Odds n' Ends

Rainy Day Musings 

First all day rain since I arrived. There has been a stretch of sunny 25-27 degree days. But with the still waterlogged paddies nearby it never feels dry. The humidity has not been an issue and I've yet to turn on the AC. My allergies are much less of a problem here - I don't wake up needing to dose the eyes, use the nasal spray and down a Reactin before doing anything else. I remember the same situation on my 2024 trip.  

I enjoyed a meal of tapioca and rice flour dumplings stuffed with shrimp and pork last night at my fave restaurant. The family are lovely hosts with the most sincere smiles. 

In an earlier post I made a reference to using my phone app to speak English to, and the Vietnamese translation is shown, and having concerns about the accuracy -  à la My Big Fat Greek Wedding fiasco. A lady was trying to sell me something. A usual plea is "It will make me very happy, and you too," This lady had very little English and spoke into her phone. The translation was "Can you help me meditate?" My feeling of 'Hmmm, I guess this old boy still has got what it takes' was shattered when her friend laughed and explained she meant it would make her very happy if I bought the item. 

Another lady was carrying two baskets laden with fruit hanging from a wooden pole carried on her shoulder. She told me I was a handsome fellow and she'd take a pic of me shouldering the baskets. I had witnessed this scenario before - only after the picture an expectation of money. I declined and she kept blocking my way. She looked like she was going to cry. I finally gave a firm NO! Boy, then she was pissed! I do admire such energy at making a living but after 2 more similarly aggressive instances it wears a little thin. A young couple from London England watched the incident. He said he had got caught the day before and did pay 200 000D after being harassed (his term). Not a lot of money, but it happens regularly. 

A very thought provoking plaque on a building in the Old Town:

Tee shirt choices:

Note blood on the ear from the assassination attempt.

The kitchen sink faucet was wobbly. Two guys arrived on one motorcycle, one carrying a heavy wooden box of tools. They needed to reach the water shut off which was above the ceiling tiles in the bathroom. They got a high top bar chair from the table in the courtyard, but it wasn't high enough as both gentlemen were quite short. They took the hassock in my bedroom and put that on top of the chair. That did the trick. Up went the "boss" and instructed his assistant to brace the MacGyver stepladder. He casually rested one foot on the lower bar of the chair. It was rather wobbly. They fixed the problem. Then they asked if I had a towel. They used my bath towel to mop up the the water under the sink and on the kitchen floor and said thank you. 😂 I have seen several instances of motorcyclists carrying 10 ft aluminum stepladders over their shoulders. When the boss was under the sink I was not subjected to plumber's crack. These guys are so slender it's not gonna' happen. Made me think that it would make for a great plumber company advertising strategy in Canada. 

I record birdsongs on my Merlin app and send any IDs to sister Steph who is a "birder." Unfortunately only 39% of Vietnamese feathered friends are in the data base, so I get more misses than hits. Hits so far are the Common Tailorbird, the Greater Coucal, the Oriental Magpie-Robin and the Common Myna. I kept hearing a distinctive loud whooping sound that would gradually diminish. By the time I grabbed my phone and got outside the call was over and not repeated as I waited. One day I was outside with my phone and I heard it very close. Turns out it was the electrical box on the pole recycling or something. So I told Steph I had heard the Great Whooping Circuit, even tho' it wasn't designated in Merlin. 😂

An interesting controversy related to Vietnam with a Canadian element. There is an iconic Pulitzer Prize winning picture taken during the war in 1972. A 9 year old girl runs naked, arms outstretched and screaming, burning with napalm. That picture inserted itself into the memories of my generation. 

A new Sundance Festival doc claims that the photo was taken by a freelance Vietnamese photog, not the Associated Press winner of the prize. That girl eventually became a Canadian citizen and started a charitable organization which provides medical and psychological assistance to child victims of war. I guess the lawsuits will have to duke it out.  

The rain has stopped for a bit, I might  get outside for a walk.