Day 121

Today’s the day! I’m heading back Home and I’m really happy. I’ve been missing home for a while now, been missing my parents, my family, my friends and my cats, speaking my own language and understand everyone and don’t feel alone at a table full of people. I thought this would be easier…

Anyway, I get up and try to shower which I’m still not able as the water still doesn’t want to cooperate with me so I do the next best thing: wash what I can at the bathroom sink and what I can’t with baby wipes. When I’m ready Xuan and Carlos are also ready so I get the mototaxi and head to Phó Lè.

They show up a little bit after me with Thach Thao as Phuc stayed at home ‘cause he’s feeling sick with toothache. We eat breakfast and then go to the coffee shop. Carlos wanted to go to the apple coffee shop but it’s closed so he leaves me at another one where we’ve already been with Til really near to An dong market. We drink our coffees and then go to An Dong Plaza so Carlos can buy a couple of belts and have his wedding ring fixed. Then we go to An dong market to find another bag for me and also some socks for Carlos and the kids. When I’m ready, I jump in a taxi with Thach Thao that is starting to be tired and head home.

At home, The kids have lunch while I repack everything, all the stuff I can pack I do it, leaving the rest for after the massage, yes, the massage, I want to go for a massage before my flight and I also deserve one! Around 1.30 pm I’m ready for lunch and when I start eating Carlos and Xuan arrive home and also have lunch. When I finish I grab my things and head to the massage with lucky number 2. Today she’s stronger than ever as I requested and when the massage finishes I feel as new; then I go to the steam bath and when I’m sweaty enough I head out, get dressed and go home for a deserved shower.

Guess the water in my shower is completely against me ‘cause when I try for the 3^rd time to take a shower there’s still no water so I have to go shower at Phuc’s room. When I’m ready I finish packing everything, even some trees that Xuan wants to take to Portugal (lets hope nothing grows in the meantime!) =)

Around 5 pm, Xuan takes me to buy a neck pillow and I find one very nice of a cat, which couldn’t be more appropriate. Then I go for dinner at barbeque and say goodbye to my friends finishing right in time to go back home, bring the bags down and call the taxi.

On our ride to the airport, the kids fall asleep so when I go to do the check-in I go only with Carlos. We pay the extra luggage and then I head outside to say bye bye to everyone, I’m even able to give 2 kisses to Xuan’s mother, a kiss to Phuc that is still asleep, a couple of tickles to Thach Thao and a hug and kisses to Xuan and Carlos.

This airport is very funny, especially because it has 3 security points: one where you pass the hand luggage but they don’t check your body, another one for the passport control (exactly when my parents decided to call to wish a good flight and I see myself explaining to the police guy I’m talking with my mother), finally the security check where they check the luggage and yourself and because I have a bow in my head it also gets checked. =) I’m ready to go so I head to my gate, not before smoking a lil’ cigarette for the rest of the trip and then wait for my time to boarding.

The flight to Bangkok went down smoothly but I have to confess that annoys me very much the fact that I have to leave the plain, pass by the Thai security check, go to another gate, wait 45 minutes to board in the same plane again. There’s no sense in it and being sleepy makes my patience very small… anyway, lets board!

Ok… forget everything I said before! When I arrive to my seat there’s this lady that, according to her, has a problem in her feet so that’s the reason why her hand luggage is under the front seats which wouldn’t be a problem if there was any space for at least my feet… I’m feeling this will be a very unpleasant flight but there’s nothing I can do right now besides try to sleep…

See you later in Frankfurt! Night night peeps!

Day 120

Going back home doesn’t let me sleep and this past night was terrible. I woke up a couple of times and at 6 am I just get my butt out of bed as I can’t stay there anymore. After showering and get ready I start packing my stuff and start realizing that even if Carlos and Xuan take some of my stuff, that’s not enough, I’ll need another bag.

Xuan comes down and Carlos is no where to be found so we get a taxi and head to Phó Lè as Lady Bulldog has no more noodles for us. When we finish we head back home, grab the motorbike and go to the supermarket. Once more we come out of there like if we’re moving a house and I’ll really gonna miss this ‘cause it’s really funny! =)

At home I pack everything I can and, without nay warning, I fall asleep until 1.30 pm. When I wake up, Carlos and Xuan didn’t have lunch yet so we eat all together and then I go to the hairdresser to dye my hair. I don’t feel like it to be there so everything seems to takes lots of time. When I’m ready I almost run to the house but my mind doesn’t let me as it remembers me how many stuff I need to pack and that I probably should buy another bag…

Xuan’s younger brother brings a scale from Mr. Truong’s factory to see how much all our luggage weights and of course mine is really overweight: 51 kgs and I can only take 23 kgs plus one hand luggage. Let’s not comment on this… so after this “shocking” news, I go get ready for our dinner with Mr. Truong as he wants to offer me a last dinner before leaving HCMC.

