Wake up to find my husband had already gone out for the day to grab breakfast for everyone on grandpa’s bicycle. He comes back with an assortment of goodies. Too boot, Aunt Joy has made some Soi Manh (not sure on the spelling), which is sticky rice and an assortment of meats. It’s one of my husband and my favorites. After we finish, we get showered and ready to go to town with Cousin Sassypants and a hired motorist. I go with Cousin on her motorbike, and my husband goes with the hired chauffeur.
Vietnamese natives are incredibly skilled at stacking some very cumbersome and/or unusual things on the back of a motorbike. One driver we passed was carrying over 30 live chickens and ducks in baskets and from ropes on the back of his motorbike with him. If you look up on Google “Bikes of Burden” you will see many more unusual cargo on motorbikes in Vietnam captured by a European photographer. Hans Kemper, I think…? I also saw a gal with her newborn baby strapped to her chest as she drove her moped. Very risky; not sure I would dare it.
First we head to the jewelry store to get some jewelry for mom and to exchange our USD for Viet dong. We get mom two gold rings—a way to this woman’s heart is through the gift of gold jewelry.
People here swear that the jewelry is “real gold”, but by my very ignorant observation, it looks gold-plated to me and a lot of the gems appear fake. As long as they like it, I guess.
We look for a jade pendant for grandmom--who is still in the hospital—however Cousin heads to another spot to get it since this shop doesn’t appear to have the one we are looking for. The one she finds is a perfect small jade Buddha that grandmom will love.
Next we head to the outdoor market that is reminiscent of a flea market or a “swap meet” in Mexico. The Vietnamese are very big on knock-off luxury brands. You can buy a bright pink shirt with DIOR written out on the chest in glued sequins. You can get an HERMES bracelet for under 50 USD. You can get luxury brand embroidered blue floral towels. I was thinking about it, and I don’t know whether to pity the Vietnamese for being so enthralled by appearing wealthy with fake name brand items, or to pity the luxury brands because having so many knock-offs almost seems like a mockery. They say imitation is the best form of flattery, but sometimes it can feel insulting.
Another thing about driving through the outdoor market and the town in general is that every so often you get a big waft of stench. This happens a lot in L.A., the more poor areas of Philly, and in the border cities of Mexico, too. But I guess being in a car, as opposed to being on the back of a motorbike, makes it easier to be shielded from the stinky smells.
Our last stop is “the mall” which is a department store, above a grocery store with a few fast food restaurants inside. Very clean inside, but by no means a mall from what I am accustomed to. We look to purchase some little gifts for the heart transplant girl; Cousin Sassypants helps me pick a nice outfit for her. I have to rein my husband in on not buying 7 cheap (by US economics) yet high quality cutting boards to bring home. I’m able to talk him down to 5. He’s a sucker for bargains. We enjoy some ice cream and then we make our way to the grocery store to stock up some food we’ve consumed and but a few more things to take home that are hard to find or expensive in the states: i.e. Weasel poop coffee
After our purchase are complete, we head home with our respective drivers. Cousin Sassypants stops at a few fruit stands along the way to pick up for mom to do offering with since grandmom is sick.
I pretty much spend the rest of the day sleeping. Pregnancy wears you out, man. My husband heads up to the city to visit grandmom in the hospital. Tomorrow will be our last day. Looking forward to making the most of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment