As promised when in Vietnam, let me muse about some of the differences between Vietnam and Korea. It was interesting to see the 2 cities so closely in a short time period to be able to draw comparisons/differences. I saw a lot more of Hanoi (4 weeks) than Seoul (3 days)
Seoul: There were lots of tall thin buildings (sky scrapers) with a very modern flavour. The architecture reminded me of large cities in North America, especially Toronto and Chicago.
Hanoi: Some buildings were very tall, but the majority were low-rise with a distinct Asian flavour. There were clay roofs with turned up corners, what one would expect to see in a southeast Asian city.
Seoul: The locals were NOT rude, but did not seem aware of our presence. When our eyes met theirs, they mostly just looked away.
Hanoi: The locals did not pay much attention to foreigners, though when our eyes met, they had a warm smile and dip of the head in acknowledgment of our presence.
Seoul: Wide expansive streets were the standard with high-rise buildings in between the older native buildings.
Hanoi: Some streets were wide, but not close to the width of those in Seoul. More buildings were 2 to 3 floors.
Seoul: Street vendors were here and there, a mix between fruit stalls and those peddling local newspapers.
Hanoi: There were vendors everywhere, with fruit, vegetables, and meats being predominant.
Seoul: The restaurants were expensive compared to Vietnam. It was not uncommon to find a nice breakfast or light lunch or the equivalent of 15-20 USD. There were many roadside establishments to eat at for 5-7 USD.
Hanoi: The prices were far less than in Seoul, and it was easy to get a nice meal of rice and a meat/bean curd for less than 1 USD.
Seoul: The signage was always in Korean, with more than 80% of them displaying the English translation.
Hanoi: There was close to no English on any signs.
Seoul: The drivers were very courteous and would go out of their way to accommodate pedestrians.
Hanoi: The drivers were very rude and pedestrians were expected to perform super-human gymnastic feats to avoid getting run over.
Seoul: The intersections were controlled by state-of-the-art traffic lights. Uncontrolled intersections were approached cautiously by all drivers, watching for hazards attentively.
Hanoi: Controlled intersection? What does that mean? They were a free-for-all and do your best to NOT hit someone on the way through.
Seoul: The odd scooter here the odd one there.
Hanoi: Scooters scooters everywhere, even on the sidewalk during rush hour.
Seoul: Hardly a vehicle horn to be heard.
Hanoi: Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep ...
Seoul: The people were wonderful ... warm, friendly, helpful.
Hanoi: The people were wonderful ... warm, friendly, helpful.
Seoul: More than half of the items on restaurant menus were western.
Hanoi: There were some western choices on restaurant menus, but local fare was more predominant.
Seoul: No visa requirements for Canadians.
Hanoi: Visa required for all, and one cannot show up at the boarder unannounced and obtain a visa. They must be informed of you arrival beforehand.
Overall impressions ...
Seoul: The people are wonderful, the sites worth seeing, the cuisine captivating.
Hanoi: The people are wonderful, the sites worth seeing, the cuisine captivating.
Would I recommend one over the other ... no; Vietnam and Korea are BOTH worth the trip. It is worth seeing Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) as well as Hanoi. If your trip to Korea permits, see Jeju island.
I loved all the people I met; the best about Vietnam was the Transglator. The best about Korea was my Naomi.
Good night Chet; good night David ... see here if interested in this reference ...
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Home, home again
There's nothing like it. As I mentioned in my last post, impressing Ian is part of it. So not only do I get exit row, but just before the plane leaves, I am called to the desk to find out I got bumped to business class. That was cute. The pods are nice. I did my best to stay awake as it is the best way I have found to deal with the time change. I watched 5 movies, 4 of them crap and the last one (Ghost Writer) was pretty good. The food was good and I had dinner and nothing else.
I got to Toronto with 1h20m to collect my bags and get top gate 124 for flight 460 to Ottawa. It was close but I did make it. My Sweet Thing was there to pick me up and Shauna/Paddy/Sean were there too. Home sweet home ...
I got to Toronto with 1h20m to collect my bags and get top gate 124 for flight 460 to Ottawa. It was close but I did make it. My Sweet Thing was there to pick me up and Shauna/Paddy/Sean were there too. Home sweet home ...
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
It's all about impressing Eeeeeeeeen
I had a nice (and very expensive) sushi lunch for 43 USD. I found out there are roughly 90 JPY to the USD. Now people are asking me and I am such an expert. After chowing down, I bought some treats and went to the Air Canada connecting flights desk. I scored exit row for the Tokyo-Toronto flight. I know this is the sort of thing that impresses Ian A. The more you get to know that young man, the more you realize that NOTHING matters except shticks like "getting exit row YYZ->HKG and then NAR-->YYZ". On the way over the Airbus was the one that has nada in front of one of the exit rows so there is lots of leg room. I hope the trip to Toronto is the same shtick.
In Ian's world, it's not really family, friends, good health and the like, it's about shticks. I hope he finds exit rows on consecutive trans-Pacific flights worthy of mention.
In Ian's world, it's not really family, friends, good health and the like, it's about shticks. I hope he finds exit rows on consecutive trans-Pacific flights worthy of mention.
One down two to go
The trip from Seoul was uneventful. I caught up on my sleep as usual. They served a shrimp dish half way through the flight which was nice. The plane emptied out quickly and the hallway we were sent through was nowhere near what I would have expected to see in Tokyo. I anticipated its being one of the biggest airports I may have ever seen. Tokyo I thought was one of the world's busiest. I asked someone where I could find the international connections transfer desk and was told it is by gate 47. That was the furthest gate from where we disembarked, so no change there.
I got to the desk and other than Thai there was nobody at the desk. The woman from Thai informed me that Air Canada opens at 2PM. So I will go chow down on some sushi and come back then. Not long after traversing the small corridor, there was a security checkpoint and a sign said we were supposed to show our boarding passes, which I did not have. This was visions of Istanbul where I would not have gotten as far as I just did in Tokyo without that precious 4 by 18 centimetre document.
The signage here is great and I had no problem finding anything (so far). I was intrigied by the flight map they were showing on the way here. We seemed to be mainly heading east but a bit south as well. My curiosity forced me to check Google maps and indeed Tokyo is 2 degrees or so south of Seoul which amounts to close to 180 miles. Who would'a thunk. Better still, who cares except this stupid weygook :).
I got to the desk and other than Thai there was nobody at the desk. The woman from Thai informed me that Air Canada opens at 2PM. So I will go chow down on some sushi and come back then. Not long after traversing the small corridor, there was a security checkpoint and a sign said we were supposed to show our boarding passes, which I did not have. This was visions of Istanbul where I would not have gotten as far as I just did in Tokyo without that precious 4 by 18 centimetre document.
The signage here is great and I had no problem finding anything (so far). I was intrigied by the flight map they were showing on the way here. We seemed to be mainly heading east but a bit south as well. My curiosity forced me to check Google maps and indeed Tokyo is 2 degrees or so south of Seoul which amounts to close to 180 miles. Who would'a thunk. Better still, who cares except this stupid weygook :).
Monday, July 12, 2010
The soul of Seoul
The day started very early when I woke up about 5:45. I could not fall back asleep so I just got up. I finished packing and proceeded to the lobby to pay the bill and arrange to get the bags picked up in 1520. Naturally as soon as I closed the door, I realized I had forgotten something. The key I had with me did not work (visions of the Horison where 1,209 keys went south).
I went downstairs to get re-keyed and then picked up my rented cell and book. I sat in the lobby while my luggage was fetched. The bell guy started taking my bags outside then I noticed the 5:55 shuttle bus was just getting ready to leave about 15 minutes late. I boarded it and enjoyed my last glimpses of Seoul for this voyage. The scenery did not disappoint as has always been the case this trip.
