Saigon December 29, 2016

 Conglomeration translates to sự dính lại, so I guess that is what I'll call it. :)

Corn on the cob.  In Cần Thơ  they coat them with chopped green onion and hot sauces. Excellent.

The female counterpart of the street idiot.  She is fine, but the male is a problem, though nothing will be done about him.

 Yum, yum.

 Crushed ice delivery.

 The sisters were marvelous to view as they played together.

$100 USD (A $100 clean, bill only) = 2,3000,000 dong at a gold store.  Everywhere else is slightly less. 

 Vietnamese New Year ad.

 Christmas ad.

$2K USD a month until you buy for $67K. It says you only make the monthly payment until you purchase, so not sure what else is involved.

The government fireworks for Christmas Eve were cancelled for some reason. So a picture will have to suffice.  Fireworks for individuals have been declared illegal since 1994.  The two years before that we set off ones that could have blown you to bits in Cần Thơ . :)

 

Last year. 

 

I ordered a small bowl of Pho this time and my stomach still hurts.  Insane.

Some things never change.

The lady on the bike furious about something, but couldn't hear why. 

Instead of $ or VND, they are listing as gold, 1.8 ty Việt Nam ($80,000)

They bring the check in these. First restaurant so far.

I used rice paper and noodles along with the rest and could only eat two out of eight.  Actually, I like to just cover the meat with a lettuce leaf and mints as the rice paper and noodles really fill you up. $1.40.

$1.19

? :)

A 960 mg antibiotic pill (Two ingredients ) made by Germans, STADA,  in Vietnam. 48 cents a piece.  The Germans also make another which is 500mg though with different ingredients.  22 cents.

I get my daily exercise at the top floor restaurant.  The plants are so healthy, you would think they were fake.  Parts of the roof roll back if liked. 

 Buddhist shrine

 

Catholic shrine at the place I bought the food below.

I managed to eat half only, once again. :) $1.19.

Amazing.  $400 a month and there is nothing deficient.

  ******************

I. Haven't seen school girls bicycling by in their white Ao dais, but hopefully will when I head South. Believe it or not, the Communists banned them when they first took over. :)

II.  There were seldom overweight people here before, but there are now.

III. I've noticed people trash items now that would have been repaired before.

IV. Opposite sexes never showed affection in public before, but some do now sparingly. Nothing much, but observable.

V.  I adjusted monthly payments at home before I came saving about $250.  The hotel is $400, but in three weeks I have only spent $365 on everything, so I am actually spending less here. You could cut these expenses in 1/2 if you prepared your own meals and moved into a cheaper place.  Very cheap if you could do without A/C and this time of year you don't need it.