We get a taxi to go to Gao restaurant (Gao is one of the words to say rice), which is an amazing place with lots of lights and the food is very very good.

We eat rolls and fish and seafood soup and drink some rice drinks.

The bill is expensive but it’s only this time so it’s ok.

When we finish we head back home and I’m dreaming with a shower just to be rudely contradicted by the water, as there’s no water in my bathroom. I can just dress my p-jays and jump into bed, connect Skype and learn that my dad’s at home and I can see him one more time before leaving Vietnam. I also learn that my mother is on her way so I make an effort and stay awake until she arrives home so I can give her a kiss too. She looks very pretty today with red lipstick and red nails! My mother is a top model, a small one but a top model anyway! =)

My eyes are closing so I say goodbye to my parents and go to sleep….

Night night everyone, sleep tight don’t let the bedbugs bite!

Vietnamese by the eyes of a Portuguese

Day 119

Today Carlos arrive and we have a busy day so when I wake up I do my usual stuff like showering and get ready for another day. When Xuan’s ready we head to Lady Bulldog for breakfast, it will be my last meal there so when we finish I go and hug her and she gets very surprised.

Then we pick up the kids at home and go for a quick cà phê sữa đá at Highlands coffee shop with the kids because at 11.30 am my friend Thuong is going to be picking me up in front of the cinema so we go for lunch. The kids run around a bit and at 11 am we leave to head home.

I kill a little time at home and then go to the front of the cinema to wait for Thuong. She shows up a couple of minutes after and she looks very pretty, even with the flip-flops on! =) She takes me to an Italian restaurant in the center called Pendolasco and while our food is being made we eat foccaccia and real good bread. Then her pizza arrives and my risotto ai funghi porcini too and it’s amazing. The food is really good and, even if I’m really full, we order dessert, panna cotta, which is also to die for.

The lunch is a success and I’m very happy to have found a friend like Thuong and very lucky to have her in my life.

It’s time to go as Thuong as a meeting so she leaves me at Ben Thanh market and I walk home with an adventure in the middle: while walking towards the park, a cyclo drives stops me, says my tattoo is very pretty and then hugs me and kisses me in the cheek and doesn’t want to let go, when I manage to get away from him a walk faster just in case his friends have some weird ideas.

At home I kill a little bit of time before I go for a Mani Pedi and cut my hair, I’d also dye my hair but they don’t understand me so I’ll have to come back tomorrow to dye it. When I finish it’s time to go pick up Carlos at the airport so Xuan, the kids and me call a taxi and head to the airport; while going there I start feeling sick again, I guess it’s anxiety…

After picking up Carlos we go back home and have dinner, rice soup for me, and then go to Avatar Karaoke for Diem Manh b-day party, which is very fun and Mick and her even exchange promise rings… romantic! =)

After a while I start feeling sick again and I need to go home so I say goodbye to everyone and walk home with Chi Lam.

My strength is not as much as I need for a shower so I just put the p-jays on, tuck in bed and fall asleep while watching some more episodes of revenge…

 Night night peeps!

Day 118

When I wake up this morning I have an objective: do not worry, do not stress and especially don’t do anything at all. I wake up around 7.30 am, go for my morning shower, then get ready and wait for Xuan to come down so we go for breakfast.

I already know Xuan will have a busy day today so I let her know she doesn’t need to worry with me at all as I have my own plans. We walk until Lady Bulldog and have our usual breakfast and then head back home. While Xuan is doing her stuff with Miss Hoan and the accountant, I go to my room watch some TV shows until the shopping mall opens.

Around 10 am, I leave the house and head to the shopping mall next to home to see if I can find a neck pillow, while walking I’m able to buy a cà phê sữa đá from a lady on the sidewalk and she gets very pleased when is ay thank you in Vietnamese. I continue my walk to the mall and when arriving there I go to find the pillow I need with no success what so ever. The girl to who I ask about the neck pillow us just able to tell me they are out of stock and every time I ask if they are going to receive more in the long run she just says they are out of stock. I give up and go away, I start walking and I end up at the market where I buy 2 pairs of black socks for me and a white tiger mask for Thach Thao, as she had ask me before. It’s still early to go back home and do nothing so I decide to take care of some ladies’ business. After doing my stuff I head back home and it’s time for lunch.