Check-in was a breeze (listening Air Canada??) and after I got rid of my bags I returned the rent-a-phone for a whopping $23. Dizzy did mention that they were cheap which turned out to be the case ... sweet. My bags are checked to Ottawa and I need not pick them up until YYZ when I clear Canada C&I. Say what? Checked to destination (Air Canada and China Southern you listening??).
I walked a bit then found somewhere to eat for a bit. I have 2h40m until my flight. Dizzy reported that Korean food is so bland and it all tastes the same. I ordered kimchee/pork soup at Incheon and used half a box of tissue wiping my eyes and my nose. I wonder if it's the kimchi that makes the food so spicy and Dizzy does not eat this stuff so does not know. When Dizzy was crossing the street last night after our goodbye, it was like a Hollywood movie where the heroine disappears into the night amidst a fanfare of closing music. I heard In the City by the Eagles as she crossed the street. That dolly seems very happy in Korea and has carved out a nice little niche of friends to support and be supported by her. She thinks she may exit the current contract early but that may change. She has issues with some of the people she works with and if they get her down more, who knows. The only thing she mentioned about the future was grad school (yippeee!!!). She is going to save for pick up a MacBook and I told her I would assist when the time comes ... bye bye Seoul.
I went downstairs to get re-keyed and then picked up my rented cell and book. I sat in the lobby while my luggage was fetched. The bell guy started taking my bags outside then I noticed the 5:55 shuttle bus was just getting ready to leave about 15 minutes late. I boarded it and enjoyed my last glimpses of Seoul for this voyage. The scenery did not disappoint as has always been the case this trip.
Check-in was a breeze (listening Air Canada??) and after I got rid of my bags I returned the rent-a-phone for a whopping $23. Dizzy did mention that they were cheap which turned out to be the case ... sweet. My bags are checked to Ottawa and I need not pick them up until YYZ when I clear Canada C&I. Say what? Checked to destination (Air Canada and China Southern you listening??).
I walked a bit then found somewhere to eat for a bit. I have 2h40m until my flight. Dizzy reported that Korean food is so bland and it all tastes the same. I ordered kimchee/pork soup at Incheon and used half a box of tissue wiping my eyes and my nose. I wonder if it's the kimchi that makes the food so spicy and Dizzy does not eat this stuff so does not know. When Dizzy was crossing the street last night after our goodbye, it was like a Hollywood movie where the heroine disappears into the night amidst a fanfare of closing music. I heard In the City by the Eagles as she crossed the street. That dolly seems very happy in Korea and has carved out a nice little niche of friends to support and be supported by her. She thinks she may exit the current contract early but that may change. She has issues with some of the people she works with and if they get her down more, who knows. The only thing she mentioned about the future was grad school (yippeee!!!). She is going to save for pick up a MacBook and I told her I would assist when the time comes ... bye bye Seoul.
The heat is on
Some of the locals seem to wear the same clothing regardless of the weather. Today it was quite nice in the AM but it deteriorated as the day wore on. We pine for the good weather all year in Ottawa then are caught complaining about the heat when it starts. My Sweet Thing has been telling me that it has been warm at home. I see men wearing long sleeved shirts underneath a jacket and sporting a tie. I start to perspire just looking at them.
I will grab the 7:25AM bus to Incheon in the morning. With am 10:20AM flight and a 70 minute drive, that is probably the best one to catch. I tried turning on my Rogers cell while here and it could not find the network. Here is what I have learned about the locals from Dizzy, a usually reliable source of information.
1- They are very proud of their country and many systems are so homegrown that one does not see them anywhere outside Korea ... the cell network is a good example.
2- They speak their mind when they interact with each other and will tell you things that one normally keeps to one's self ... e.g., you're overweight if they think you are.
3- They are offended by language that criticizes them or their country. While weygook would like to think we are able to accept constructive criticism, Dizzy believes Koreans reject all comments regardless of their content that have the slightest hint of being negative. I did notice the same in Ethiopia with government people. They object to a suggestion that there was something somone forgot to do, thinking it is an attack by ferenge on them personally.
4- They have little respect for one's personal space. When I was waiting for my luggage on Saturday at the airport, some locals parked themselves between me and the baggage carousel even though there was not enough room for them. I have noticed this in other situations.
With all the above in mind, I for one would take all this into consideration were I to be spending more time here. Regardless of how one judges people in other countries, it is our job as aliens to be sensitive to ways the people work.
I will grab the 7:25AM bus to Incheon in the morning. With am 10:20AM flight and a 70 minute drive, that is probably the best one to catch. I tried turning on my Rogers cell while here and it could not find the network. Here is what I have learned about the locals from Dizzy, a usually reliable source of information.
1- They are very proud of their country and many systems are so homegrown that one does not see them anywhere outside Korea ... the cell network is a good example.
2- They speak their mind when they interact with each other and will tell you things that one normally keeps to one's self ... e.g., you're overweight if they think you are.
3- They are offended by language that criticizes them or their country. While weygook would like to think we are able to accept constructive criticism, Dizzy believes Koreans reject all comments regardless of their content that have the slightest hint of being negative. I did notice the same in Ethiopia with government people. They object to a suggestion that there was something somone forgot to do, thinking it is an attack by ferenge on them personally.
4- They have little respect for one's personal space. When I was waiting for my luggage on Saturday at the airport, some locals parked themselves between me and the baggage carousel even though there was not enough room for them. I have noticed this in other situations.
With all the above in mind, I for one would take all this into consideration were I to be spending more time here. Regardless of how one judges people in other countries, it is our job as aliens to be sensitive to ways the people work.
Viva España
I kind'a thought they'd win but I would have still liked Nederlands too. So my Monday in Seoul started about 8:15. Since I had slept from 10 until 3:15 before the game, then 2 and a bit hours afterward, I was fine. I called Dizzy and she sounded groggy. I told here to call me back when she was more awake. It was very bright and sunny which did not please me completely since that contributes to the heat.
I was low on cash so I went to the bank machine and the first one did not like my card. The next did not like my ATM card so I had to use my VISA. I thought I was still in Vietnam (19,000 local = 1 USD) so asked for 1,000,000 wan. When the machine spit out the cash, there was about an inch of bills. Then I realized I was in Korea not Hanoi and realized I had asked for about $1,000 not $100. Silly me. I knew that mistake would be costly since I would have to do currency exchange back into USD.
Dizzy called and I told her I would meet her at the busy intersection down from her apartment corner. I got to that corner and freaked since there were fences up all over the 4 corners so no pedestrian traffic could penetrate the intersection. I called Dizzy back and she said she would meet me where we met yesterday. She mentioned that the subway station is the only way to cross the street at that intersection. It reminds me of the busiest intersection on the strip in Vegas. We had coffee by exit 8 at Starbucks then we will head off to Dizzy's school. Dizzy loved my stupid weygook story about too much money from the bank machine.
The school was about 10 minutes away. The taxi driver was rude and I decided that I would close the door after he drove away as he left so quickly. I met the famous Zach at school and Naomi showed me off. I also ran into the ladies from yesterday that she teaches with. The kids in Zach's class were adorable as were all the other I saw at the school. Her class is on the third floor and her kids are busy first period every Monday. Dizzy complained about how tired she was and had not slept much. I wondered if maybe she was tired from our walking yesterday and she said it was the most exercise she had ever got ... the 61 year-old weygook did not feel it but the 25 year-old expat did :).
The kids showed up after first period. Are they little dollies or what? There are 12 in every class, except one was away so Naomi had 11 today. They were so cute. Sean is a handful and David, though not a problem for Dizzy, is a handful for the other teachers. They eagerly volunteered to assist with cake and milk being served and I took a number of delicious pictures. I stayed with Professor Dizzy and her students for about 20 minutes then departed.
