Goodbye Vietnam

Tonight is my last night in Vietnam. I'm sad to be leaving the country, but excited to continue my travel adventures.
We're leaving bright and early tomorrow morning for Phnom Penh. In anticipation of the long bus ride, I'm forgoing my picture editing and blog writing activities tonight so that I'll have something to occupy my time on the bus tomorrow. So the final Vietnam blog post will be up tomorrow night.

Goodbye Vietnam, Hello Cambodia!

 

last dinner in Vietnam with Megan and Kelly. street food rocks!

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.