Beating Snake Heart

On my last night in Hanoi, five of us went to Le Mat, or Snake Village. We saw some poisonous snakes and then ate one for dinner. Okay, I actually didn't eat the snake for dinner but I watched Megan, Tej and Bich eat it. Here's a video of the snake heart, still pumping, about 15 minutes after the snake had been killed. Someone is supposed to eat the heart and drink the blood but we were all too grossed out.

It's a small world after all (while eating ice cream).

First of all, I discovered approximately eight hours too late that February 6 (today) is International Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. All you have to do to celebrate is eat ice cream for breakfast.  Totally a holiday I can get behind.  If anyone reads this before they've eaten breakfast, I encourage you to partake of this joyous occasion.

But, it's okay that I missed this awesome holiday because last night I ate enough ice cream to last me a month at Fanny's all-you-can-eat ice cream buffet.  It was great. Maybe too great. We'll see how my pants fit in a few days. I tried about 15 different flavors, and they were all good but in my opinion there were three standouts:
1. salted caramel
2. chili chocolate
3. banana

In the midst of this ice cream bonanza, Lynn and I started talking to a really nice woman from DC. We talked about where we each lived in DC, why I moved there, where we worked, etc.  At some point she asked where I went to university and I told her, adding that I knew a bunch of people from the DC area who went to Wisconsin. I also mentioned that a girl in my sorority had really helped me out when I first moved there, and we became good friends (Emily, if you're still reading this blog I'm obviously talking about you!)...I must have also mentioned that Emily went to Maret because all of a sudden the woman said, "Well then you must my know my daughter...she's one of Emily's best friends...Sara Adland." I almost dropped my ice cream. Of course I knew Sara! I mean, I know globalization is bringing us all closer together and whatnot, but come on! To just randomly meet a woman in an ice cream shop in Vietnam, start talking, and realize that you're friends with her daughter...that's almost too surreal. Anyway, just wanted to share that fun story.

Since last night I've been eating like a demon...currently sitting in a cafe chowing down on fresh spring rolls.  Healthy, but unnecessary considering how much I've already eaten today.  But, I'm leaving for Tet holiday tonight and I really need to stick to a very cheap budget so hopefully that will mean and end to this terrible eating binge! Otherwise I won't fit into my bikini anymore, and I intend to lay on lots of beaches during this vacation.

Next post will be from somewhere in Central Vietnam!

I want a mini grill.

I actually had to work most of this weekend (that story another time), but Saturday afternoon/night I wandered around Hanoi with Sarah and Lynn.  When it came time for dinner we wanted to find some good street food but there are so many street vendors that it was overwhelming. Then I remembered last weekend I saw a little place across the street from our hotel in the Old Quarter where you grill your own food.  Sarah and Lynn were intrigued so off we went. All I have to say is, go me! It was awesome.  Seriously, why aren't these tiny indoor grills more popular in the US?  A 3 person platter included a huge plate of beef, onions, tomatoes and garlic, as well as the ingredients to mix our own dipping sauce. Seriously good food, and seriously cheap too. 

yummmm

thumbs up! also, notice we were the only non-locals in the place...a sure sign that it'll be good.

A few Hanoi pictures...

hanging out in VPV dorm

Hoan Kiem Lake at night

Our first pho in Vietnam! Australia, Canada, Germany and USA all represented in this pic.

Pho ga

Ice Cream and Fondue at Fanny's...yum

Hanging out/dance party in the park

I rode a motorbike and survived

Chaos. That's the only way to describe the roads in Vietnam. There are no rules, practically no stoplights and absolutely no respect for staying on the correct side of the road. It's incredibly overwhelming for all us foreigners but the locals aren't fazed at all.

in the Old Quarter, happy to be out of the ridiculous traffic...

                                                  
Until today I had only ridden in buses and cars and that was scary enough. But this morning when I walked into work, Luan (one of the coordinators at E&C Center) told me I would go with her to the Korean Embassy in the afternoon. For some reason I totally assumed that we'd take the bus. It wasn't until we were about to leave and she handed me a helmet that I realized I was going on the motorbike with her.  I totally freaked out (internally), but kept my cool on the outside.  We hopped on the bike and got going, and it wasn't as bad as I had feared. There were only a few times I thought we might hit someone/get hit by someone else. The worst part was when we hit big bumps I thought I was going to fly off the back of the motorbike.
But we got to the Korean Embassy and back to the office just fine. I'm not exactly excited for my next motorbike adventure, but at least now I know what to expect and I know it's something I'll (probably) survive.

My attempts to capture the crazy traffic. It's kind of hard to tell, but just imagine that none of those motorbikes are slowing down at all...they just all honk and swerve around each other.They also swerve around the ladies selling goods on bikes, like the one in the second picture. I'll take a video at some point...