I headed out of the school, hung a left, and flagged a cab to Iteawon to catch the hop-on-hop-off tour bus for the day. It was about 10:20 as I grabbed the cab and the traffic was still heavy. The streets are so wide, panoramic, and pristine. Seoul had the summer Olympics in 1988 and would have had to beautify the city for that, but it was 22 years ago. If it weren't for the signage, as mentioned before, I could be in anytown USA from the look of the city. The lines on the road are freshly painted. Well painted lines always remind me of driving the 417 back from Montreal at night and how hard it is to use the lines as an assist; they were last painted in 1201 :).
I went to the Hamilton Hotel for assistance in finding the stop for the tour bus. They told me to cross the street, which I did, and found what appeared to be the bus stop. After waiting for 20 minutes or so, a shopkeeper told me this tour does not run Mondays ... don't say anything on the web site :) to tell SW (stupid weygook).
I walked around Itaewon and saw many places advertising big sizes for big weygook, then cabbed it to Insadong. Before leaving I checked with a foreign exchange hut about cashing in my won but did not like the rate. I have been told the foreign exchange game is a racket all over Asia even at the banks (which I later confirmed by cashing in 840,000 won for 639 USD ... that cost me 33 USD for my mistake this morning).
I am trying to find a knock-off purse for ST who texted me saying she was listening to Levon Helm. I did not check with her to see if he asked about me. Levon fu____g Helm!! Beauty ... wish I were there. 6,200 won later I am in Insadon. The streets are narrow. The funkiness of a shopping area varies inversely as the width of their streets. The shops were lovely and I bought some small trinkets for Annabelle, Paddy, and Sean.
I went into an alley and sat down in a local restaurant. The advertised prices outside on the sandwich board were 5,000-7,000 won. When I sat down the weyook English menu was substituted for the Korean menu that was whisked away before I could detect the inflated prices for SW. I solit that joint, and settled for anothe ronec elsewhere. I ordered a mix of vegetables, lettuce, and squid which was lovely. The kimchi was spicy as I remembered it yesterday with Dizzy. The sides were all great and there was what seemed to be a slimy green leafy thing with a nice hot sauce still not sure what that was even though it tasted like and had the consistency of pasta.
I walked for about an hour after lunch, then strolled out of Insadon into another area of Seoul then grabbed a cab back to the hotel. After doing the foreign exchange at the bank, I returned to the room, packed, and did this post.
Dizzy and I have texted a number of times. I am thinking of walking down the street and seeing if I can find the busy NYC-like Fifth Avenue street I was on yesterday with Dizzerators. We will dine tonight probably with a few fellow teachers of hers from Canada.
I was low on cash so I went to the bank machine and the first one did not like my card. The next did not like my ATM card so I had to use my VISA. I thought I was still in Vietnam (19,000 local = 1 USD) so asked for 1,000,000 wan. When the machine spit out the cash, there was about an inch of bills. Then I realized I was in Korea not Hanoi and realized I had asked for about $1,000 not $100. Silly me. I knew that mistake would be costly since I would have to do currency exchange back into USD.
Dizzy called and I told her I would meet her at the busy intersection down from her apartment corner. I got to that corner and freaked since there were fences up all over the 4 corners so no pedestrian traffic could penetrate the intersection. I called Dizzy back and she said she would meet me where we met yesterday. She mentioned that the subway station is the only way to cross the street at that intersection. It reminds me of the busiest intersection on the strip in Vegas. We had coffee by exit 8 at Starbucks then we will head off to Dizzy's school. Dizzy loved my stupid weygook story about too much money from the bank machine.
The school was about 10 minutes away. The taxi driver was rude and I decided that I would close the door after he drove away as he left so quickly. I met the famous Zach at school and Naomi showed me off. I also ran into the ladies from yesterday that she teaches with. The kids in Zach's class were adorable as were all the other I saw at the school. Her class is on the third floor and her kids are busy first period every Monday. Dizzy complained about how tired she was and had not slept much. I wondered if maybe she was tired from our walking yesterday and she said it was the most exercise she had ever got ... the 61 year-old weygook did not feel it but the 25 year-old expat did :).
The kids showed up after first period. Are they little dollies or what? There are 12 in every class, except one was away so Naomi had 11 today. They were so cute. Sean is a handful and David, though not a problem for Dizzy, is a handful for the other teachers. They eagerly volunteered to assist with cake and milk being served and I took a number of delicious pictures. I stayed with Professor Dizzy and her students for about 20 minutes then departed.
I headed out of the school, hung a left, and flagged a cab to Iteawon to catch the hop-on-hop-off tour bus for the day. It was about 10:20 as I grabbed the cab and the traffic was still heavy. The streets are so wide, panoramic, and pristine. Seoul had the summer Olympics in 1988 and would have had to beautify the city for that, but it was 22 years ago. If it weren't for the signage, as mentioned before, I could be in anytown USA from the look of the city. The lines on the road are freshly painted. Well painted lines always remind me of driving the 417 back from Montreal at night and how hard it is to use the lines as an assist; they were last painted in 1201 :).
I went to the Hamilton Hotel for assistance in finding the stop for the tour bus. They told me to cross the street, which I did, and found what appeared to be the bus stop. After waiting for 20 minutes or so, a shopkeeper told me this tour does not run Mondays ... don't say anything on the web site :) to tell SW (stupid weygook).
I walked around Itaewon and saw many places advertising big sizes for big weygook, then cabbed it to Insadong. Before leaving I checked with a foreign exchange hut about cashing in my won but did not like the rate. I have been told the foreign exchange game is a racket all over Asia even at the banks (which I later confirmed by cashing in 840,000 won for 639 USD ... that cost me 33 USD for my mistake this morning).
I am trying to find a knock-off purse for ST who texted me saying she was listening to Levon Helm. I did not check with her to see if he asked about me. Levon fu____g Helm!! Beauty ... wish I were there. 6,200 won later I am in Insadon. The streets are narrow. The funkiness of a shopping area varies inversely as the width of their streets. The shops were lovely and I bought some small trinkets for Annabelle, Paddy, and Sean.
I went into an alley and sat down in a local restaurant. The advertised prices outside on the sandwich board were 5,000-7,000 won. When I sat down the weyook English menu was substituted for the Korean menu that was whisked away before I could detect the inflated prices for SW. I solit that joint, and settled for anothe ronec elsewhere. I ordered a mix of vegetables, lettuce, and squid which was lovely. The kimchi was spicy as I remembered it yesterday with Dizzy. The sides were all great and there was what seemed to be a slimy green leafy thing with a nice hot sauce still not sure what that was even though it tasted like and had the consistency of pasta.
I walked for about an hour after lunch, then strolled out of Insadon into another area of Seoul then grabbed a cab back to the hotel. After doing the foreign exchange at the bank, I returned to the room, packed, and did this post.
Dizzy and I have texted a number of times. I am thinking of walking down the street and seeing if I can find the busy NYC-like Fifth Avenue street I was on yesterday with Dizzerators. We will dine tonight probably with a few fellow teachers of hers from Canada.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
It's all Korean to me
A different take on that familiar adage. Yes, the hotel was right. FIFA World Cup is on SBS in Korean. I guess I did not ask if the room TV would be showing the game in English. So it is on, guess in what language? Hooray for the Slingbox. It's not bad at between 371 and 800 Kbps. A year ago I did not watch football.
