A Day That Started Like Any Other
The day started as any other. A delicious breakfast of noodles, slices of beef, a rich broth and fresh garden greens. I posted up in my temporary office as was the routine and began writing in the early morning breeze. . At some point before lunch Diem asked if I would like to go to town to have lunch with her friends. Um, yes! I always enjoy spending time with friends.
An Invitation
I saved my work, changed into some fresh clothes, every restaurant is outdoors here, but fresh clothes seem to be in order. We hopped on our motorbike and hit the lane headed out of the village and to An Lao proper. We arrived at the very popular restaurant Nam An. It was the same restaurant we had spent time with friends for Lunar new year in 2019.
This time however, we were the only ones in the spacious outdoor restaurant. The metal awning sitting high above to keep the heat of the sun away. Friends came and went and tables were added as needed. At one point there were 14 of us sitting at the low tables in our plastic chairs.
The Reunion
Many in attendance had arrived back home to the village just before the lockdown had taken effect. It was our plan also, though we just arrived. They had all been friends since at least high school. Most had left An Lao after graduation. Headed off to the big cities for a higher education. They had become nurses, doctors and as Diem accountants.
Some of them offered me nicknames as pronunciation was very difficult for me. One in particular had traveled to Saigon for school and now lived and worked there. I referred to him as Saigon. We sat and ate and talked and laughed. Most could speak simple English and it was enough to converse. Though with the case of Saigon, the more beer he drank the more difficult it was to translate his thoughts.
There is always beer flowing and at simple observation it looks like staggering quantities. In reality the way they consume it is, well, unique. No one gets their own beer. Everyone drinks from a glass, always over ice. I assume that since refrigeration is probably rather recent here, It is easier to serve the beer over ice rather than refrigerate mass amounts of beer. One ice machine can cool case after case of beer while refrigerating the cans themselves would require a large amount of refrigeration space.
The glasses are no bigger than say 10 ounces, maybe less. Add a massive 4 or 5 ounce ice cube and your really only getting 5 or 6 ounces of beer per glass. So five glasses is barely 2 beers. A toast must be offered before a sip is taken, so anytime someone lifts their glass it’s Mot, Hai, Ba, Dio!
The food continuously hit the table. Stir fry noodles, fried squid, clay pots with Vietnamese meatballs, whole green onions, bitter melon and mustard greens. Piles of fresh fruit, pineapple, pear and apple like treats with green chili salts for dipping. portable burners on the tables to keep the food piping hot. It was a really fun early afternoon.
A Figure From Long Ago
At one point a special guest arrived. The group’s High School teacher Mr. Nghiep. The group insisted that he sat next to me. It was very cool. He spoke very good English and it offered me the opportunity to learn a little bit about school here. He, being a teacher, was well versed in geography. We discussed where I was from and how much I was enjoying Vietnam. I asked silly questions like how many students did he have in a classroom or per year.
He told me classroom sizes here were usually around 40 students and that he averaged around 200 students total per year. Not terribly different from numbers back home. The conversation was beginning to get interesting when he apologized, but informed me he must head to school. He had only stopped by briefly to say hello to his old high school students from almost 15 years ago. School would be restarting on Monday and it was the first time classes were being held in Vietnam this year. There was much to prepare. So I thanked him for the conversation, it really was a pleasure to meet Mr Nghiep.
As the afternoon wore on the topic of Karaoke began to bounce around. I knew this would happen sooner or later. You can’t have gatherings in Vietnam without Karaoke. I’m pretty sure it’s a state directive. It had been quite some time since I had had a beer, I had turned my glass upside down a while back in an attempt to stop the constant filling of my glass. This was always the case. Everyone wants to drink a glass with the American, only problem is there is one of me and a dozen of them.
I always try to be courteous and explain the disadvantage of my position and usually after a few presses they understand. I don’t mind a couple in the hot sun, but I have to ride a motorbike back to my in-laws at some point and I do not intend to embarrass myself. So we settled the tab and I was surprised that only 36 beers or so had been consumed. Between 14 people or more that really wasn’t that bad for a three hour period, though it was clear that Saigon and a couple others had consumed a bit more than the average. Good thing he was on the back of the motorbike and not at the handle bars.
Off To Karaoke
We loaded up in a caravan of motorbikes and headed out of the restaurant and deeper into the small mountain town. We curved and turned our way into a side alley that had the river to one side and a row of houses to the other. Saigon’s family owned an Inn in town that also contained a few Karaoke rooms. As we pulled in Saigon was cutting a fresh coconut to provide me with a fresh beverage that wasn’t beer as I knew inside the palace of Karaoke things would get a bit wild. I wasn’t sure he was in the best of shape to wield a machete, but he provided me with a picture of fresh coconut water bereft of blood or any digits. Well done good sir, well done.
