The big weekend out

So, the plans were set - Candice's last full weekend in Hanoi - and we were all planning to make the most of it with her.

Friday May 12, 2006

Housemate candidate number 1, Tiffany, came over to our place to check it out again. She'd been here before, for our housewarming and before Emma Braithwaite's house warming, so she knew the place, but wanted to refresh her memory before making a decision to move in.

We then moved onto drinks at the Hanoi Press Club - a very fancy place where the wealthy go and the cocktails flow - and met some more people - Emma B, Steve (Tiffany's girlfriend), Phil Gemma and Maz (Dan had already rocked up to our place earlier in the day). We all had a few cocktails and lived the high life, before heading to Dragon Fly, a small bar at Bia Hoi corner.

On the way through the old quarter, we stumbled across Kem in full force. Hundreds of people, young and old, all purchasing Kem - icecream (paddlepop style). You should have seen it. There's no such things as line ettiquette in Hanoi, so we had a laugh jostling to get ourselves some icecreams. Pity as well, there was no chocolate left, so we got ones that we all couldn't quite work out whether we liked the flavour or not. We all decided it was a bean/tofu style one. Very "unusual" (think Kath and Kim).

At Dragon Fly I heard my first good dose of hip hop. A small fact for some, but for someone starved of hearing music she likes when out whopping it up Hanoi-style, it was truly music to my ears. As soon as I heard the first couple of bars of Jurassic Five's Concrete Schoolyard, my heart jumped! It also helped that it was cheap 2-for-3 cocktails as well! :)

Dan and I were also impressed - the guy played an Aussie hip hop track. I recognised the song, but not the artist. Gonna make sure we take the dj a CD of mp3s of Aussie hip hop to really whet his appetite. Now I use DJ in the loosest term, he plays off a laptop and mp3s. A dj nonetheless, but no turntables in sight.

Despite feeling really tired and hitting the wall at Dragon Fly, I managed to make it with the rest of the crew to Solace bar, the club on a boat on the Red River that Ben, Phil and I went to the opening of weeks ago.

It was comfortably busy there, and lots of dancing went on, along with lots of sweating - one needs to visit the big fan on the dance floor on a regular basis. I mean, I always get hot dancing at the best of times, let alone in the sweatbox of an un-airconditioned club in the tropical heat of Hanoi. We all called it a night at around 4am. Dear Candice got a little emotional as well, understandably. I tried to comfort her as much as I could.

Saturday May 13, 2006

Very seedy and tired today. But not a huge sleep-in. Met Candice and Dan at Sago for a late lunch (they'd gone off shopping earlier), and then wandered to Hanoi Opera House to purchase some tickets for a show on Sunday night. We're heading to see the Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra play Tchaikovsky, headed up by a famous Russian conductor. Oh, how cultural we are! It will be the first time I've seen classical music played by an orchestra. The last time I saw an orchestra play was when they accompanied the Zep Boys for a Led Zepplin tribute show at the Adelaide Festival Theatre- which, by the way, was absolutely incredible.

We all had a little nap in the afternoon, and then emerged to meet crew to go for some dinner and possibly go to the Australian Chamber's "Big Day Out". Dinner was noodles on the street - and we were "entertained" by a visit from the police, watching the street sellers scatter while the police yelled and randomly grabbed bits and pieces of their equipment and piled them into their little van. Sadly, a sight I'd seen before.

Everyone was feeling a quite average after last night's shenanigans, so there was some conjecture about whether to pay the 150.000vnd to go into the Big Day Out. But Candice and I bit the bullet and decided to scope out the place. We were immediately impressed - a showbag on entry (with lots of goodies) and the American club had food stalls, marquees and a big stage. It looked lively and something different, so we all went in.

After buckets of Stoli's for $9 a pop, a fashion parade, and a competition to win a return trip to Australia (of which each of us were convinced we were going to win), along with some dancing to a friend's band, some of us were feeling like it was time to call it a night. Then it all changed - free Fosters! So we decided to stay and drink our share - and it all got hilarious from there.


The group - then Candice, me, Emma B and Dan.


The fashion parade


With my fantastic language teacher Le. The Fosters crew.


Dancing away

We all ended up in the wine tent at the end of the night - drinking Australian wine and sampling delicious food. It was exclusive and exprensive to enter, but they didn't seem to mind so much by the end of the night. Emma B, Maz and I even spent a little time serenading the group with our Hanoi-style rendition of Scarborough Fair. We aptly named ourselves the Spice Girls! Phil also got news he'd become a first-time uncle. More reason for cheer!


VIDA Lincoln getting into the spirit, then Dan joining him!


Dan, Emma B, Phil and me. Another group shot.


Victoria and Maz in the photo. Maz, Vic and Candice

By the time the show closed, everyone was keen to kick on, but knowing I had a full day of work ahead (yes, on a sunday), I left and Dan came back to the house with me where we talked Alien theories (spurred on by a TV show on cable) and then crashed out. Everyone went back for round 2 at Solace.

I have to say, I couldn't be luckier with the friends I have made here. The group of us that catch up all get along really well, and I don't think I've laughed as much as I do with them in a long time.

Sunday May 14, 2006

What can I say - feeling tired and having to proof artwork and prepare for a presentation for the team meeting tomorrow didn't really thrill me. Spent the entire afternoon working on it, before getting organised to go to the Opera House. I really wasn't feeling thrilled about having to go out again, given everything that needed to get done for work. I wanted to go of course, but work was weighing heavily on my mind.

So both Phil and I were a barrel of laughs as we waited on the steps of the Opera House for everyone to arrive from dinner (we both had to skip). Both pretty stressed out from work, and feeling very tired, we couldn't say many positive words about everything we needed to get done for work - but the beautiful music of the orchestra soothed our troubled souls.

It was really lovely sitting there listening to the music. And the conductor was just amazing! He was so animated - and it was amusing watching his hair bounce as he put his heart and soul into conducting the orchaestra. There was a solo violinist as well, and she was impressive. After the fascination with the conductor wore off, I actually closed my tired eyes, and let the music wash over me.


Inside the opera house. Waiting for the orchestra and watching a little bat fly around the roof.


The orchestra and the Russian conductor.


Me with Hanh and Michael


Me after the crowds have left. Outide the opera house.

Very relaxing - and put me in the perfect frame of mind to go back home and finish off my presentation. Got to bed about 1.30am.

Good news as well - I'm to have a new flat mate. She's actually an Adelaide girl - Tiffany Inglis. So we've been joking that we can talk farmer's union, haighs chocolates and fruchocs in the evening! :) Tiffany will move in on Saturday June 3. It's good as well, she's just got a VIDA position (was working as a self-funded volunteer previously), and she'll be working for IUCN on upstream water issues. She's got an environmental background, so it will be great to talk shop with her.

What a weekend!