More and more of that little dolly
We hung out at Dizzy's for some time, then she mentioned that she wanted to get Christian a present. This is one of the people she works with from the USA I think. He is leaving shortly. We go downstairs and three of her buddies are camped out in front of the corner store ... Amanda, Katya, and Kate. They are very nice and I am introduced as "my Father". I though my name was "my Dad". Oh well, I am sure I will get used to it. Dizzy keeps speaking about exit 8. There is conversation about the benefits of exit 8 over exit 5. I do not have a clue what they are talking about.
We head off to exit 8 to find a liquor store to buy some tequila for the small party going on for Christian tonight. We see an entirely different area of Seoul, reminiscent of pictures and movie shots I have seen of Hong Kong. The streets are narrower, and the signs abundant. We walk and walk and I find the scenery quite intriguing. We stop at a Family Mart for an ale which is very nice (the beer and company that is; the surroundings at the Mart are disgusting). We then stroll back to the more familiar area of Gangnam where I am staying and head into a store and she buys a 26 pounder of Jose Cuervo or something similar.
We went back to Dizzy's place and she ran around and computed while I grabbed 40,000 winks ... it's usually 40, but 1 USD = 1000 KRW so it's 40,000 with the exchange rate. The plan was to go to a BBQ restaurant for dinner. I was now an expert on what she meant by exit 8, so we headed that way again, now that I was a seasoned expert. As it turns out there are 8 ways to get out of the subway. Surprise surprise, they are numbered 1 through 8.
Dinner is lovely, and the table is covered with sides all the way from garlic cloves and a corn salad to kimchi, the sort of national dish of Korea. We cook our own meat and have a lovely visit. She then puts the SW (used to be "stupid ferenge" but now it's "stupid waygook" in a taxi. The driver misses the Renaissance so I ask him to pull a U-turn; I have been here 24 hours and I am directing cab drivers already!! Cool.
The next treat is my becoming-least-favourite hotel I have stayed in. I check with a woman working the lobby about whether I will be able to watch the World Cup final at 3:30 in my room. She confirms I will so I check with the front desk just to make sure. The guy there, the same one I enjoyed (not!) yesterday at check-in confirms that it will be on using the room TVs. I ask if there is any big screen apparatus in the hotel that will be available ... "no no no, closing time". World Cup! Final! Is this Asia or North America. I checked to ensure my Slingbox works which it does.
I suspect the two people I asked about watching in my room might have given me false information :). I am listening to Marc Bolan wail Lean Woman Blues. I sure like that band T. Rex and often listen to The Slider and Electric Warrior. Bolan died in a car crash in September 1977. Bang a Gong ... a rock anthem.
Here's the plan for Monday
3:30AM is Spain and Nederlands in the final
9:30AM is cab to Dizzy school
~11:00AM is cab to Itaewon's Hamilton Hotel
11:30AM is hop-on-hop-off tour
6:00PM'ish is hook up with Dizzy
Then I will enjoy that little dolly for the last night of my stay here. My flight (potentially debacle #703) commences at 10:35AM Tuesday, with touch down in Ottawa just after 6PM eastern.
We head off to exit 8 to find a liquor store to buy some tequila for the small party going on for Christian tonight. We see an entirely different area of Seoul, reminiscent of pictures and movie shots I have seen of Hong Kong. The streets are narrower, and the signs abundant. We walk and walk and I find the scenery quite intriguing. We stop at a Family Mart for an ale which is very nice (the beer and company that is; the surroundings at the Mart are disgusting). We then stroll back to the more familiar area of Gangnam where I am staying and head into a store and she buys a 26 pounder of Jose Cuervo or something similar.
We went back to Dizzy's place and she ran around and computed while I grabbed 40,000 winks ... it's usually 40, but 1 USD = 1000 KRW so it's 40,000 with the exchange rate. The plan was to go to a BBQ restaurant for dinner. I was now an expert on what she meant by exit 8, so we headed that way again, now that I was a seasoned expert. As it turns out there are 8 ways to get out of the subway. Surprise surprise, they are numbered 1 through 8.
Dinner is lovely, and the table is covered with sides all the way from garlic cloves and a corn salad to kimchi, the sort of national dish of Korea. We cook our own meat and have a lovely visit. She then puts the SW (used to be "stupid ferenge" but now it's "stupid waygook" in a taxi. The driver misses the Renaissance so I ask him to pull a U-turn; I have been here 24 hours and I am directing cab drivers already!! Cool.
The next treat is my becoming-least-favourite hotel I have stayed in. I check with a woman working the lobby about whether I will be able to watch the World Cup final at 3:30 in my room. She confirms I will so I check with the front desk just to make sure. The guy there, the same one I enjoyed (not!) yesterday at check-in confirms that it will be on using the room TVs. I ask if there is any big screen apparatus in the hotel that will be available ... "no no no, closing time". World Cup! Final! Is this Asia or North America. I checked to ensure my Slingbox works which it does.
I suspect the two people I asked about watching in my room might have given me false information :). I am listening to Marc Bolan wail Lean Woman Blues. I sure like that band T. Rex and often listen to The Slider and Electric Warrior. Bolan died in a car crash in September 1977. Bang a Gong ... a rock anthem.
Here's the plan for Monday
3:30AM is Spain and Nederlands in the final
9:30AM is cab to Dizzy school
~11:00AM is cab to Itaewon's Hamilton Hotel
11:30AM is hop-on-hop-off tour
6:00PM'ish is hook up with Dizzy
Then I will enjoy that little dolly for the last night of my stay here. My flight (potentially debacle #703) commences at 10:35AM Tuesday, with touch down in Ottawa just after 6PM eastern.
Weygook ...
I know you have all been waiting for the unveiling of the Korean term for "ferenge". So this weygook and Dizzy spent a lovely 3-4 hours strolling the streets of Seoul. The first stop was Itaewon (ee-tay-wahn) for breakfast. I commented after a while how Canadian football was showing on TSN. Say what? Dizzy pointed out the owner of the Sam Ryan's pub is Chris from ... tada ... London ON. Hence the thirst for TSN. I had a burger and Dizzy some sausages and eggs then the trek began. Itaewon is reportedly a very waygook-centric area and it was. There were all the way from high-end clothing and designer stuff to knock-offs of bags and other types of accessories for the young lady types. We walked for quite a while.
The biggest attraction at Itaewon was the opening of the first Taco Bell in Seoul. It was here 11 years ago but since Dizzy was not here, it went belly-up. Some of her friends are thirsting for meat laced with imitation Mexican spices and calories necessary to a central American country's knock-off fast food joint. Taco-Hell ... think outside the pun.
We then cabbed it to Dongdaemun (dong-day-mun) that was in the older part of the city. I do like the new areas but always the older areas better. Dongdaemun was an ongoing assortment of the sorts of fare one expects to find in an outdoor merkato in Asia or Africa. I bought a vest to wear with a zillion pockets. The body of the vest is mesh so it will not be as hot as my cooler-weather Columbian vest which I prefer. I bought a small battery-operated alarm clock to replace the pink one from Sabit in piassa part of Addis that I lost. We finally cabbed it back to Dizzy's.
The biggest attraction at Itaewon was the opening of the first Taco Bell in Seoul. It was here 11 years ago but since Dizzy was not here, it went belly-up. Some of her friends are thirsting for meat laced with imitation Mexican spices and calories necessary to a central American country's knock-off fast food joint. Taco-Hell ... think outside the pun.
We then cabbed it to Dongdaemun (dong-day-mun) that was in the older part of the city. I do like the new areas but always the older areas better. Dongdaemun was an ongoing assortment of the sorts of fare one expects to find in an outdoor merkato in Asia or Africa. I bought a vest to wear with a zillion pockets. The body of the vest is mesh so it will not be as hot as my cooler-weather Columbian vest which I prefer. I bought a small battery-operated alarm clock to replace the pink one from Sabit in piassa part of Addis that I lost. We finally cabbed it back to Dizzy's.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
And on Sunday he Dizzy'ed
Time warp to Seoul, the "s" in the URL for this BLOG ... abbey ... Southeast Asia Hanoi and Seoul. I am sure you have all been wondering what "seahs" stood for.
