Mango tree, Vung Tau, Vietnam

Another birthday and we’ve taken a cab to a restaurant on a wide street in a part of town I have rarely travelled. The restaurant is two large levels and the part is on the top in a room in the back which—unlike the larger front section which is open in the front like a large veranda—is sealed by a wall of glass as if we are being quarantined. It is air conditioned cool and very loud with sound having nowhere to go and a lot of people making a lot of loud noise.

There are two long tables at the side of each room and three large round tables down the middle. Most are full; probably about fifty to sixty people in the room. I sit with my back against a wall, the table already laid out with food, beer arriving and some loud activity going on in the far corner.

A stout, dark man is leading a group into toasts and singing. it’s so loud I can’t even hear the children screeching. But everyone in the small singing cluster and the rest of the room looking over all seem to be happy, and many people are smiling. The dark stout man eventually wanders back to his own table at the other side of the room and I then wonder if all these people are here for the same party.

It turns out to be at least two parties for people in the same family, a niece and an aunt. There are a few faces familiar from other birthday parties. I am the only obvious foreigner and, as is usually the case, everyone mostly speaks Vietnamese. But people smile at me and enough walk over to toast with me that before I’ve been there an hour I’ve drank the greater part of four Heineken and am already a little buzzed.

Ear canal cleaning, Vung Tau, Vietnam

Two or three men, with chopsticks, are rooting amongst a pile of meat on a plate in order to find the best piece for my plate.

Street sweeper, Vung Tau, Vietnam

My experience with ordering food in restaurants in Vietnam is one of two extremes:

• sometimes you are seated, given a menu and the person waiting on you hovers until you order

• sometimes you are seated, given a menu and never approached again unless you request service.

If the prior instance I usually manage to explain that I’ll be a few minutes and they can come back.

In the latter—and I’m indifferent about consuming food—I’ll usually finish my drink and, if they ask if I want another I may or may not order another and if i do order another I may or may not then order food.

If I want food it’s not difficult to get their attention.

Rang Dong Cafe, Vung Tau, Vietnam

A dog stands, front paws on the handlebars, head high and enthusiastic. Behind him a man—the driver—followed by another dog being held by a woman sitting last.

The Imperial Hotel and adjoining facilities (restaurant, bar etc) have some of the nicest washrooms I have seen in Vungtau; luxurious, clean and largely functional. I do question the urinals, though, which could be misconstrued as toilets.

Photo by Phil.

Da Lat, Vietnam

A man with his shirt pulled up above his nipples, a woman in pyjamas, children in school uniform, young men in polo shirts and young women in micro shorts.

Don’t shoot my baby

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