Tự Nhiên

I have heard of this place called Footscray, a place where Vietnamese congregate in great numbers to eat shop and do other normal things. I had been to Richmond, near my house, Springvale for food yet not here. Richmond is small, while Springvale is a mixture of Mekong peoples. Footscray is big!

I arrived in Footscray via an intricate maze of streets lined with factories which suddenly just opened up into suburbia. Yet one block in the familiar sound of Vietnamese rang through the air, the smell of fruit and vegetable markets lingered, all the while seeing signs printed in two or three languages.

The first stop was for fo. Sorry been living in Oz too long, I meant Phở. Just like in Vietnam the choice I like was number 1. I also settled for the coffee. This was the first time I had gone out to eat Vietnamese food since I arrived back. I always had planned to eat, however I just never got around to it. Something always got in the way.

After that I walked around just soaking up the atmosphere. It is different from that of Richmond or Springvale as it partially closed off to traffic so people tend to walk. It really is just like a big market. After walking around I saw “the sign” and had no idea that was where I was headed.

The sign

Once inside, it was chaos, like any market I had been to previously. The difference between the markets in LX and here was the yelling. For some reason they just yelled. At one point I went to talk to my friend and the next I was picking my eardrum up off the floor and shoving it back in the ear it was blasted out of. There was one thing which still I am yet to do, buy a whole fish and fillet it. Something just doesn’t sit right in this day and age with me for this process. Remembering doing this as a kid, I am willing to pay more for my fish (fillets) so as I don’t have to involve myself in this messy process.

After leaving I recalled the market adventures I had in Vn and think about how much easier shopping has become.

Footscray from outside the phở shop

Bonded!

A while ago while Tyler, Hendrik, and I where still in Long Xuyen we challenged Tyler's Photoshop skills. We asked him to make some photos of people. I got James Bonded. I came across that photo today and thought I might share it with the world. It brings back a lot of good memories, about partying in the ER in LX.

As I stand now, while it was possible to be that popular with the girls in Vietnam, it ain't happening to me here yet!

The last week and a bit

Well since Sunday last week I would have to say that life has been turned upside down. It seems every where I go people know that I am leaving. I can not help to feel a little down as more than two years of my life have passed here in this quiet town. I feel for a quiet town it does have a lot to offer. The people here are what I will miss the most.

Last Sunday I was invited by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and Agifish to go to some pagodas and an ecotourist restaurant. One pagoda was a place where people hoped to receive a great fortune in life. The other was commemorating a great general. It was a weird feeling discussing the general’s life. He was responsible for expanding much of the south of Vietnam to its present day area. I was at a loss trying to think if we had anything like this in Australia yet I couldn’t, the closest I could imagine was the explorers who went over the mountains and claimed the land for the crown.

The ecotourist restaurant was also a hatchling nursery for tra fish, a type of catfish found in the Mekong river. We also saw a variety of other animals there including my most scariest land reptile, the crocodile. The crocodiles were quite small only about 1.5 m. The food was really good at this place, very traditional Mekong Delta food. It was good for a farewell.

Monday and Tuesday were low key however Wednesday was a big party. I had invited many of my closest friends here to have a big party. We went to Truyen’s once again and I enjoyed the spaghetti, fish, and beer. I stayed quite late as the atmosphere was amazing. I must admit I was mixed as I was sad to leave yet happy to see all my friends there.

The next day one of my colleagues and my students organised a farewell party. Each class prepared a dish. Once again the mixed feeling overwhelmed me. It was good to join them and talk about what they will do next. I felt proud that they can now speak English, as I remember when I first met most of them that they were very shy and didn’t utter a word. Some of the students tasted brandy for the first time and it was interesting to watch their faces screw up as the heat from the brandy went down their throat. I still get that feeling when I drink brandy.

Last night I went with Eric to the no name for a quiet one. I did really want to meet Son, as he had been away on Wednesday. I gave him call and he said he just got back and would join us. At the restaurant was an over eager student who wanted to practice her English. I would say she was cute, except her constant hovering at our table was wearing me down.

After that Eric and I decided to return to the house in hope of watching 24. I felt that in the state I was in I didn’t want to watch tv, so we finished off a 6 pack each. I woke up at 6 this morning in ok kind of state, which surprised me. It was not long for this to change, the workmen arrived at 630 and started to bang the wall, the machine next us started up, noisier than living inside a rocket engine, and the kids starting to play. I thought I would go out to breakfast yet the repairmen came 2 hours ago to fix something. My broken toilet, no they came to fix the working air conditioner. Just glad I don’t have a hangover.