With the help of my Dizzy, I have already been treated to some engineering genius that I would expect to find in Korea. Many elevators have a feature where you can cencal a floor request by pressing the button again. That is beyond brilliant. She noticed the lift does not work like that in the Renaissance. The cars here actually yield to pedestrians unlike what I got used to in Hanoi and Addis. What a concept. The part of the city I am in is very green with lots of trees. Naomi said not all parts of this berg look that green.
I was up about 8 and sauntered down to the closest Starbucks. I went back to the hotel to get my tooth-picker and the Eeepc. I sure love the size of this contraption. I saw one yesterday during my first Dizzy-stroll that was even smaller and cuter, just like Dizzy. I am sitting on a bench hiding from the drizzle this morning at the corner of Entrance and Large Building. I will here from Dizzy when she gets up and will plan our day. There is supposedly so much wireless all over Seoul except in the area of the bench that I am sitting on.
The buildings here are statuesque and very modern. The streets are wide like in North America. I have as yet to see a North American car; most of what I have seen are Hyundai/Kia/BMW. There are three kinds of taxis here and Dizzy told me to stay out of the Deluxe kind. She believes the only high-end characteristic they really have is price. There are also cabs running around that say "International" since the drivers speak English. Naomi mentioned that's a 50-50 crap shoot as most of the drivers don't :).
Seoul wakes up early but in this new part of the city, not anywhere close to Hanoi and Addis. I was told on my outskirts tour of Hanoi last Sunday that some vendors set up their stalls at 5AM and are gone by 8. I like those hours ... short and out of the intense heat before it gets more stupid. Depending on the nature of the wares I see on my running around today and tomorrow I may pick up a few things for me and/or the Sweet Thing and offspring. I will google the Korean flag for its origin. It is a blue/red yin-yang symbol with four wings in either corner made up of two solid lines with a broken line in between. When out and about with Dizzy last night she pointed out a reverse swastika on a sign and mentioned it seems to stand for "peace" in Korea. Now there's a turn-around. Just heard from my Dizzy. The excitement of the day builds ... signing off for now. More to follow.
With the help of my Dizzy, I have already been treated to some engineering genius that I would expect to find in Korea. Many elevators have a feature where you can cencal a floor request by pressing the button again. That is beyond brilliant. She noticed the lift does not work like that in the Renaissance. The cars here actually yield to pedestrians unlike what I got used to in Hanoi and Addis. What a concept. The part of the city I am in is very green with lots of trees. Naomi said not all parts of this berg look that green.
I was up about 8 and sauntered down to the closest Starbucks. I went back to the hotel to get my tooth-picker and the Eeepc. I sure love the size of this contraption. I saw one yesterday during my first Dizzy-stroll that was even smaller and cuter, just like Dizzy. I am sitting on a bench hiding from the drizzle this morning at the corner of Entrance and Large Building. I will here from Dizzy when she gets up and will plan our day. There is supposedly so much wireless all over Seoul except in the area of the bench that I am sitting on.
The buildings here are statuesque and very modern. The streets are wide like in North America. I have as yet to see a North American car; most of what I have seen are Hyundai/Kia/BMW. There are three kinds of taxis here and Dizzy told me to stay out of the Deluxe kind. She believes the only high-end characteristic they really have is price. There are also cabs running around that say "International" since the drivers speak English. Naomi mentioned that's a 50-50 crap shoot as most of the drivers don't :).
Seoul wakes up early but in this new part of the city, not anywhere close to Hanoi and Addis. I was told on my outskirts tour of Hanoi last Sunday that some vendors set up their stalls at 5AM and are gone by 8. I like those hours ... short and out of the intense heat before it gets more stupid. Depending on the nature of the wares I see on my running around today and tomorrow I may pick up a few things for me and/or the Sweet Thing and offspring. I will google the Korean flag for its origin. It is a blue/red yin-yang symbol with four wings in either corner made up of two solid lines with a broken line in between. When out and about with Dizzy last night she pointed out a reverse swastika on a sign and mentioned it seems to stand for "peace" in Korea. Now there's a turn-around. Just heard from my Dizzy. The excitement of the day builds ... signing off for now. More to follow.
Star Alliance
It is possible the problems I am running into are because I am not always flying Star Alliance. Maybe once one leaves a partner carrier, the baggage transfer issue starts again. It has worked out OK both times but they were not looking good for a while. When I booked the fare to Vietnam and back with the stopover in Seoul, I could have used many combinations of carriers but I wanted the longest leg, Toronto to Asia both ways, on preferably Air Canada. I expect when I return from Seoul through Tokyo on Tuesday that I may run into the same baggage and boarding pass treat. At least this time I have a 4h30m layover in Japan so it will not be so rushed.
It was my Ma's 89th yesterday and I had no way of hugging her on her special day. We all hope to live to be half that age :).
It was my Ma's 89th yesterday and I had no way of hugging her on her special day. We all hope to live to be half that age :).
Debacle #702
Oy ... where to start. I must say traveling around southeast Asia for me so far has been nothing short of an adventure, or maybe a sitcom looking back at it. I am up early at the Horison and pay my bill. I get a car for 6:50 since they just told me the buffet breakfast starts at 6:30. I go upstairs to wait patiently for 6:30 and find the buffet is in full swing. So I go back to the bell desk and ask for the car at 6:30. The first time I was there I asked them to get my bags and they write down the room number and acknowledge the request. The buffet is fine, and I go downstairs to wait for my car. The bell guy comes over and asks if I would like him to get my bags. I wish I'd thought of that.
Just like the trip into the city on June 14, the ride out to the airport is long. The driver takes an interesting route. He pulls a few U-turns here and there. Just before we get to what appears to be the start of the airport, the driver turns around and says "5 minutes". We then go off the main road and into a sea of taxicabs. He finally stops for a second, rolls down his window, mutters something in Vietnamese, and off we go again. I was told by Trangslator yesterday to ask today's driver for two red receipts for the rides to and from the airport. The only thing MoF accepts for expenses are red receipts. Done.
<<< Start of debacle >>>
I enter the busy airport and am pleased to find the China Southern lines very short. My turn comes up and amidst long study of my passport and the screen, the agent tells me he has to call his supervisor and I should please wait. I move my bags off to the side and am asked to move elsewhere so as not to block the throngs of people that are not there. About 10 minutes later, I am motioned back to the desk, and informed that they cannot check my bags to Seoul as they do not have a transit agreement with Korean Air. No problem ... and by the way the flight from Guangzhou to Seoul is a code share with (guess who?) ... Korean Air. I get my Guangzhou boarding pass, and will get the pass for my next leg in China. As it appears this is the only way I am going to get to go is if I agree to pick my bags up in China (visions of debacle #451 where Air Canada only checked by bags on the way here to Hong Kong). Then after I place them on the scale, I am 19 kilograms over which cost me an extra $76 USD. So be it.
I get to the gate just when they are boarding for a delightful and short flight to China. We land and the immigration lines are very close to our gate. I look for signage for transit passengers. Not only is there no signage, but I do not have a clue what I need to do and if I need to clear immigration if China is not my final destination. So I stand in line for a bit then get antsy so go ask someone where I should be. I am motioned back into the line. I realized even if I did get to the front of that line, I have no boarding pass!!! So I ask someone else then finally spot the transit desk. Yippee!!! Not so fast ... there's nobody at the transit desk. In Istanbul when I was there in April there were 8-10 agents there with probably 300 people in line. Nada, squat, nobody, vacant, void. I ask two separate customs guards what I should do and am told someone will be called. 1PM on Saturday and I am the only transit passenger at the whole airport :). I feel so special. Eventually ... tada ... someone shows up. I tell her my story and she disappears with my passport and luggage tags. This may end up amounting to something.
