I first discovered the dragon fruit in 2004 on a go to to China. I was in Nanning on a quick journey from lawyering in New York, and it was my first time in Asia. Mystified and overwhelmed on the various numerous greens and fruit (to not point out people’s personalities) it was one of many essential wholehearted custom shocks I’ve ever expert. On a day wandering alone, I completed in my tracks after I seen the dragonfruit.
It wasn’t adequate that there have been piles of lychees and longan, uncommon bulbous fruits like large, offended grapes clinging to a tree. The dragon fruit was in a class of its private, rich in shade and texture. If Dr. Seuss designed actually considered one of our fruits, the dragonfruit could possibly be it. Essentially the most well-liked choice is white on the inside with tiny black seeds and a surprisingly pink outer peel tinged with inexperienced. I bought one and held it by its tail, peeling away the pink outer layer and consuming it like a banana. Kids received right here pouring out of the alley strategies and pointed and laughed; the fruit vendor shook her head in disgust. How was I to know that in China dragon fruit is commonly served in a smoothie, or with completely different accompanying fruits to go together with the fashion? As a Montrealer, it was a fruit to attempt. As a buyer to China, I was breaking an unspoken rule of fruit-eating. And I was getting ridiculed.
I was reunited with the gorgeous shiny fruit proper right here in Saigon, and my every day dragonfruit is among the many many points I am going to miss after I depart. People normally ask me why I come once more, or what it is in regards to the metropolis that pulls me in, and it actually isn’t one issue. It’s a confluence of chaos and noise and meals and different individuals, the small interactions and routines that make dwelling proper right here so pleasurable. The Vaudeville-inclined humour, the Sesame Highway hellos from strangers and acquaintances alike, the limitless labyrinth of alleyways and passages, cities inside cities. And, in spite of everything, the dragonfruit.
In no order of selection, listed below are a number of of the problems I like about Saigon.
This isn’t a list of purpose sights to see, nonetheless considerably the moments that make up my days proper right here, aggregated into one place.
Dragonfruit.
Positive, we’ve established that.
Jail Granny.
Inside the quest to devour as loads pho as potential in my Vietnam days, I quickly realized that almost all of what I had assumed about pho was actually fallacious. That is, the phos up north in Hanoi is not going to be the equivalent as a result of the phos down south in Saigon, which is smart, offered that the cities are pretty far-off from each other.
Completely completely different components of the nation have disparate flavour needs, so dishes that originated in a single half nonetheless have been launched to a distinct morphed proper right into a significantly utterly completely different mannequin. I’ll be writing additional about pho notably, nonetheless suffice it to say that actually considered one of my favourites in town is a Hanoi-style pho known as Thanh Binh, which is open late and has a rich broth with a generous portion of meat. We known as it Jail Pho on account of the soup is served in what seems like a jail yard of sorts, beneath a ripped cowl and beside chain-link fence, garbage swept off the desk and onto the bottom, a favourite of taxi drivers and xe om drivers and — now, on the very least — buddies of a Canadian named Jodi.
Nonetheless additional importantly, it has granny. With a cropped scale back of snowy hair and possibly essentially the most enthusiastic of daytime pyjamas, granny sits on a backyard chair merely exterior the pho joint, surveying people, guests and the goings on in her restaurant. Usually actually considered one of her many sons will come and sit subsequent to her, one with a feline face and glossy white hair, the alternative youthful with a moustache and a tragic look behind his eyes. She sits with a wad of cash, boss of all of it.
After I first started visiting her pho joint, she would merely throw her head once more and cackle at me as I wandered in. Subsequent, I started bringing buddies, and he or she laughed much more sturdy, clasping my hand or smacking me on the arm after I paid up. Shortly, it progressed to the side arm hugging throughout the waist that then wandered proper right down to the ass seize. And now she plies me with sweets even after I’m not consuming there. At night she falls asleep, giant wad of cash in-hand. No one dares take the money or mess collectively along with her; granny is untouchable. I’ll miss her, collectively along with her glowing hair and realizing chuckle. And I’ll miss her soup.
The effusive no.
The way in which wherein Vietnamese people say “no” is by elevating their hand and rotating it in a half moon, like a fast mannequin of the royal wave. Nonetheless don’t be fooled — this movement should not be merely “no”. It’s a no with a tiny pinch of fuck you, a smidgen of mirth, and a whole lot of effusiveness. It’s an excellent issue to check as a vacationer too, on account of it’s helpful when distributors come by and likewise you’re not centered on searching for one thing. And never utilizing a phrase, you merely elevate your hand and rotate your wrist side-to-side.