Coming Home

I have made a number of trips to HCMC recently to secure an airline ticket home. My original plan was to go to Brisbane however that did not work out and I will fly to Melbourne and then go to Rosedale, Gippsland.

I will leave Vietnam on the 29th of June and arrive in Australia 30th of June. I feel lost as from there I do not know what I will do. I have applied for some jobs yet no luck has come about it (already 1 rejection). I hate applying for jobs as you feel that you have to really show up to people which I don’t like to much, although I have been known to do it. Will keep all of you in the loop as things develop. You can contact me at 75sparks@gmail.com.

The Australia Vietnam friendship foundation of An Giang

The Australia Vietnam friendship foundation of An Giang is something my boss dreamed up when I first arrived here. I am not sure what it is yet always provides a good excuse to have a beer or two. Occasionally there is a reason like Australia day or sometimes there is not. This time it was to introduce two new members to our club – Kirsty and Jack.

I had met Doug, an old timer here in LX working with Ausaid, when I first arrived. He was working on a water engineering project and finished last year.

He returned to Australia and just arrived back a few weeks ago to finish the old project and start a new one. I met him once already yet this time he was required on more official duties. He arrived with a consultant from his project. Mai, my bosses wife, had ordered the food for us which was coming out as we were sitting down. It started off fairly slow as the group was a little too big. I found it was hard to hear what was going on the other side of the table.

Just as we finished the food I and everyone else was in for a big shock. Dr Rang had just arrived. He had studied at Melbourne University and just came back from visiting Australia were he attended his daughters engagement party. Yet even though his presence was a shock to me, the next thing left me floored – a bottle of Penfold’s cab sav.

It was the best wine I have tasted in years. Now I will not profess that I know anything about wine yet this was good. After we finished the wine we were about to go when it was suggested that I get a photo with the waitresses. Well in this picture I look a little too excited, maybe even scary, definitely creepy. I will blame the wine and beer combo.

Just as we left Dr Rang asked if I would like to have a few more at another place and as I hadn’t seen him for a long time I thought why not. He invited his friend who had also just returned from Australia. Well after a few, I saw the picture of Larue beer (terrible hangovers in the morning) and the Sydney opera house trying to put them together. I couldn’t and just figured that it was all the beer and wine again.

National Geographic

Today as I came back from lunch I noticed out of the corner of my eye a branch on the steps. As I was about to pick it up I realised that it was not. It was one of my worst fears, a snake. I detest snakes. I was scared stiff. As I walked up the stairs I was unsure whether to get my camera and photograph it. I have always wanted to get a snake picture with my camera.

I reasoned that it was small and if it tried to strike me it would be slow and not be able to break my skin. I decided to go for it and grab the camera. I noticed that I was a trembling a little, and generally feeling uneasy. I found the camera went down stairs hoping it was still there, and luckily it was. I moved into position to take the snake snap, mindful not to get too close. It was about 80cm long and the thickness of a finger. It had an intricate design on the back similar to some of the vegetation I have seen here. It’s head definitely looked like a leaf.

I took the first photo however it looked to far away, so I was trying to keep the same distance while taking the second. All of sudden it moved, slowly to turn around and look at me. My heart raced as I was putting a bit more distance between me and it. I took the second snap as it was about to leave, and tried to get a third. I was wrong about the speed of the snake, it could really fly. Beside the bike shed it went, and I was not brave enough to chase it down for the third pic.

The next time I will use the tap next to the greenhouse I will be petrified. Who knows what is hiding in the grass there. Well anyway, mission accomplished 2 pictures of the little snake.

Unknown Farewell

Thursday last week saw the English department have a farewell party for …? I wasn’t sure who it was for, either Scott or Lillian. I knew it was on, and was invited yet I did not know what time, and consequently missed the important speeches. I think it might have been for both, yet Lillian will come back after the northern summer and Scott doesn’t leave for a while.

When I arrived I saw the presentation of the gifts. Then it was time to eat. I usually don’t look forward to the food at the English faculty’s parties as I feel the food is far from adventurous. Eric and I earlier in the afternoon were trying to guess what the food would be. I was surprised to find that only two were right: a type of salad (Goi) and soup (Lau). This time they had a fish (Pink Tilapia) which was really fantastic. The flavour wasn’t strong and the flesh melted in your mouth. To top it off we had mangos like at home, sweet and orange. Most of the mangos here I feel are too sour and green.

Throughout dinner the guys were playing a game. Whenever we wanted to drink someone would say oooh chilli, and we would drink. We had to hide it as the Rector, Dr Xuan, doesn’t like drinking much. When it was time to go I was ready to escape to the next place.