She reappears about 15 minutes later and even before she gets close to me I try to make out a piece of paper in her hand that just may resemble the size of a boarding pass. Eureka ... new luggage tags for Korean Air and a boarding pass. She tries to find me a short line at immigration but one does not exist. I stand in that line for about 10 minutes and after my interview I am told to sit over there and someone will bring my passport back shortly. 10 minutes later the transit lady turns up with my passport and paperwork and I am off. I thank her and settle in a few minutes later to cubicle 32C for the journey to Dizzy-land; the middle group of four seats with two vacant between me and 32F ... nice.
<<< End of debacle >>>
I get to Seoul in 3.5 hours which seems like a short drive in the country compared to the 15 hour ride from Toronto a few weeks ago. Interestingly enough, for the second time in a row the immigration desk is close to our gate. I get in line; like a lot of airports there are separate windows for Korean nationals and ferenge. I learned a new trick today Bakes ... when one finds ones self in an immigration room with these lines for nationals and foreigners, get in a line near the nationals queue. They empty earlier and one usually gets motioned over to open windows when they do.
Then ... ta da the MAIN EVENT ... my Dizzy. Boy she looks great! We pick up a rental cell for the few days I am here and off we go; no sight of any other ferenge except NLA and me. I got the new name Korean-wise for ferenge from Dizzy but forgot already; it will debut tomorrow so pay attention. We ride the bus to town after my two bags were the very last off KE 866 from CAN (the call letters for Guangzhou ... yup I can see how those airport call letters match that city name, say what? I wonder how Air Canada gets the short-form AC whereas Korean Air gets KE??
We go to the Renaissance and find they have no record of a reservation for me. That gets sorted out and after finding out the internet is a mere $25 per day, trundle off to room 1520. I unpack, put on my face, then Dizzy and I leave for a walk followed by a repast. We end up at a tex-mex place ... who would'a thunk ... tex-mex is one of Dizzy's things. We have a lovely visit. She can read but understands next to no Korean. it's like my mastery of Hebrew which I can read but do not understand. She tells me there are never two consonants in a row when one speaks English to Koreans ... hence "craft" becomes "crafet" and I guess "flag" is "felag". I learn "thank-you" which (I think) is "kumsumnida". My hotel and her pad are both in the Gangnam (pronounced "Gong Nam" as in "Viet Nam").
We grab a cab after dinner to her place off the same street as my hotel. She has a lovely place, nicely furnished and with a washer/dryer combo. We visit for some time then I stroll back to the hotel. She will call me when she is up minyana and we will spend the day together starting apparently in a very funky part of town. Her friend Zach may join us. She has a nice gaggle of buddies teaching with her this year and is happy with work (except when she is not :)).
Just like the trip into the city on June 14, the ride out to the airport is long. The driver takes an interesting route. He pulls a few U-turns here and there. Just before we get to what appears to be the start of the airport, the driver turns around and says "5 minutes". We then go off the main road and into a sea of taxicabs. He finally stops for a second, rolls down his window, mutters something in Vietnamese, and off we go again. I was told by Trangslator yesterday to ask today's driver for two red receipts for the rides to and from the airport. The only thing MoF accepts for expenses are red receipts. Done.
<<< Start of debacle >>>
I enter the busy airport and am pleased to find the China Southern lines very short. My turn comes up and amidst long study of my passport and the screen, the agent tells me he has to call his supervisor and I should please wait. I move my bags off to the side and am asked to move elsewhere so as not to block the throngs of people that are not there. About 10 minutes later, I am motioned back to the desk, and informed that they cannot check my bags to Seoul as they do not have a transit agreement with Korean Air. No problem ... and by the way the flight from Guangzhou to Seoul is a code share with (guess who?) ... Korean Air. I get my Guangzhou boarding pass, and will get the pass for my next leg in China. As it appears this is the only way I am going to get to go is if I agree to pick my bags up in China (visions of debacle #451 where Air Canada only checked by bags on the way here to Hong Kong). Then after I place them on the scale, I am 19 kilograms over which cost me an extra $76 USD. So be it.
I get to the gate just when they are boarding for a delightful and short flight to China. We land and the immigration lines are very close to our gate. I look for signage for transit passengers. Not only is there no signage, but I do not have a clue what I need to do and if I need to clear immigration if China is not my final destination. So I stand in line for a bit then get antsy so go ask someone where I should be. I am motioned back into the line. I realized even if I did get to the front of that line, I have no boarding pass!!! So I ask someone else then finally spot the transit desk. Yippee!!! Not so fast ... there's nobody at the transit desk. In Istanbul when I was there in April there were 8-10 agents there with probably 300 people in line. Nada, squat, nobody, vacant, void. I ask two separate customs guards what I should do and am told someone will be called. 1PM on Saturday and I am the only transit passenger at the whole airport :). I feel so special. Eventually ... tada ... someone shows up. I tell her my story and she disappears with my passport and luggage tags. This may end up amounting to something.
She reappears about 15 minutes later and even before she gets close to me I try to make out a piece of paper in her hand that just may resemble the size of a boarding pass. Eureka ... new luggage tags for Korean Air and a boarding pass. She tries to find me a short line at immigration but one does not exist. I stand in that line for about 10 minutes and after my interview I am told to sit over there and someone will bring my passport back shortly. 10 minutes later the transit lady turns up with my passport and paperwork and I am off. I thank her and settle in a few minutes later to cubicle 32C for the journey to Dizzy-land; the middle group of four seats with two vacant between me and 32F ... nice.
<<< End of debacle >>>
I get to Seoul in 3.5 hours which seems like a short drive in the country compared to the 15 hour ride from Toronto a few weeks ago. Interestingly enough, for the second time in a row the immigration desk is close to our gate. I get in line; like a lot of airports there are separate windows for Korean nationals and ferenge. I learned a new trick today Bakes ... when one finds ones self in an immigration room with these lines for nationals and foreigners, get in a line near the nationals queue. They empty earlier and one usually gets motioned over to open windows when they do.
Then ... ta da the MAIN EVENT ... my Dizzy. Boy she looks great! We pick up a rental cell for the few days I am here and off we go; no sight of any other ferenge except NLA and me. I got the new name Korean-wise for ferenge from Dizzy but forgot already; it will debut tomorrow so pay attention. We ride the bus to town after my two bags were the very last off KE 866 from CAN (the call letters for Guangzhou ... yup I can see how those airport call letters match that city name, say what? I wonder how Air Canada gets the short-form AC whereas Korean Air gets KE??
We go to the Renaissance and find they have no record of a reservation for me. That gets sorted out and after finding out the internet is a mere $25 per day, trundle off to room 1520. I unpack, put on my face, then Dizzy and I leave for a walk followed by a repast. We end up at a tex-mex place ... who would'a thunk ... tex-mex is one of Dizzy's things. We have a lovely visit. She can read but understands next to no Korean. it's like my mastery of Hebrew which I can read but do not understand. She tells me there are never two consonants in a row when one speaks English to Koreans ... hence "craft" becomes "crafet" and I guess "flag" is "felag". I learn "thank-you" which (I think) is "kumsumnida". My hotel and her pad are both in the Gangnam (pronounced "Gong Nam" as in "Viet Nam").