One amongst my favourites of the “no” in apply was after I stood together with the freeway attempting to hail a cab home. No matter being empty, the cabbie wasn’t centered on our fare. Careening throughout the nook at full velocity, a cigarette casually hanging from his mouth, he raised up his arm and with out looking at us gave us the “yeah, no”. It was beautiful.
Park custom.
It’s widespread in Asia and South America and elsewhere for parks to be places of social gathering. In Thailand, 6pm aerobics programs are offered with out spending a dime in a lot of the parks, nonetheless people disperse thereafter. In Saigon, the parks are hopping for most of the night time.
Spherical 5pm, school kids arrive of their uniforms, drained from their prolonged day, on the lookout for snacks and leisure. They rent a little bit of plastic or cardboard to take a seat down on, plonk down with buddies and infrequently a guitar, and clustered spherical a pile of street snacks, spend hours on the side of the freeway. Women wander the parks with nibbles like banh trang cuon or banh trang nuong (underneath), with unripe mango to munch on, or iced tea to drink.
On the same time, in further vigorous parks elsewhere, households and {{couples}} come to walk throughout the working monitor and get some prepare, talking about their day. Or, to utilize the prepare machines that city has set as a lot as protect people limber. As quickly as dusk falls the lights pop on, and after their workouts a lot of the metropolis dwellers will stop in to the centre of the park to grab a snack sooner than heading home. I appreciated heading to a park at dusk not faraway from my house, strolling or working throughout the uneven monitor with locals and their kids, rewarding myself with yoghurt as my cope with for my sweaty train.
There’s nothing considerably stunning about any of this, nonetheless the sense of group and gathering exterior is one factor I am going to miss. Native buddies say that on account of people can’t afford properties with an unlimited gathering place, many take to the parks. Or kids and youths are lacking privateness at home (as with our teenaged yr too!), and use the parks as a spot for pleasurable and private meeting. Each strategy, it’s pleasurable to shortly parachute myself into these routines with my very personal park workouts or gatherings with buddies. A soothing night time doesn’t must be at a bar, consuming expensive drinks. It’s moreover good to make it a time to drink tea and down $0.50 street snacks.
Conversations like this one, which happen just about every day.
(Usually with a Vietnamese stranger over some street meal)
Them: Good day, how are you privy to this meals?
Me: Oh, I like meals.
T: You need Vietnamese meals?
M: Positive, very loads.
T: Why?
M: It is delicious.
T: Positive, it is delicious. Nonetheless most foreigners don’t like this meals.
M: Successfully, I suppose I am not most foreigners?
T: Maybe it is since you’re Vietnamese-sized that you just like this meals. Inform me, why are you so small?
M: I don’t know, my family isn’t the tallest.
T: Did they feed you as a baby?
M: Positive.
T: Ample?
M: I consider so.
T: Maybe they did not feed you milk?
M: No, they positively fed me milk.
T: Clearly not adequate milk since you’re Vietnamese-sized. So, the place are you from?
M: Canada.
T: How outdated are you?
M: 34.
T: 24?
M: No, 34.
T: No, 24.
M: I’m not negotiating, I perceive how outdated I am.
T: Are you married?
M: No, not however.
T: Why?
M: I am too busy consuming delicious meals.
T: Ha! That’s why you look youthful — since you’re consuming instead of getting married!
M: Positive, that must be why.
Aaaaand scene.
The “Hai Man”.
In Vietnamese, the phrase for two is hai, pronounced in an exaggerated strategy (haaaaaai). There is a security guard near my house who, every time I stroll by, makes his hand proper right into a peace sign subsequent to his head and says “haaaaaaaai” with a neutral tone, realizing full properly it’s moreover the phrase for hey in English. He must be about 60 or so, nonetheless he giggles like a fiend each time this happens. And naturally, I crack up too.
Strolling your youngster.
At spherical 7pm, the mothers and grandmothers on my hem (alleyway) depart the house to walk their youthful kids (spherical 6 mos – 5 years outdated). I say this like the kids are pets, nonetheless it truly works within the equivalent fashion. They stroll the kids throughout the alley, stuffing meals of their mouths from a tiny cup as they do. Usually the kids are in strollers, and others are waddling spherical with squeaky footwear, taking a look at each little factor. The noise of the motorbikes and the reverb of outdoor chatting does not faze them. They’re early observers, quietly taking inside the scene. Usually, one will catch sight of my buddies and I on the side of the freeway and be urged to wave hey.