Hendrik

For the last 9 months Hendrik has been with us here at AGU. He was a postgraduate IT student doing a project with the library. I learnt a lot of things about Germany and German culture. He really was a great guy, not what I would expect from an IT student. I also learnt the correct way to drink those German beers. The big ones. At Oktoberfest last year, which coincided with Hendrik’s birthday, we went Lang Toi and ordered litre beers. Metta, a Danish girl was also there and they wanted to have a proper Oktoberfest drinking comp. After much instruction I followed their lead and found myself with a sore arm. How can these guys lift a litre of beer with one arm. I thought it was crazy. They proceeded to tell us that there were barmaids capable of carrying 8 of these glasses through a tent of drunk Germans doing there slap dances.

Occasionally when the mood was right Hendrik would do a slap dance. Of all the crazy memories I have of Hendrik, one dance he did etched in my mind forever and when I picture Oktoberfest I am sure this is what all the people are doing.

Saturday Hendrik departed for the Middle East then off to Germany. We heard he arrived safely and did some things we wanted to do. On Wednesday last week was his official send off. He had a private dinner with his boss and the head of the university. By about 7.45 I was starting to feel my stomach eat itself as I could no longer wait for the food at the after party. I went to contact Eric yet his yahoo message was perplexing making me feel that I should not contact him.

Eventually Eric was starting to feel the pangs of hunger and contacted me and we quickly made our way to Truyen’s. At the restaurant Lillian and the family were there waiting. Next along was Sabrina. She is from Switzerland and is working for the pesticides department of the department of agriculture and rural development. She is doing her internship for here degree here in Long Xuyen.

Truyen had cooked up too plates of beef. If the beef had of been Australian it would have been divine. All the same the flavour was great if a little chewy. There were some really good deep fried mushrooms as well.

After everybody had arrived, I started to wonder if Hendrik was coming. He contacted us to tell us he was on his way yet this was about 30 minutes ago, and nothing takes 30 minutes to get to in Long Xuyen. I met Jack for the first time that night, he is the long term defacto of Kirsty, the other AVI who is newly arrived. She is working with the English dept. Jack kind of reminded me of my uncle Mick, a good bloke to have a drink with.

When Hendrik and his girlfriend Thu, arrived they were carrying a special present, a bottle of Johnny. We continued to eat and Truyen was well and truly beyond the great unknown expanse of drunkenness and kept ordering food. We kept drinking and then left at the latest possible moment.

Saying goodbye to Sabrina, with Truyen watching.

At the guest house the party continued and we drank the whiskey empty. Hendrik was even brave enough to pick up a guitar and play. I was starting to feel tired myself as I did not sleep well the previous few days and by this time I could tell Hendrik had had a long day and the whiskey was taking its toll. We had a mission to complete, finish the bottle. I struggled through the tiredness and together the three of us finished the bottle and called it a night.

Playing the Guitar

The evidence makes us guilty

Lang Toi

Lang Toi (my village) is a restaurant that I feel is in the upper end of the restaurant scales here in Long Xuyen. The tip off is the fact that is a Nha Hang. Most restaurants are Quans, and this gives an indication about the prices inside and supposedly the size. It is one of the restaurants that brew their own beer in two flavours dark and gold. In Vietnamese Bia Den refers to dark beer. As you enter through the parking ground you look to the left and you see the brewhouse.

When you look to the right you will see the seafood and other live specialties on offer. I generally find it is a mixture of fish, eels, prawns, and snakes. The black snakes in the picture are the best snakes for eating yet I didn’t find it enjoyable. The meat was really rubbery and you had to be careful not to eat the stomach or the backbone. And then there were the rib bones, I felt that if I was starving I might eat it again, yet most often I would give it a miss.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is quite pleasant. The owners and host are quite friendly and will often come and chat. Occasionally they may also give us some free fruit. I often find it awkward though as the ability to communicate is limited by language, however the new host appears to have a good grasp of English. They are nice good natured people who try to enhance our dining experiences. They also own another restaurant called Tre Xanh (young bamboo) which is similar to Lang Toi, although I am yet to see this for myself.

The restaurant has been through a number of renovations since I have been in Long Xuyen yet the decore is generally the same. It use the bamboo outdoor theme which makes feel like you are a prince dining in a private jungle. There are 3 levels ground, up a few stairs and upstairs. I find that downstairs is the most enjoyable yet dangerous as most people will pass you by, and occasionally be brave enough to try out their English skills. I feel upstairs seems to have the worst service as you are far from everything.