Xuan and me eat lunch, while Miss Hoan and the accountant go out to eat. When we finish, I turn into a “bed potato” and just do nothing the all afternoon, just lay there watching some TV shows and sleeping in between.

At dinnertime, the kids go to the park with Chi Mi and Chi Lam and Xuan and me go to eat at the barbeque place where I manage to make a couple more photos of some more “friends”. =)

Then we head to the Vincom centre, as is where the kids went to play. When we arrive there, there are no kids on sight, no Chi Mi or Chi Lam either. Xuan calls them and they tell her that, in the end, they stayed at the park instead going to the one in Vincom so we hop on the motorbike again and head to the playground in the park. After trying to find them for 2 times they come to us and everyone goes by motorbike, except Chi Mi and me that walk home.

At home I go for my nightly shower and go to bed to start watching some Revenge episodes I haven’t seen and then…

Night night everyone, sleep tight don’t let the bedbugs bite!

Day 117

Monday morning and there’s only more 5 days until I leave HCMC… I wake up with this anxiety that I don’t know how to explain, don’t know if it’s because I’m leaving or because I wanna stay but I guess the best is to get up, shower and get ready for breakfast.

When Xuan’s ready we go for breakfast at Lady Bulldog and today the noodles are very spicy. My mouth is burning but I don’t complain, just in case that Lady Bulldog gets mad and don’t give me breakfast anymore. =)

We pickup the motorbike and head to Highlands coffee shop for our cà phê sữa đá and a morning talk. I’ve missed these talks with Xuan… then around 11 am we leave and head to Saigon Plaza where we buy some more clothes for Thach Thao and Phuc.

Time to go home for lunch and, once more, after lunch I feel so sleepy that I need to close my eyes and rest for a bit. At 4.30 pm Xuan calls me and we go deliver dinner to Xuan’s mother and the kids come with us. Her mother isn’t at home so we leave the food and head to the tailor who already has all our stuff ready. My mother’s trousers are very beautiful and my shirts look very pretty too… I’m happy with our things, we’re going to look even prettier than we already are! =) We pay everything and head home where we leave Thach Thao and Phuc for dinner and go to the tailor in front of the house to get the last 2 tank tops I’ve ordered and they’re amazeballs! When we want to pay, the lady doesn’t have change so we go for dinner to change the money and then we’ll comeback to pay what we owe.

We get the motorbike and go to the barbeque place where I eat so fast that the chicken legs disappear with a blink of an eye… then I need iced tea to put everything down, of course… now that we have changed money we head back to the tailor to pay them and then  we have to go book the karaoke room for Diem Manh’s b-day party on Wednesday.

We go to Avatar Karaoke and while Xuan talks with the girls there to book the room ad the menu I look around and look at the pamphlet they have and it’s very funny. This place has many themed karaoke rooms and depending on what you like they have it: if you’re a Man-U fan they have a Manchester United room, if you’re a Real fan they have a Real Madrid room, if, instead, you like Egyptian motives there’s always the Egypt room or the cleopad, if you’re into space stuff there’s the UFO room, the cosmic room and so on and son… 

http://www.avatarkaraoke.vn/phong.php

When everything is booked, we go buy a fishing game for the kids and then head home, exactly when it’s starting to rain… we’re lucky and the heavy rain only starts when we’re already at home so now it’s time for a shower, the p-jays and a movie: Domino…

Night night peeps!

Day 116

Today we wake up around 7 am as we have to go meet Diem Manh for breakfast, so when I wake up I go for the shower and get ready to go. A little bit after Xuan shows up at my door and we go by motorbike to the Highlands coffee shop at Saigon Plaza.

We seat at the only 2 tables available and wait for Diem Manh to arrive, we also order breakfast. When she arrives, she comes with her Australian boyfriend Mick, a surprise for us that were only counting with her. She looks much better since the motorbike accident, in fact, if she doesn’t say she had the accident no one notice the scars. We have breakfast and then stay there talking until it’s lunchtime.

Diem Manh wants to take us to lunch so while she goes on the motorbike with Xuan until Ben Thanh market, Mick and me walk there. We arrive at the same time and head to the food court, when we find a nice stall with nice food we seat and Xuan orders pork ribs barbeque for everyone and orange juice for Mick and me. When we finish lunch, Mick wants to buy a hair accessory for Diem Manh so we go around until we find a beautiful one. Diem Manh is feeling tired so we get a cab for her and Mick and they go back home, Xuan and me stay so I can go buy Carlos Rosa watch.

