lördag 31 december 2011

New years eve

Figured it's the same temperature in Hanoi as in London. Difference is we're not really prepared for that sort of climate. At the moment I'm wearing both my jumpers and still can't stop shattering my teeth, god I wish I'd brought gloves!

Anyway, today we braved the winter coldness and headed out to see the army/war museum. Apart from the fact that we got locked inside a tower and had to look forever for somebody to let us out, it was good. Got to climbe on helicopters and armoured cars, awesome!

At mid day we thought it would be a good idea to get somewhere inside to grab a beer (it's only New years once a year) and found a cafe that looked good enough. Only that the owner insisted we were Germans and didn't give us a chance to argue. This turned out very awkward as my German skills are non existent and Diana had major difficulties recalling any of her four years of German lessons in middleschool. After trying our best to ask for the bill ("ehh bezahl...en?"), getting how much we were supposed to pay("dreissig" "what?" "dreissig" "?"  "fünfzehn und fünfzehn" "Ah!!!! Fifteen, Mia he means fifteen!!"), and getting asked where in Germany we were from (answering JA, JA!) we ran away very embarrassed.

Happy New years!

fredag 30 december 2011

torsdag 29 december 2011

tisdag 27 december 2011

Pictures from Mui Ne, Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh City

Sunbathing in Mui Ne.

Jesus statue watching over Vung Tau citizens, but not Mia.

A Ho Chi Minh local helping Mia to cross the street.

Christmas Eve celebrations with Paula, Davina, Neal, Tim, James, Clive and Gareth.

Christmas Day celebrations with the same group of people.

Local nastiness in the shape of rice vodka.

Pictures from Angkor Wat

Sunrise over Angkor Wat, 5:30 am.

Monks climbing Angkor Thom.

måndag 26 december 2011

Christmas celebrations

Christmas Eve wasn't exactly spent in a very traditional way but what can you expect when it's 40 degrees hotter than we are used to, all the Christmas songs are sung in Vietnamese and you get robbed the day before? We spent our Christmas in Ho Chi Minh just sorting out things after the robbery and decided to move the celebrations to Christmas Day. It didn't stop us from going to one of the small road bars serving big Saigon beers for 10 000 VND (30 pence!) and where we befriended people from Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and England. We got along so well we all decided to meet up and celebrate Christmas Day together.

Christmas Day started with a well deserved lie in and then we headed out to buy presents! Ben Thanh Market is huge, hot and hectic and perfect for Christmas shopping. We set up a budget of 100 000 VND (I'm going to miss this currency, it's a very special feeling withdrawing two millions in ATMs) and managed to get really good presents for each other.

During the day we had deliberatly been starving ourselves to really be able to enjoy a pricey special Christmas dinner. It was indeed very special actually, and absolutely the first time I've ever had curry on Christmas! After that we met up with our new friends, went to yet another road bar and had loads of rice whiskey, something I suspect we are all regretting today. But all in all a very nice Christmas and now we feel ready to move on to Hanoi in Norh Vietnam even though we are not exactely looking forward to mere 20 degrees and rain.