Mekong Delta

It's strange how Saigon is starting to feel very familiar, almost home-like. The first time I visited, I liked it OK, but felt I had a much better time in Hanoi. This time around, I'm really enjoying much more. A city is only as good as the people you find in it, and it feels like I already have a good stock of friends there. Through Hien and Phi, I've met a ton of people, and it seems like it's just branching from there

Got back to town the night before, and spent about 20 minutes looking for a hotel again. Settled on the Ly Long, down a narrow alley off Pham Ngu Lau. Spent two nights there, and am now traveling with Hien and her friend through the Mekong Delta. The night I got back to Saigon, the 6th, I met up with Phi and a bunch of her friends from work, including Bich and Hien from Bao Loc. They went bowling (real bowling) at the Diamond Plaza, a giant entertainment center / office. By the time I got there, they were finishing up. Starving, I just had enough time time to try a Vietnamese KFC, it being the only place around. I always rave about how awesome the food is in Vietnam, but it was still suprising that even the KFC's out here are better than the one's in America. I got a chicken sandwich, and it at least tasted like a real chicken. (Ball is your court Obama, we can't let the Communists take our chicken sandwich crown.) Wouldn't go again, but it wasn't as bad as I had thought.

Yesterday I was a little stressed out since I had plans with Hien to go the Mekong Delta the next day, but hadn't heard from her. I knew she was going to Cambodia for work, but thought she was already back. I contacted her friend Chad, and he took me to her place, where she wasn't there. It lead to just me and Chad hanging out the rest of the day. He ended up hooking me up with someone who rents motorbikes, and I got the best motorbike I ever had in Vietnam for five bucks a day. We drove to his friend Polly's place, who is staying with friends in District 7. Hung out at the pool, and rode back. Kept trying to contact Hien, but her phone didn't work, and she wasn't responding to e-mails. I grabbed dinner with Chad at a place directly across the street from his hotel, and just when I had given up on the Mekong Delta trip, I get a text from Hien saying we are good to go. Relieved, me and Chad went bar hopping, where showed me how to light a Sambucha shot in my mouth on fire. I guess there was really nothing to show - you just pour it your mouth and light it with a lighter - it was really was really him showing me that you can do without being killed.

At another bar around the corner, we met this German guy Mickey. Mickey says that he lives in Germany and Asia evenly through the year. He makes some money working at a camp ground in Germany, then uses that money to travel through out Asia. He makes little money, but spends barely any when he's in Germany, and does everything on the cheap in Asia. What I liked about it was the fact that he found a way to live a life of a constant traveller without making a ton of money. It seems everyone I know who has a strong desire to travel but doesn't, gives lack of money as the reason. Even for me, this trip is draining my savings a bit. That's why I love it when I meet people who are able to do it, without being lucky enough to make a lot of money.

Today, set off with Hien and her friend Le Ann through the Mekong Delta. Went to My Tho, and did a boat tour of two islands in the Mekong River. Had lunch there, and got to see something that looked interesting in guidebook, the temple of the Coconut Monk. The Coconut Monk was this eccentric who built this temple on one of the islands. On paper, it sounds awesome. Statues made from a collage mosaic of porcelin scraps, and a replica Apollo Rocket built on the side. While it was good to see, I think I had it all a little hyped up in my head though. The rest of the tour was fun too, I think the best part being just going through the river on a boat. Really,as much as the traffic here is terrifying, being able to travel through the area on a motorbike has been cool by itself.