Now the bathroom here is the most interesting I have ever been too. I and the other volunteers here used to refer to it as the disco toilet as it was like walking through a nightclub. Loud music blaring with videos of fashion shows. Under the last renovation it got larger and seemed to lose the speakers. It also became more modern.

The day Eric, Hendrik, Tyler, and I came we were in the mood for spaghetti. This was the only place we knew at the time to sell it. We also ordered some garlic bread. I find the garlic bread too oily or too dry. I think it is because they don’t use butter and grill it on a bbq. The spaghetti is also strange, good in a way with really strong Asian flavour influence. There was one herb there that just does not belong, and it affects the taste of the rosemary. I don’t think the others agree with me about the taste description, yet they agree that it is strange.

Although the European food is not the best, their Vietnamese food is good. I have sampled many dishes here and found them to be good. I really liked the basa (catfish) served in a lemongrass and chilli sauce. They do good tofu as well if you are not into eating any meat. Lots of grilled dishes, rice, and of course the specials you see when you walk in.

This particular day we were interested to drink the brewed beer yet they had run out or something. This is the first time I recall that this has happened here. Never the less they do have a large selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The last time I went we sampled the dark and gold beers and found them to be quite good, if not better than before. I feel if you are in Long Xuyen and you are looking for something popular and swanky this should be considered highly on your list, just stick to Vietnamese food.

What are they doing?

Well the Coop Mart has done it again. After asking them to stock cheese they finally did. I felt elated about having cheese, and relieved not to need to ask for cheese every time my friend goes to Can Tho. After rectifying the cheese issue it has done one worse.

Now when you are hungover there is nothing like lemon-lime Gatorade (or even orange). It just peaks you up. So I felt that now everything is set, drink all night and one bottle of Gatorade for breakfast. Such a sweet deal.

Now they have decided not to stock it. Why? If there was ever a place that needed Gatorade outside of a sports venue it is Long Xuyen. Drinking is a national sport here. And I have seen some guys at work looking like they fought a truck at high speed (I have even seen it in the mirror sometimes too). I guess I am disappointed. No really disappointed. You see Jeff rocked in from Long My yesterday and we started a little early and finished a little late. And today I woke up feeling like I had survived a nuclear detonation in my head. I really just wanted to go and vege out and have some refreshing, life giving Gatorade. As I write this my mind is ticking (loudly) about how to get more Gatorade into LX. (pic is from Wiki)

Hai Lua

Early in April I went to Hai Lua with some English teachers. This restaurant is an interesting place as the name means second brother or country bumpkin. This restaurant is good for two reasons, 1 the owner speaks English and really wants to make sure you have a great time there and two, if you like boats you can take one out in the middle of the canal, although I have heard reliability is a factor. I was the second person there and ordered a beer, Sai Gon Xanh, much to the dismay of the Coors Lite girl.

While waiting for the food and people to arrive I noticed that they had not cleaned up after a previous wedding. Here is a glimpse of the stage they use in such things. When I mentioned that the wedding decorations were still around I was filled with dread as I saw the eyes of my inquisitor flash and the wedding question asked. I am really irritated by this question and it seems like such an important issue for people in Viet Nam. I will let you guess this question.

Not long after the first dish arrived some kind of tofu. Now I use to think tofu was this horrible, nasty, crazy vegetarian food yet I have seen some amazing things done to here. This particular dish (made with egg and butter possibly) was great, you eat it with a mild chilli sauce and it just melts in your mouth. The taste was like a light brown omelette, ahh magnificent. This is my favourite tofu dish to date and I got to learn how to make this so I can make it in Australia.

The great tofu dish of unknown name half eaten

A few more members arrived and finished the tofu just as the second dish came grilled beef in fish sauce. Now this is one, if not, my favourite Vietnamese dishes. Essentially marinating the beef in fish sauce (sometimes with garlic) and quickly grilling it and eating. I could only imagine how great this would taste with good Australian beef. This dish didn’t disappoint. It was all that I expected and more with the red tomatoes, a rarity here I can promise you.

My favourite VN dish

Next up was the so (blood acra in English yet can not find the spelling anywhere and the dictionary translates them to baby oysters) drizzled in oil grilled and sprinkled with green onions. I usually have them salted or grilled till dry, however these I found were fantastic. The oil and green onions were the perfect mix to bring out the taste of the sea. When putting them with chilli salt and lime I thought it was utterly divine.