The Property
I took a few minutes to walk the property. I just love the open air environments in Vietnam. Whether in small towns, villages or cities, everything is always green, open and alive. It gives the world here such an organic feel that is just wonderful. Fish ponds with lotus flowers rising from their shallows. More of those trees that seem to grow from stone tables. Garden Sculptures and stone bridges. A very beautiful property.
We piled into the palace of Karaoke to prepare for battle. A long table with a booth against the wall covered one side, while the karaoke machine and massive speakers covered the opposite side. As the machine was fired up everyone began jockeying for position to be next in line. The server brought in bags of sunflower seeds, platters of fruit, sliced mango, mandarin orange, lychee, and a few other specimens I was unfamiliar with. Accompanied with red chili salts for dipping and of course beer and buckets of ice. One can’t get their Karaoke on without a little liquid courage.
I of course had my coconut water, though that would be an exercise in futility. As the singing began and the snacking commenced I poured some of my coconut water over ice in one of the tiny beer mugs. It was delicious and refreshing. I sat my glass down and one of the ladies walked up, picked my glass up, examined it, I can only guess she thought it was just melted ice, dumped it out and proceeded to fill it with beer. “That was my coconut water” I said, and Diem ever watchful appeared like magic to explain the situation. That was someone else’s beer glass now, so I grabbed another and poured more coconut water over ice.
After a while of munching on fresh fruit, sunflower seeds and protecting my beloved beverage I excused myself to the restroom. Upon my return someone had taken it upon themselves to place their used wet wipes in my glass of coconut water. As I sat down a fresh glass of beer was placed in my hand, ah what the hell, it was too much trouble. A beer it would be.
Karaoke is always a blast as there is no shame here and everyone just cuts loose. I even tossed up Jeff Buckley’s Angel Eyes. It really is always a lot of fun. Eventually more food was brought in, fried shrimp spring rolls with mustard leaves to wrap them in. Accompanied with a tangy, sweet and salty peanut dipping sauce. I had quite a few and after an hour of sitting in the heavy din of the room I stepped outside for a break.
A Walk
Just across the path from the Inn was the An Lao river. It was further downstream from the village and this section did not have a concrete bank. I wasn’t sure why this was so as the land across from my view was very low in relation to the river. I imagine that would cause severe flooding during the rainy season, but I’m sure there was a reason.
The day had drawn well into late afternoon and Karaoke was winding down. A restaurant for dinner was being discussed and I couldn’t imagine where everyone was putting all of this food. I felt like I had been eating constantly since 8 this morning. But dinner it was, so again we formed a convoy out of the Inn and headed off further out to another local restaurant.
Dinner
As we arrived the sun was hanging low and I told Diem I’d be right back. I walked down the street to get a few photos of the area. Some freshly flooded rice fields and the mountains looming high above. I was a bit oblivious to my surroundings as I was walking down the street occupied by the scenery. As I snapped a few photos and headed back to join the group for dinner I noticed something a bit unsettling.
A Walk That Became Strange
Everyone who passed by or whose house I walked by was looking very strangely at me. With almost penetrating gazes. I knew I was an unusual sight in these parts, but I had been here before and never drew this much attention. I picked up my pace and headed to the safety of the restaurant and my companions.
A delicious bowl of spicy broth. noodles, slices of fish cake and as always, fresh herbs and vegetables. It was very good, but by this time I was running out of room. I was only able to get through about half of the bowl. Of course everyone wanted to keep feeding me, but sometimes you have to just say no. We had a cup of tea and began winding down our conversations. It was clear that everyone was incredibly excited to have had the day to have a little fun and catch up. Diem and I said our goodbyes, loaded on our motorbike and trekked the few kilometers back home to the village.
Some Reflection
These things often come to mind when we are out with Diems friends or enjoying time with her family. She’s a courageous woman, fearless and kind. Strong yet gentle. She and the girls will soon embark on an adventure that will change the course of their history and begin a new chapter in their future. I know that she is coming to America to be with her husband. The girls will have more opportunity and a better life in the states. But I also know it will not be easy.
I can hop a plane to Vietnam relatively easily considering. At least I could before the whole virus thing. But for us to come back after we are all settled in the states will not be that easy. The children may go years without seeing their grandparents again. Or their cousins and uncles and aunts. Given the current geopolitical environment, those in Vietnam can not come to America to visit. It will be a great road ahead for the girls and DIem. We will be happy together, we already are, but the road will have it’s potholes and construction zones.
That is the only thing that concerns me. I don’t want the girls to be sad or miss the village, or their friends. But I know that can not be helped. So I will try my best to make them as happy as I can, provide for them, and give them the opportunities. So that when they grow up and become adults they will be empowered to break the cycle and forge a greater future. Who knows maybe they will help the next generation in Vietnam. They may create something greater than anyone could have ever imagined. The beautiful part is that their paths will be their own.
Click Here for a very raw minimally edited video of our day in town
or Here for the post from my first visit to the restaurant Nam An
or Click Here for A few posts on nature