We grab a cab after dinner to her place off the same street as my hotel. She has a lovely place, nicely furnished and with a washer/dryer combo. We visit for some time then I stroll back to the hotel. She will call me when she is up minyana and we will spend the day together starting apparently in a very funky part of town. Her friend Zach may join us. She has a nice gaggle of buddies teaching with her this year and is happy with work (except when she is not :)).
Thursday, July 8, 2010
International date line
When I returned from Addis in December, I got the date screwed up. I left on Wednesday December 31 very early in the morning, and told my Sweet Thing I would be home Thursday January 1. Due to the 7 hour time change, as it turned out when I looked closer, I was actually home the same day I left. Thus I was back in Ottawa a day before my Sweet Thing.
So I get a revelation this morning while lying in bed just before getting up. I am leaving Seoul next Tuesday at 10AM and the flight time to Ottawa all inclusive is about 21 hours. That would put me in Ottawa at about 7AM Korea time (Wednesday) which is about 6PM Ottawa time Tuesday. Hence I get home the same day I left NOT Wednesday the 14th. Stupid ferenge.
It's been a whirlwind of activity at MoF the past 3 weeks and I am making a short presentation to management this morning on this first mission. I am going to speak with Suresh (IBM) about opportunities in Singapore that seem to be plentiful. I have also been told by few people here from India that the opportunities in Bangalore India are copious as well.
So I get a revelation this morning while lying in bed just before getting up. I am leaving Seoul next Tuesday at 10AM and the flight time to Ottawa all inclusive is about 21 hours. That would put me in Ottawa at about 7AM Korea time (Wednesday) which is about 6PM Ottawa time Tuesday. Hence I get home the same day I left NOT Wednesday the 14th. Stupid ferenge.
It's been a whirlwind of activity at MoF the past 3 weeks and I am making a short presentation to management this morning on this first mission. I am going to speak with Suresh (IBM) about opportunities in Singapore that seem to be plentiful. I have also been told by few people here from India that the opportunities in Bangalore India are copious as well.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
A busy Wednesday evening
I went over to Suresh's place, one of the guys on the IBM team here. We were joined by a handful of others. He lives near the Intercontinental where the Oracle guy I hung out with Tuesday was staying. We chatted and chatted and chatted and had a very nice Indian dinner quite late. There was one dish based on rice that had been specially made for me and was quite spicy. There were some deep-fried green chillies that were wonderful.
About 11:30 someone suggested e go to the Sheraton for further festivities. We hopped into 2 cabs for the short drive. The "music" was loud throbbing noise, not exactly what I would have called "music". Fortunately someone suggested moving outside so I had a choice between annoying noise or heat, and chose the latter.
I have a short contract through an outfit on NYC to work on once I get back from Hanoi. I have been speaking Andrew in Toronto as well about a short gig. I will be able to balance the two.
About 11:30 someone suggested e go to the Sheraton for further festivities. We hopped into 2 cabs for the short drive. The "music" was loud throbbing noise, not exactly what I would have called "music". Fortunately someone suggested moving outside so I had a choice between annoying noise or heat, and chose the latter.
I have a short contract through an outfit on NYC to work on once I get back from Hanoi. I have been speaking Andrew in Toronto as well about a short gig. I will be able to balance the two.
Something followed me to Hanoi
I have quite enjoyed the cuisine here as I expected I would. The pho (phir) comes usually in chicken and beef varieties. Ever since I got here I know there is something they use in pho that I do not like. I finally spoke with the Trangslator today about it and, as I suspected, it's that dreaded CILANTRO! I hate that stuff ... sometimes there's a trace of it in pho, sometimes it really stands out.
There was some sort of announcement on the PA system at work today about the extreme heat, asking everyone to close any open windows and their shaded I think. It was a balmy 38 degrees according to the Weather Channel and I think it has been hotter.
There was some sort of announcement on the PA system at work today about the extreme heat, asking everyone to close any open windows and their shaded I think. It was a balmy 38 degrees according to the Weather Channel and I think it has been hotter.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Some kind of wonderful
So SF leaves work today a bit before 5, and when I get to my room, look in my purse (it's a European carry-all) and the document I printed off is not there. I am lucky to live 2 minutes from the office. The guard at the front gate will me in with my shorts and Arsenal shirt so I call the Trangslator who rescues me. While waiting to speak with her, someone I do not even know offers to clear me with security. This person was kind enough to notice that I may need assistance and offer to help. He must have seen me in the building or may have been in one of the meetings I attended.
I am getting together with Mr. Oracle Singapore 2010 sometime this evening. The Horison prides itself on an eclectic room service menu. So I guess a burger and club sandwich are now "eclectic". That's all they have!
They have 2 restaurants in the Hotel as well, a high-end traditional and one with more western fare. So you turn left out of the 2nd floor elevator for the local experience and right for the foreign... both actually the same restaurant. One is brought 2 menus when sitting down. I am not sure but I bet my ST knows why they insist on playing soft music in the public areas of so many hotels. Is this supposed to be soothing? They are always at just the right volume annoying, but not loud enough that one can make out anything. Is it the ambiance? The repertoire of noise on the system at the Horison is a vast 4 songs I think.
So Hanoi-land is drawing to a close and it sure has been a carpet ride. I was never so busy so much of the time as I have been here. I sent email to 3 contacts at the World Bank asking for advice in whon to speak with in DC. I was told by Bank people that they know of no Oracle backend people at the Bank.
I am getting together with Mr. Oracle Singapore 2010 sometime this evening. The Horison prides itself on an eclectic room service menu. So I guess a burger and club sandwich are now "eclectic". That's all they have!
They have 2 restaurants in the Hotel as well, a high-end traditional and one with more western fare. So you turn left out of the 2nd floor elevator for the local experience and right for the foreign... both actually the same restaurant. One is brought 2 menus when sitting down. I am not sure but I bet my ST knows why they insist on playing soft music in the public areas of so many hotels. Is this supposed to be soothing? They are always at just the right volume annoying, but not loud enough that one can make out anything. Is it the ambiance? The repertoire of noise on the system at the Horison is a vast 4 songs I think.
So Hanoi-land is drawing to a close and it sure has been a carpet ride. I was never so busy so much of the time as I have been here. I sent email to 3 contacts at the World Bank asking for advice in whon to speak with in DC. I was told by Bank people that they know of no Oracle backend people at the Bank.
It's all about perception ...
I love the way my colleagues at work stop once in a while in the middle of the morning for a fruit break. This work ethic is along the lines of their taking a siesta at the end of their lunch hour. So a few days ago, Mr. Minh tells me that one of the ladies in the office is not eating 'cause she says she is too "fat". "Too fat" is not part of the Vietnamese vernacular. This lady in particular, at least so I was told :), still looks much younger than I am sure she is and has the figure of a 20 year-old , again so I have been told :). It's not how others perceive you, it's how you see others seeing you that matters, so I have been told.
Back at 300 degrees. When you walk out of the building from the air conditioning, it hits you like Linda Ronstadt's Heat Wave. Sarah, just after you commented on how you think of me every time someone in Ottawa complains about the heat there, I walked outside and my glasses fogged up as they do for 20 seconds due to the intense heat and humidity one confronts all of a sudden. So, it's now Dizzy-land minus 4 ... I can't wait. I have not seen that little munchkin for over a year and am curious about:
1) Her hair colour; she claims it's natural; after 2,891 dye jobs, how does one know what "natural" means.
2) If there is any jewelery protruding from odd parts of the head such as rings, pitch forks, or hacksaw parts.
3) What makes my new Dizzy tick ... the 8th wonder of the world is my little girl Naomi.
4) What she has found to eat in Seoul that closely resembles Golden Palace egg rolls.
5) What nicknames her students have given her, not that I have ever had problems thinking up my own for that little dolly, all the way from Bizzers, Moaners, or Des Cap to Imoan.