Usually, they solely stroll by after which, when the stroll is over, stroll once more. It’s nothing specific inside the scheme of points, nonetheless I like how engaged the toddlers are. Moreover, they’re ridiculously cute. After this interval of their lives is over the kids are despatched out to play with their buddies instead, screaming wildly behind the alley, chasing each other spherical on bikes and by foot. Simply recently considered one of many older ones, maybe 7 years outdated, obtained his arms on a motorcycle and easily careened throughout the once more of my alley in a U-shape, being chased by 10 kids on bicycles. Ah, childhood… Vietnamese-style.
Adventures in Sleeping.
Positively not restricted to Saigon, nonetheless holy hell has my Adventures in Sleeping assortment been pleasurable. A sample underneath. I benefit from the hashtag on Instagram so I can mixture all of them. No shortage of people sleeping in seemingly uncomfortable positions, correct in the middle of the bustle and noise. As a lightweight sleeper myself I am infinitely envious of this capability to catch some zs at wherever, regardless of how bumpy.
The “Pie Cracker”.
My good pal John started calling the chiropractor a “pie cracker”, and the title caught. I’ve had energy once more factors since an accident as a baby, and my once more gave out on my after my journey to New Zealand. The American Chiropractic Clinic received right here extraordinarily advisable, and their courses embrace not merely realignment nonetheless bodily treatment within the equivalent appointment time. It’s not low-cost by Asian necessities nonetheless the gear is state-of-the-art, the docs are American and French, and HOLY CRAP THEY FIXED MY BACK. $65 for preliminary session and $55 for adjust to up courses (each adjust to up is 1 hour of PT plus a realignment). I level out this proper right here on account of (1) it has saved my once more from positive ache, and as well as (2) a lot of you write me asking about medical care in Saigon. For joint/once more ache/sports activities actions accidents, extraordinarily advisable. My once more goes to miss them.
Yogurt.
I’m going to cowl this in a definite meals put up, nonetheless it deserves level out proper right here on account of I crave this yoghurt like no individual’s enterprise. In the midst of Le Van Tam park, in District 3, is a tiny blue meals stall with Pepsi umbrellas. It is run by a gentleman who speaks a bit little little bit of French, and who sells sweets and fried meats on a stick. And yoghurt. Vietnamese yogurt (known as sua chua, bitter milk, or da ua – in Saigon, yaort typically works too) is a tangy and sweet and bitter combination of tastes that derives from it being constituted of sweetened condensed milk. In lieu of on the lookout for current milk, which spoils additional quickly, enterprising Vietnamese use the condensed milk blended with water and some yogurt. The tangy fashion is very satisfying and, when just about frozen, a super antidote to a sweltering Saigon day. At smoothie joints, ordering yaourt da presents you actually considered one of these sweet-sour yogurts on ice, though it’s most interesting to inquire in regards to the yogurt in an effort to guarantee that it’s not in its pre-packaged type. In its most delicious mannequin, a small glass container with plastic lid is the precise stuff, served in public parks and at tiny stands that line the roads. For a make-at-home recipe with out requiring a yogurt maker, see my good pal Andrea’s put up on Viet World Kitchen proper right here.
Sweeping water and errant brooms.
I’m combining these on account of they’re broom-related. The brooms proper right here typically embody twigs/brush that are positive collectively after which fan out in the direction of the bottom. It always strikes me to see people sweeping water, since we would normally use a mop, nonetheless that’s a fairly widespread apply. It rains? Get out the broom and sweep your storefront. You’re cleaning up after an prolonged day on the meals stall? Spray down the bottom after which sweep the water onto the street. There’s no trigger to hunt out this humorous other than its deviation from the norms I grew up with, nonetheless regardless it always makes me stop for a second and watch it go down. Perhaps I’ll start sweeping water at my dad and mother’ place and confuse them too.
Errant brooms are moreover a favourite, referring to the nice apply of stuffing a tiny broom someplace on the street for anyone to utilize if wished. At a nook and cranny inside the spiderweb of once more alleys? Broom prepared for group use. At a busy intersection, pushed into the minuscule space between delicate pole and electrical wires? Tiny broom. I adore it.
Title and reply selling.
