front gate 5 cases of beer they were very thankful. Sort of like Christmas and Santa Claus but he's Santa and no one gives him lucky money. Tomorrow he has lunch with guy we met at massage shop   I think he said he was with Williams Sonoma!  The guy wanted to get together with dad for lunch. So I will find something to do even if I just sit at pool and read.

Hope the flowers are ready to see in the city. Lots of beautiful new year displays. Red yellow mostly.

Started another book. The art forger or something like that. So far it's okay. Ms han making salad co lunch then she will leave.

Haven't found philomena or mr banks DVD yet of good quality. Got the series The Americans for dad to watch. It's. Wry good. Quiet around here. Many people left town.

Tonight I may try doing that veggie enchilada since I found tortillas and cans of beans and corn, etc. old El Paso but any port in a storm!  Trip to supermarket later.

Saturday and sunday

Friday night dinner with Jess and Nhi. Very nice had lamb, soufflé never came out so didn't get dessert. Saturday dad forgot to do something at work so he went to factory and I went to town.  Crazy busy with so many people in town for new year. Lots of decorations. Did a little shopping mostly orders from friends!  Got cb a little jade bracelet for bday. Back to house dad got back had lunch of salad ms han made.  Mostly rested and read.  Finished my book boys in the boat. Now I have to get something else going. Dinner went to Mekong merchant dad had wage burger I had pasta. Finished watching DVD.

Sunday he went swimming, I rode bike around compound. Better find something to do or we will be bored today.

Wednesday and Thursday

Eileen and I actually got to two museums. The women's museum that showed women's role in vn war and the medicine museum museum that was the history of herbal healing over the years. We had lunch at the house of pho ga aka chicken noodle soup. Brian went to subcontractor with Harvey. Returned home had latte at boathouse, walked a bit. Rested guys returned no decision on dinner so we whipped up fried rice with leftovers, watched Matthew mcconahey movie "Dallas" something. Fell asleep. Thursday morning at 8 driver and guide came for our day in Mekong delta. 2 hr drive, one pit stop and then we boarded tuc tuc for bumpy ride to little boat that took us. We cruised to a coconut factory that was piles of coconuts they were using every part, husks for floor mats, mulch, lots of uses incl making charcoal. Then putted over to brick making factory. Long slow process. Then we putted to another spot and got in bicycles for a 4k trip thru a village, then stopped for fruit and tea. Walked to another boat for trip thru canals Small flat boat rowed along canal met bigger boat then over river for five course lunch. Walked down path to the house where the rower guy lived and did some rice paper making with his wife rice paper used for fresh spring roll wraps. He was also a former vn military who fought the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. That was the war following the war to keep them from invading vn. Interesting. Two hour ride back in mini van so we could spread out and rest. Dinner at the park Hyatt since it was Brian and Eileen's last supper. Lovely vn food. Robinsons had good visit and hope to return annually! Friday. Dad's last day at factory. Closing at noon for tet holiday. Tonight we have dinner with Jess and Nhi at le Bordeaux. Today we will do some last minute shopping with robin sons. Meet dad for lunch, then they depart about 530 for airport.

Wednesday

Great day at cu chi, lunch with eileen and Brian, 2 hr dive back, wal around compound, had latte, stayed out of house so ms han could get ready for dinner party. 7pm Jess, mike, Rajiv, stephen arrived. Spring rolls, tofu, clay pot fish, shrimp soup, rice, chicken ginger. Too much wine. Cigars on patio. Very nice evening. Today (Wednesday)will try museums but I think we are all a bit wiped out. Might be the wine!

New week in Ho Chi Minh

Monday morning we had lovely breakfast of fruit coffee croissant. Eileen had appt with dress designer for outfit for snider wedding. Chose lovely fabric and design. Not cheap. Then we went out to meet dad for lunch at song ba golf club before our factory trip. I ordered fried rice. Factory tour was amazing. Dad really took his time and explained it better than any other time I've gone along. Quite a process. Took many pics. Long day crazy trip back to house in traffic. Had a glass of wine dad came back, we all got ready to go out for dinner. 3 of us went to Mekong merchant dad had customers or contractors so he went somewhere else. Pizza and two. Plates garlic shrimp. Walked back yo house, watched last Vegas DVD morgan freeman Michael Douglas etc. fell asleep, Brian hung in and said it wasn't so good. Sunday night we watched lone survivor DVD. As good as the book but on video much heavier dad got in late. Meeting after dinner. No wonder he's tired all the time. As I said lots of furniture people here esp during sample season prior to shipping to market. Tuesday we are going to cu chi tunnels. It's the underground system used to fight during war. Then dinner party tonight. Jess Rajiv Brian eileen dad me stephen. Wednesday hopefully we will get to war museum, presidential palace, women's museum, herbal medicine museum. I seriously doubt we will make too many but we can start. Thursday drive out 2 hrs to Mekong delta for boat trip and lunch Friday shop and wrap up day for B&E. They depart in early evening.

Back in vn. January 2014

It's been over a year since my last trip. 4am so that part hasn't changed much. Dreadful flight on united connecting to Nippon air in Tokyo. United was ok but japan airport and connecting process awful. Arrived and got thru immigration and customs fine. Made it to house around midnight, Harvey was in China but ms han had everything ready for me incl my nightgown and robe in full view. Il. Need to work back now. Friday Brian and eileen Robinson arrived from their Burma trip. Met them got home about 7. Went out for dinner to the deck with Neil Robinson who coincidentally was in town on business. Saturday I took them for walk around compound then we met Neil at the Hyatt for some shopping since he was leaving that evening. Ben than market and Saigon square then lunch at Vietnam house. Back to Hyatt, sat at pool, visited til he had to get ready. Napped at home, dinner with stephen church at Hyatt. Fanatic meal. Lots of laughs. Sunday dad's day off so he called the shots. He got morning massage, made smoothies and coffee, left for lunch at elbow room for burgers. Wandered around, got DVDs, gallery for wall art. Earlier we went to supermarket got cheese for dinner at home, walked the street for feel of area. Monday we will have factory tour, lunch, etc. dinner on our own as dad has customers. Might do Mekong merchant with stephen. Ms han was thrilled with all I brought over. It's good idea to keep her happy! Dad returned on Wednesday from China, went to dinner party at anth and sally cox for reps in town. Catered by the deck, had fish. Nice evening. Earlier Wednesday I had 90 min massage to work out the aches from that flight. $27. Weather has been amazing. They call it cool but it's mid 80 and no humidity which is huge. Had lunch with Ann Carey on Friday. They are going to nc for tet next week. Jess is going to nc for tet as we'll but he'll be working.