Vietnam Is Treating Me Right

(PICTURE: Hien putting on her apron.)

You know you're doing something right when you've been in a country for less than twenty four hours and a beautiful girl invites you over for a home cooked meal. I know what you're thinking, it must be the haircut. 

Yesterday was a traveler's dream day. Hien and her friends Linh and Au took Ryan and I out for a tour of Ho Chi Minh City...on their motorbikes. Despite being assured by Hien that she was, "The best driver in Vietnam" within the first hour we were almost run over by a city bus. I saw the bus coming the whole time and figured Hien had too. This was not the case. Luckily her cat-like reflexes kicked in inches before we became road pancakes. Some say you see your life flash before you right before you die, well, my life didn't flash before me but I had two very clear thoughts:

1. No way in hell am I ever getting a motorbike.

2. I'm definitely getting a motorbike because it can't get much more dangerous than that. 

Oh, and Mom, don't worry I was wearing a helmet. It's the law here. 

Hien and the girls took us to see Reunification Palace (the place where the famous helicopter took off with the last Americans out of Saigon), a very famous post-office and an extremely busy market where we drank very sketchy fruit/vegetable/yogart-ish drinks. After the Palace, Ryan wasn't feel up to par so Au took him back to our guest house. Hien, Linh and I ventured on to another museum and to see a water puppet show. 

Water Puppets are a big thing in 'Nam. It's just like it sounds, there are puppets performing in/on top of water. Water puppet theatre has been around for thousands of years. How, I don't know because it was the most boring thing I have ever watched. Basically it was like watching a rubber ducky splash around in a bathtub for thirty minutes. Snooze city. 

After the show, Linh went home and I got a private tour on Hien's bike. We drove around the city as she pointed out a few other sites. Much to my chagrin, Hien kept talking to me while driving. As much as I love talking to her, I wanted her full attention on the road. Remember, this was only a few hours after a bus almost kissed me with its front, middle and back tires. Luckily, we went without any further incidents the rest of the day with the only thing that could potentially kill me being some sketchy street food we ate (the bowl of soup had pork, coagulated blood, fish, crab, and I think one other meat). Oh, and just a note, I never thought I'd say this but when it comes to cleanliness I think Cambodia has Vietnam beat. In Cambodia they at least pretend to sterilize the silverware by dipping it into luke warm water. Here they make no such attempt to even fool you. Simply there's just a pile of chopsticks and spoons in a container which you pick up and use. Man, I miss those healthy living days of Cambodia. 

At the end of a long fantastic day with Hien she dropped me off at my guest house...and told me to be at her house an hour and a half later for dinner--she and her roommate were cooking for Ryan and I. I shouldn't really make this seem like a spur of the moment thing since I basically bullied Hien, via email over the last three months, into cooking for me. 

Ryan and I showed up at Hien's place (which is also the school I'll be finishing my classes at since she takes care of the property) and were treated to an amazing meal. What made it so amazing you're probably asking yourself? Well, probably because Ryan and I helped fold the spring rolls. I'm sure they would have been great on their own but we added that perfect seasoning--American hands. 

It was a great first full day in Vietnam and one thing is certain, I'm well taken care of in Ho Chi Minh City.