The great Tim Doling of Historic Vietnam spoke to me over espresso in regards to the customized of call-and-answer selling in Saigon. Distributors on bikes cycle by, yelling out into the alleys to provide utterly completely different fruits, or identify to assemble recycling, or electronics in need of restore, or completely different suppliers like sharpening knives. There are a set number of melodies that are indelibly imprinted on my memory, each wafting into my window from the street underneath at numerous cases of the day. My buddies and I’ve imitated all of them, to the nice amusement of Vietnamese buddies.
Nonetheless one man notably stands out.
Since we arrived, a vendor in a floppy hat and basket behind his bike would come by inside the evenings, with a speaker on his bike that will chant “Baaaaaaijiu baijaw. Baijiu baijaaaaaaaaw. Baijaw.” We saved attempting to ask people what it was, unable to parse by the use of the cloudy phrases. As quickly as, my good pal Doug tried to stop him and have him open the basket’s burlap defending, so that we’d see what was inside. We had already requested many people what was inside nonetheless obtained no reply. Or we obtained an “effusive no” — actually we didn’t truly care what was inside? So we wanted to take points into our private arms. Moreover that when he seen Doug try and flag him down, he merely threw some extreme shade and saved going.
This quest to hunt out out what was inside turned a favourite topic of dialog amongst buddies, and we even named our What’s App group “Baijieu Baijaw” as a testament to our dedication. Midway by the use of January, now we have been wandering down the street when plenty of workers at shut by restaurant beckoned the Baijieu Baijaw man over. THIS WAS OUR TIME! We rushed over to his bike, to the confusion of onlookers and the entire disenchantment of the vendor himself.
He peeled once more the basket cowl and…. banh chung and banh gio, every rice dumplings. Not baijieu baijaw. That’s what he was saying all alongside. All collectively, my buddies and I went ‘Oooooooh!” and them bought 3 of them on the spot. Baijieu Baijaw man? Displeased, sometimes confused and terribly skeptical.
Nonetheless, since that fateful unveiling now now we have slowly worn him down and now he stops for us each time we want a snack. I’ll miss not merely his primary curmudgeonlyness however moreover the singsong of distributors exterior my window on day by day foundation.
Saigon skyline.
I’ll let this image talk for itself. The city is fast altering, and Vietnam is fast altering. It’s rising shortly and metropolis plans normally embrace tearing down older buildings and setting up shiny new ones. The skyline because it’s correct now could possibly be one which I am going to miss, and little doubt city will seemingly be thrilling to take a look at as its morphs and grows.
Xe om badassery.
I just like the motortaxi drivers in town. I wrote an prolonged piece about them already, about their cautious nonchalance and gifted weaving by the use of guests experience. Nonetheless in my return this yr, I’ve acquired way more laughs and pleasurable from this group of brothers and buddies. Listed beneath are a gaggle of them from my street. Current apply is for them to put their arms up and curl fingers into faux glasses and stage them at me after I wander by, to the confusion of the entire people prepared on the guests delicate. They’re typically as a lot as no good, and I am going to miss them.
Frogger.
I’ll merely depart this video proper right here. Ample talked about. At this stage, I’m pleased to announce that I’ve stopped high-fiving buddies after effectively crossing the street and now it has merely flip into widespread apply, and — other than a really ridiculous mistaken crossing of a HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE (whoops) — uneventful.
The foundations, as I’ve found them working for me:
– protect a superb tempo, with no erratic movement entrance or once more
– do not make eye contact — people will typically yell hey at me, or smile at me, after which NOT check out the place they are going. Merely protect eyes focussed on the wave of motorbikes driving straight at you, not at one specific driver.
– slowly stroll all through the street, inching forward, letting the bikes swerve spherical you.
– Bear in mind that this does not work for: buses (whose drivers will chuckle hysterically as they see you leap once more in fear), taxi drivers (who look like bus-drivers-in-training), foreigners driving motorbikes (till they’re additional practiced).
Any meals, anyplace.
People ask me what to eat proper right here, and I’m always utterly pleased to supply some ideas. Nonetheless the reality is that it’s just about inconceivable to mess up street meals. I’ve not at all as quickly as gotten sick whereas attempting it, and I’ve tried a lot. The custom of meals is so predominant and so deeply-rooted that meals is paramount to Vietnamese people. People use meals as a benchmark. When people say “how are you doing?” they don’t truly ask as loads. Instead, they’re saying “have you ever ever eaten however?” and, as I’ve talked about prior, instead of claiming anyone has an excellent soul, the expression truly interprets to “they’ve an excellent stomach.”
In consequence, people care about their meals higher than we (rising up in Canada) care about meals. The streets are overrun with distributors, the alleyways are teeming with rice joints and soup stalls and snacks. Roving meals at utterly completely different cases of the day pop up spherical metropolis. To essentially eat properly, all it is vital to do is use an alley full of meals and eat at a busy stall. Or go to the markets inside the morning — not Ben Thanh, nonetheless to Tan Dinh or Cho Ba Chieu or Bien Tay – and easily stuff your face with gloriousness.
I do know that sounds a bit imprecise – “hey man, merely go and eat one thing as long as it’s not a restaurant” – nonetheless it’s true. I’ll seemingly be writing one different put up, an prolonged one concerning the place I wish to eat proper right here, nonetheless that rule applies. Friends and I would dedicate new days to new districts, as an example, heading out to District 10 or 8 or 5 and easily standing in the middle of an intersection and using our noses for the next meal. We not solely tried unimaginable points — Saigon is incredible on account of you can actually eat all the nation’s quite a few dishes inside one metropolis — however moreover the interactions with people shocked to see us there was rewarding.
The hygiene proper right here is nice, the meals turnover at these stalls is insanely fast, and every single issue tastes larger than the next, till you don’t like intestines and blood cubes. BUT YOU SHOULD. On account of they’re delicious.
Alley wanders.
The city should not be solely home to hundreds and hundreds of people, nonetheless it’s full of alleyways behind and between the first streets. In my post-Lunar New 12 months piece, I wrote:
“Inside the slim mini-alleyways most important off my street, doorways remained open and households carried out board video video games or taking part in playing cards, half glancing up as passerbys approached. Kids stood in the middle of the lanes, laughing over a recreation of badminton or soccer. Groups of women crouched over bingo taking part in playing cards laid out on their entrance room flooring, uncovered to the world, an unlimited change from the privateness so valued inside the west.
In these tiny interconnected passageways, no wider than my arm span — which, everybody is aware of, should not be so broad — a whole completely different world exists. That is comparable in a lot of Southeast Asian nations — Thailand’s once more alley sois moreover actually really feel like they seem to be a microcosm of humanity in a single small space. Nonetheless inside the days after Tet in Saigon, you may be uncovered to all of the dwelling straight, with lowered defences and loads of shouted invites to affix in for a recreation, for a drink, for a chew of meals. The spiderweb of tiny associated areas are there all yr lengthy, and hellos or nods of greeting pepper any wander inside them, nonetheless all through each week of nationwide celebration the keenness and openness is potent.”
Even at completely different cases of the yr, daytime or nighttime wanders by the use of these alleys provide up an exquisite snapshot of what life is like correct now. It’s cooler, and quieter, and time strikes differently. I don’t take footage of people or their properties, and I don’t want to violate the quiet calm each. Nonetheless to solely wander and look, its very rewarding. For some good alley wanders see Tom’s piece on Vietnam Coracle.
Tofu girl.
The tofu experience with most likely essentially the most character this side of the Saigon river. She chases you down the street must you don’t actually really feel hungry, and often tiptoes proper right into a restaurant to slide tofu on the desk in the direction of you — how may you say no? — then beams at you angelically. Her warmth tofu dish, that features comfy tofu, sweet ginger syrup with tapioca balls, and coconut cream as nicely, is delicious.
Feeding my readers.
This yr’s Jodi Eats meals walks have been an vital success, and I’ve met and fed over 100 readers. I didn’t know how these mini-tours would go, or if people grouped collectively would get alongside, nonetheless luckily everyone left glowing opinions, good dialog was had, and all of us went home stuffed after an evening or morning of consuming.
Two of the people on the excursions are literally relationship, and loads of others have met up subsequently on travels in Vietnam. It was an vital experiment, and I look ahead to subsequent season’s redux proper right here in Saigon.
The Timber.
Oh the bushes. From my mother, I inherited an obsession with bushes big and small, with fat huggable trunks and skinny elegant ones, with fanning leaves and branches that arch in the direction of the sky. In New Zealand I found my beloved Norfolk Pine, and in Saigon the bushes line a lot of the streets, looming over the chaos and the meals, curling of their very personal strategy in the direction of the heavens.
If it obtained’t get you killed (so, attempt it on the sidewalk please), don’t neglect to seek for in Saigon.
