Going Home

Tet! CNY 09! It's been 10 months since I was last back home. So long and yet so short a time. Nothing like home. Haven't seen my new apartment since we last bought it before I left for HCMC. Joyce did up the whole place beautifully with the help of the kids. A place to call home; done up simply and nicely. Will be here till 1 Feb 09. Then it's back to work in Vietnam land.


Met at Hong Seng's place on 28 Jan 2009

Mama Mia

Attended the musical Mama Mia by ABC Int'l School this evening where Bryan was playing a leading role. Bryan sang well. Adel took on the important role of photo- and video-grapher. A lot of effort evidently went into the production and it was an enjoyable evening of music for all.

Journey to Vietnam

Mr Nhan, Director of Southern Youth Centre invited me to join their Tet celebration last night. It was a 3-hour entertainment gala as an endless stream of seemingly popular Vietnamese singers and performances keep the excited crowd on their toes. Vietnamese love music and this was clearly reflected in the crowd's appetite for the repertoire of songs. But it was the Koreans who stole the show - more off stage than on stage. There was a group of visiting Korean students and their enthusiasm for Vietnamese songs and singers clearly overwhelmed that of the Vietnamese as they rocked, rolled and waved through the concert. The whole show ended with a fireworks display that enthralled the local crowds. A very entertaining night for me.

Cold Spell

Got caught in another flood-tide this morning on the way to school. Frustrating - shoes and feet went swimming again in the early morning, traffic jammed up - trucks, cars, motorbikes & bicycles fighting to avoid the flood waters ... chaos!!!

There's a cold spell ... or rather a few cold spells that have hit HCMC the last week or so, giving us a respite from the usual heat. It's nice to be able to wear a jacket and bike in air-con weather for a change. Hope it last longer but on the flip side, it's creating havoc for those selling flowers for Tet - they're blooming too early for Tet.

Read :
New cold snap set to arrive tomorrow

Flood-tide!!!

Most Singaporeans will have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. Neither would I if I hadn't been caught in one last night. It simply means that the tide is so high, it causes flooding in low lying areas. Went to Big C to buy a blender - saw that the road, with its many potholes, was a little flooded. Little did I realize that within the hour, the whole road was totally flooded - more than ankle deep. Thot I'd try my luck ... it ran out and I drove my self into deeper waters. Blender went swimming (it was sleeping on the floor of my bike) while my boots went snorkeling! I was afraid that Joyce and I might just be persuaded to go swimming if I hit a pothole or if my bike stalled. Thank God neither happened.

It was worse than this...like I said, my boots went snorkeling!!














The waters did not subside this morning and many houses along the sides of the highway were flooded. Parts of Highway 1A were still flooded with murky, muddy, dirty, smelly water... my poor bike!

Read :
Saigon River tides to rise higher than expected
Floods threaten southern homes

888

A new year, a new resolution - to get my hands on the Peugeot 888. Ain't it a beauty? Would be great for the Saigon roads and I don't have to break my back biking around. See more pix here.

It folds up...

It spreads out on the road ...

And oh yes ... I just got myself a pair of Salomon boots for 280,000VND!!! Salomon bosses will cry when they read this and see my boots. Question is how long it'll last. And I got a bigger and safer helmet for the same price too!!!

(Afternote : It's 20 Feb 2009 and my "Sala-moan" soles are going to pieces - disintegrating! Salomon bosses will now die laughing when they read this ... Lesson learnt : You pay peanuts, you get monkeys... sometimes. Bought Joyce an "LV" watch in 2006 that's still going strong and no part tarnished. Now that's value for money!! )

Shop is at 572, Nguyen Dinh Chieu St (near CMT8 Street)