Negotiating HCMC

Day 1 in HCMC brought us Doris and Nelson, and Uncle Howard. D&N are parents from Montreal who are also adopting a baby boy from Tra Vinh orphanage. They phoned us just as we were about to set out in the morning. We had lunch, then checked out another hotel as a possible cheaper alternative to where were are now.

These two tasks took all day! We first walked many blocks around District 1 until we found a suitable restaurant, then took a taxi across town to the other hotel. Pacific Gardens is suitable and less expensive, but it's not nearly as nice as the Somerset, and the neighbourhood is not as nice either. We walked around the neighborhood a little, and found a supermarket nearby, then took a taxi home. The heat and humidity took it's toll - I think we napped for a while. However, later that evening, Susan's brother Howard arrived from Toronto. We chatted, then headed for bed, still suffering from jet lag.

Day 2 was busy. More running around town in the heat and humidity. We took a taxi to the Ben Thanh market, which was only 1 km away, but our taxi driver took us on a scenic loop around District 1, without us even having to ask for a tour! He might have been expecting a tip for that.

After a little shopping and a bowl of Pho for lunch, we walked way too far in the heat and humidity to my hair appointment. I arrived dripping with sweat, and overheated - you know, when you are so hot you continue to sweat for an hour afterwards, even in an air conditioned salon?

Anyways, they offered me lots of water, then took me to wash my hair. I layed down on one of 5 leather beds with my head on a foam block in the sink. The woman washed and massaged my head for about 10 minutes. Then she washed and massaged again! I went back to the chair nice and relaxed, to discuss the cut with the stylist, Loc. Loc didn't speak much English, but I had ripped a picture of Jodi Foster out of a magazine to show him what I wanted.

After an hour of snipping and primping I had a haircut that didn't look anything like Jodi Foster's hair, but it was nice. I had stopped sweating by then, and my hair had been washed, massaged, cut and styled for over an hour. Oops! And now I was late for a meeting back at my hotel.

I thought our hotel was just a few blocks away, so I started walking in the heat and humidity again. The blocks on the map were WAY longer in real life. I arrived back at the Somerset sweating profusely, my hair a matted mess, and late.

The facilitator from our agency, Loan, was informing Susan and D&N about the trip we were taking the next day to Tra Vinh to adopt their babies. We got a lot of information, agreed to meet at 6am the next morning, then decided to shop for a few things before the babies arrived.

The group of us set out (by taxi) the short distance to the baby store to buy strollers for the two families, then walked another kilometer or so to the grocery store to buy food, formula, milk and Tiger beer before calling it a night. It had been a long and busy day, but it was also alot of fun. HCMC is a crazy, exotic, vibrant city. I was just beginning to become familiar with the District 1 area, and really enjoying being out in the streets.

Here are a few things I have leared in my first 2 days in HCMC:

• To buy fresh produce in a grocery store, you must take your produce to a clerk to be weighed and labelled BEFORE you go to the checkout line. If you don't, a clerk will come and get you, drag you out of the line and take you back to the produce area.
• Traffic is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. To cross a street, put your head down and walk into oncoming traffic. They will go around you and you will live. If you look up at the traffic, they will assume you will go around them, and you will not live.
• You can order anything in a restaurant you want. You can even point at the menu item, and/or a picture of the food you want. You will get something else. Just eat it.
• In 36 degree weather with 85% humidity, I sweat a lot.
• The coffee is really good here. Even coffee in a can is good.
• Uncle Howard is really funny!