Passing time.
{A photograph} posted by Jodi Ettenberg (@legalnomads) on
Canine bike restore guys.
On the stroll to Mimi’s place (see underneath), there is a side of the freeway motorcycle restore place, with three canine in striped sweaters. Canine in striped sweaters may normally be one different issue on this guidelines, nonetheless let’s be honest — it’s an prolonged freaking guidelines. Suffice it to say city seems truly eager on dressing their canine in striped shirts or sweaters. Notably inexperienced and blue sweaters. Anyhow, I digress. These guys, gruff males with pleated faces the place photo voltaic has worn them down over time, happen to have a snug spot for his or her canine. They’ve constructed little bins on their motorbikes, and the canine are fed and given water, preserving the lads agency as they work. Least nice canine on the earth, nonetheless large cute to see on my stroll.
The Bananamobile.
I dream of driving the bananamobile spherical a far-flung district, wind in my hair and smog in my enamel, doling out bananas. The cart consists of a motorcycle and a dangling trellis of bananas that encircled it. Good.
Mimi the Cat.
My good pal Jesse has a cat named Mimi, and I’ve fallen in love collectively along with her quirky sitting-down poses, her unimpressed-with-the-world expression, her bi-coloured eyes, and her all through confusion about who she is. She acts like a canine, coming to you on the door, participating in fetch with devices spherical the house, and normally happiest when there are 25 people spherical, versus 2. She’s a treasure and having catsat her for a month when Jesse was away, I’m truly going to miss her insanity.
Bikes of burden.
So many overloaded, utterly balanced motorbikes, piled extreme with each little factor conceivable. I’ll let photographer Hans Kemp say it in his private phrases: “I couldn’t think about my eyes. There was an incessant stream of motorbikes on the freeway in entrance of me. There have been full households on a bike, guys in suits, girls dolled up. I stood there mesmerized, intoxicated by this all-permeating scent of petrol blended with perfume, sound, coloration, and motion. There was an unimaginable vibrancy to all of it.” It’s excellent to see what people carry, and it not at all will get outdated.
Highway barbers.
These outdoor barbershops pop up subsequent to busy parks and hospitals, and alongside the yellow partitions of downtown Saigon. All through the early morning the barbers cling a mirror on a nail in a wall or a tree, then sit and browse the newspaper on a stool until shoppers come by. For just some {{dollars}}, chances are you’ll get your hair scale back by a dapper gentleman in a robe shirt and slacks, to the mirth of passerbys.
And, in spite of everything, good buddies from world large.
Saigon reunion!
{A photograph} posted by Jodi Ettenberg (@legalnomads) on
* * *
There’s loads higher than what’s on this guidelines, on account of there are infinite causes I protect returning to city. I ought so as to add that there are many points I don’t like, too. The air is extraordinarily polluted, and I uncover myself getting sick truly incessantly, my sinuses contaminated with nasty micro organism. Prolonged-termers say that they’ve developed energy sinus points that not at all dissipate. There are completely different points that make it sturdy, nonetheless pointers proper right here forestall me from writing about them safely, so I’ll depart it on the reality that values is not going to be always aligned. Nonetheless that’s what you get everytime you go some place else, and in deciding on a spot to base your self, you might must have the flexibility to tolerate belongings you dislike, and as well as actually smile on the belongings you benefit from.
For now, Saigon is that place for me. Whatever the getting sick, whatever the dengue, although you can’t stroll spherical for too prolonged because you want to throw up from the fumes inside the air, it’s nonetheless a spot I like. For all the reasons on this guidelines, and for an entire bunch additional.
I’m leaving proper right here in just a few days. On Monday I head to Greece, the place I’ll meet a number of of my family sooner than they head on an island cruise, after which I’ll be turning into a member of plenty of buddies from Saigon on a Greek island to recuperate from (to procure it) a nasty sinus an an infection. From there, the UK and doubtlessly Germany, after which to North America.
Readers in NYC: I’ll be in town for plenty of weeks starting 1 August. A reader meetup and dumpling crawl is in order.
Readers in SF: I’ll be in town briefly mid-August.
After which to Montreal to see my dad and mother and eat as loads cheese curds as potential.
I’ll be posting additional about Saigon nonetheless this marks the highest of yet one more good season. I received right here proper right here anticipating to stay plenty of weeks in 2012, and positioned myself instead falling in love with city. There’s no question I’ll be once more.
-Jodi