The so dish

Lastly we had chicken. We put away our fears of chicken flu (no cases reported for a while) and ordered a chicken. For $8 you can have a whole chicken butchered (vn style = with a cleaver and no precision) prepared and cooked for you. And when I mean a whole chicken I mean all, you can see the head. The head, the chicken and insides are cooked together. Luckily one part is missing. We ordered this with chilli and salt and it gave a nice crispy skin. The chicken arrives with some little pastries which are fried and I think really enjoyable. Some parts of the chicken where dry which was disappointing. On the plus side however I really loved how it made the beer taste good. Definitely would be interested in doing a beer and chicken night.

The chicken with the head at the top of the body

On the way out I saw this Heineken sign. I just had to take a photo of it for all to look.

Tell me when you will be mine (corny commercial)

The last days of Tyler

Tyler is a volunteer from America working with VIA. He graced our presence about August 2005 and has left to see his family and friends in America yesterday for a short time. In August he will return to Vietnam to work in Hue at an orphanage. I feel that he is the first of our family to go over the next month or so. After a week full of parties (including with his faculty, pictured) he planned a big one up in Ho Chi Minh City to send him off. Saturday was the only day he was available so we made all ourselves available as well.

Upon arrival at the hotel Tyler chose we were greeted by his friend who seemed happy to see him. I was feeling tired and hungry and was just longing to solve these problems. Unfortunately once in the room Discovery channel had different plans, Mythbusters: the pirate special. I was amazed at the damage a canon could do. As Mythbusters tried to disprove common pirate myths I was more and more intrigued by what they would do next. Luckily Hendrik was not so into the Mythbusters and he prodded me to go and find food. We went across the road to Lotteria, a Korean burger chain. When we returned to the room we met Jeff, another VIA volunteer stationed in Long My, deep in the south. He liked the idea of food and proceeded to go and grab some burgers. As I opened my sustenance packages I was shredded by how small the triple beef burger was and after a short debate with myself joined Hendrik yelling at Jeff down the street to bring more food. Once that was all settled we decided just to kickback and wait for the evenings activities.

The restaurant chosen was Mogambos, a kind of American styled menu restaurant with an African theme. As I waited at the table I felt that I was deep in the jungle as Lilian, Tyler, Jeff, Eric and I debated what animals were what. Too bad Wikipedia or Discovery channel were not around now. I ate Cajun chicken for the first time in a long time and it was delicious. The cream coated my mouth in each mouthful while the softness of the chicken was complemented with the capsicums and olives. As I was eating I was wishing that I had not eaten the second burger at lunch, as I was rapidly becoming full. I managed to survive the task and try the Creole rice that was served wit the chicken, yet that was really disappointing as it was dry and hard.

After dinner we were eager to start the night’s entertainment off. We went to Sheridan’s Irish House just around the corner. When we arrived it was quiet because of the FA cup and also it was Ho Chi Minh’s birthday, and National Assembly elections Sunday. Michael, the owner later informed us that it was the feast day of Ivo of Kermartin (the patron Saint of Lawyers). Because of this he was in a singing and partying mood, and I felt his presence made the bar full. He offered a token of loyal attendance by giving us each a shot of feliz with a sparkler.

I was electrified by the atmosphere in the bar and didn’t notice that closing time was upon us until Michael asked us to finish our drinks because it was past closing time. We returned to the hotel and some of us decided to finish ourselves off while others went to sleep. All in all I felt it was a fantastic success.

The night market

A good place to eat for quick meals is a place that we call the night market. It is located in an alley in one of the markets near the city’s centre and the river. It is surrounded by many different eateries, which of those I have tried all serve good food. I haven’t made the trek there for quite a while, and yesterday I felt that I didn’t really want to drink any alcohol.

When arrived I didn’t feel overly adventurous so I ordered what I consider my usual there mi xao bo. It is thick noodles stir fried with beef and some vegetables. I was once told by the lady who runs the shop that one of the vegetables only grows in Cambodia.

I ordered some nuoc mia, which is the juice from crushing sugar cane and it was really refreshing, and it is dirt cheap. I was waiting for a while and started to feel that they had forgotten my order as it took so long. I couldn’t understand why it was taking so long as the restaurant was not overly crowded. Then I realised that they were making a large number of take away orders.

After what seemed like an eternity my noodles came. The wait was worth it. I forgot how good the noodles were. The beef just melted in my mouth and the vegetables had a nice crispness to them. I was enjoying them so much I started feel disappointed that I might not be able to finish them all as I was starting to feel full. Yet, I kept eating and finished the plate.

Afterwards I was returning home when a family pulled up beside me and started riding next me. This was a little irritating and I could here the mother explaining to her child that I was a foreigner. So I looked over and smiled, and I made their day. As they drove off I couldn’t help but feel blown away.