After buying the watch we leave the market and head home where I talk with my parents for a bit, show them the new shorts and hear all the funny stories from my cats, like when I start talking with my dad today, Moochie went to wake up my mother so she would also come to the computer to talk to me… such a clever cat! =)

We don’t spend so much time home as after a little bit, Xuan comes to my room and tells me she needs a massage and I’m not a no no lady so, of course, I’m going to the massage. Number 27 does a number on me leaving me so relaxed that between the time of leaving the massage parlor and arriving home I got so sleepy and lazy that I need to rest my eyelids for a bit when I get home. I watch more the Vampire diaries episodes, hoping that the plot starts getting better to the end…

Around dinnertime, Thach Thao and Phuc go to the park with chi Mi and Chi Lam, I take one of the best showers of my life and Xuan’s niece shows up to have dinner with us. Scrambled eggs and rice it is, with a bowl of soup and I’m done… I’m ready to go back to my comfort zone!

After dinner, the kids arrive and I head back to my room. I turn on Skype and I’m speak with my grandparents and my parents, while we’re talking they make me realize that this is the last time I’ll be talking with them via Skype as in 5 days I’ll be on a plane back to Portugal. My grandparents seem ok and even if I don’t like to see my grandma crying I understand her; she’s happy I’ll be back and I have to confess I’m also a little bit happy as I’m starting to miss home and my family too. It starts to be late so we say our goodbyes and I go back to The Vampire Diaries.

Night night everyone, sleep tight don’t let the bedbugs bite!

more than words

Day 115

Saturday but, as busy ladies that we are, we have to be ready early. Its 7.30 am when I get up and go for the shower, at 8 am Xuan’s already ready and I have to be faster. When I go downstairs, we hop on the motorbike and go towards District 7, we’re going to Miss Hoan for breakfast, then go around district 7 and finally we’ll end at the tailor’s so Xuan can get measured again and we’ll also pay the clothes that were already delivered.

When we arrive to District 7 we always get lost so we call Miss Hoan to meet us and when she arrives we go for breakfast. I must be a VIP as she takes us to the White House coffee shop. =)

Xuan orders prawn noodles soup for me and prawn and liver noodles soup for her and Miss Hoan. Their noodles arrive and mine guess they’re forgotten in the kitchen ‘cause Miss Hoan has to call the waiters a couple of times until they bring my food. After we eat breakfast and drink our cà phê sữa đá we go back to the motorbikes and go around a bit.

District 7 is a new and rich district so it’s completely different form the city center.

While we’re driving around I make a couple of videos and photos and, of course, we always end up shopping so finally we stop at Crescent mall and go window-shopping.

At 11.30 am we leave the mall and head to the tailor where we have our counts settled and Xuan has her measure taken again for the clothes that are still not done. When we’re finished we go back home and I’m able to speak with my parents before lunch, who ask me to check a couple more of things here before leaving. Xuan calls me for lunch so I say bye bye to them and go downstairs.

After lunch I grab my stuff, Chi Mi calls the motorbike taxi guy and I go to Ben Thanh market to check the price of the watch my friend Carlos Rosa wants and to get the other stuff my parents asked. I don’t buy the watch right away as it’s a bit pricey but I ask to have it put aside for me, then I go check a Dior purse and these people are crazy, they ask me almost 100€ for a fake! I just leave empty handed and walk home.

When I arrive home I feel tired and I need to rest so I head to my room, lay for a bit and watch some Vampire Diaries I had missed. I’m thinking I’m going to try to be a couch potato for this night but my plans get ruined when Xuan tells me we’re going for dinner with some of her friends. Well… I’ll have plenty of other times to be a couch potato in Lisbon so, around 6 pm, I start get ready and dress some fancy clothes and put the make-up on.

We go to a seafood barbeque place near the Phó Lè street; Xuan’s friends start arriving and we start eating.

I have lots of fun and an interesting talk with one of her friends, we spend a very nice time, which also included some people dancing in the middle of the street while the cars and motorbikes were passing by.

Near the end of the dinner I start feeling sick, big headache growing and starting to feel very nauseous… Xuan’s friends are drunk and happy and want to go to the karaoke but I feel so bad that I tell Xuan I’m in no conditions of doing it. We say goodbye to everyone with the promise we’ll meet soon for a karaoke session and head home.

At home I just go directly to my room and just want to lie down. I dress my p-jays and curl in bed while watching one more episode of The Vampire Diaries, which is starting to be a big mess and I‘m not liking it! I like the romance not the crazy supernatural stuff…  I like Damon Salvatore being the badass and bad boy not a softy!

Anyway… night night peeps!