Back at 300 degrees. When you walk out of the building from the air conditioning, it hits you like Linda Ronstadt's Heat Wave. Sarah, just after you commented on how you think of me every time someone in Ottawa complains about the heat there, I walked outside and my glasses fogged up as they do for 20 seconds due to the intense heat and humidity one confronts all of a sudden. So, it's now Dizzy-land minus 4 ... I can't wait. I have not seen that little munchkin for over a year and am curious about:
1) Her hair colour; she claims it's natural; after 2,891 dye jobs, how does one know what "natural" means.
2) If there is any jewelery protruding from odd parts of the head such as rings, pitch forks, or hacksaw parts.
3) What makes my new Dizzy tick ... the 8th wonder of the world is my little girl Naomi.
4) What she has found to eat in Seoul that closely resembles Golden Palace egg rolls.
5) What nicknames her students have given her, not that I have ever had problems thinking up my own for that little dolly, all the way from Bizzers, Moaners, or Des Cap to Imoan.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Ya you keep believing that
When in Ottawa in the hot humid summer, every time it gets unbearable and humid to boot, we crave a nice downpour, believing that yet again the downpour will cool things off. Every time it doesn't do as we had hoped, we tell ourselves ... maybe next time. Then the next time it happens we foolishly think the rain will help, but again it just makes it worse.
So the Hanoi version of the above is in the evening. The mercury has dropped to 37 from 45 and we say to ourselves ... wow it's so cool compared to what it was like during the day ... no it's not, it's still unbearable. The next day we pine for a cool evening, honestly believing it will cool off; yet again it doesn't.
As noted before, after watching World Cup, I cannot stop now that there is only 4 games left ... Wed/Thu at 1AM, then Sun/Mon at 3:30AM in Korea. How can I miss the semis and the 2 finals ... we shall see.
So the Hanoi version of the above is in the evening. The mercury has dropped to 37 from 45 and we say to ourselves ... wow it's so cool compared to what it was like during the day ... no it's not, it's still unbearable. The next day we pine for a cool evening, honestly believing it will cool off; yet again it doesn't.
As noted before, after watching World Cup, I cannot stop now that there is only 4 games left ... Wed/Thu at 1AM, then Sun/Mon at 3:30AM in Korea. How can I miss the semis and the 2 finals ... we shall see.
Hanoi Hilton
So, stupid ferenge (SF) mentions to the tour guide that I have done just about everything I had hoped to do while in Hanoi except visit the Hanoi Hilton. She is a little perplexed 'cause we both know I stayed at the Hilton for the first 7 nights I was here. Then she clicks in and remembers the infamous Hanoi Hilton referred to during the Vietnam war as a notorious prisoner of war camp. She says ... but we went there on your first city tour. SF went to a prison that first tour but did not realize it WAS the Hanoi Hilton. I was told it was close to the Hanoi Towers office complex on the way to the World Bank. Guess what I saw during a drive back from lunch today? A prison beside the Hanoi Towers, called ... you guessed it ... the Hanoi Hilton. It looked familiar; I think I have been there already ... SF.
After a meeting of sorts at the end of the day with 2 guys from Oracle, one local and the other from Singapore, I was told the organized chaos in Hanoi, a.k.a. traffic, was many times worse in Saigon ... more reason to check out Ho Chi Minh City during a subsequent visit.
After a meeting of sorts at the end of the day with 2 guys from Oracle, one local and the other from Singapore, I was told the organized chaos in Hanoi, a.k.a. traffic, was many times worse in Saigon ... more reason to check out Ho Chi Minh City during a subsequent visit.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Accustomed to the customs
Since I adapted to the time change, I have been sleeping really well. The excitement of my journey yesterday has not warn off yet. When I leave the hotel in the AM, the streets of Hanoi are already so busy. They are especially teaming with the waves of scooters carrying people who knows where. In the midst of the organized chaos a.k.a. traffic, I always wonder where all these people could possibly be going.
While stupid ferenge is swimming in perspiration after a 30-45 minute walk, I notice the locals bundled up in attire that I would not be able to wear even if the mercury were 20 degrees, let alone the 35 or more that is is here. When out and about yesterday, I am sweltering in a cafe in Bát Tràng, and one of the servers gets off shift, gets her bicycle out of its parking spot, puts on gloves and a light jacket, and runs off down the street. Maybe they are protecting themselves from the intense almost-equatorial sun, not sure.
Spoke to my lovely Sweet Thing again and she is very busy. She mentioned since she returned from golf school the day I left for Hanoi, she has not got in a lot of rounds of 18. So it's off to the R&R tonight to check out yet another music establishment.
While stupid ferenge is swimming in perspiration after a 30-45 minute walk, I notice the locals bundled up in attire that I would not be able to wear even if the mercury were 20 degrees, let alone the 35 or more that is is here. When out and about yesterday, I am sweltering in a cafe in Bát Tràng, and one of the servers gets off shift, gets her bicycle out of its parking spot, puts on gloves and a light jacket, and runs off down the street. Maybe they are protecting themselves from the intense almost-equatorial sun, not sure.
Spoke to my lovely Sweet Thing again and she is very busy. She mentioned since she returned from golf school the day I left for Hanoi, she has not got in a lot of rounds of 18. So it's off to the R&R tonight to check out yet another music establishment.
A Sunday to remember
I was picked up in the lobby at about 8AM and the car/driver was different than last time. I deliberately took a picture of the vehicle as I did not recognize the brand. We headed out of Hanoi using a familiar route that passed the World Bank building which has served as my main marker throughout my stay.
The city went on and on and eventually things started to get more rural. Junie mentioned that a large area of land was annexed by the City of Hanoi I think she said over the past 20 years and that is why the city now seems to stretch on and on and on. It still looked somewhat urban as the scenery eventually melted into the countryside.
The road was not great but the roller coaster ride was worth it. We drove through one small enclave of people after another, on what seemed to be a raised piece of land between two soft valleys. The road was reminiscent of driving on a causeway except there was not water on either side. There were scooters everywhere and a lot of dodge-em manoeuvers pulled off instantaneously all along the course to avoid them. Large trucks whose brands I have never heard of sprung up all along the way; that was a different flavour of dodge-em.
We winded our way down a narrow road, half covered by alternating piles of sand and rocks. The first stop as was a pagoda. Pagodas in Vietnam are places of worship though they are not Buddhist Temples. They are the next closest thing. Just before getting to the pagoda, we saw the first of over 2 million piles of neatly arranged bricks at the side of the road. These piles are sometimes quite massive and so nicely arranged in a criss-cross fashion.
Inside the pagoda was the usual assortment of altars, busts, and Buddha-like figures, not to mention the ever-present incense. There were some very interesting trees with a cluster of narrowish feet at the base that split into more branches not far from the ground. I have seen these all over Hanoi. The buildings in the courtyard were classically Vietnamese with the traditional rooves many with turned up intricate corners.
The inside was wonderful, lots of reds and gold coloured tributes to Buddha, and did I mention the incense? There was lots of wood surrounding the inner courtyard and a concrete tower as well as many low distinctive buildings on the border of said courtyard. Some of the smaller altars had small figures on them, and were made out of wood and sometimes stone (the altars that is :)).
The inside is punctuated by pagoda flags which are very colourful, narrow, and tall material separated into a few vertical parts by intricate assortments of coloured cloth. I saw a few windows with 2 familiar Asian signs in them made from sculpted concrete. I think one of them means long life. There was naturally a small cafe on the way out, and then I saw one of many buses made by my favourite automobile manufacturer Hyundai. Our next stop was another pagoda.
This one was populated on the inside by an assortment of Buddha-like figures again, sized all the way from as tall as a 5 year-old child to the size of Goliath (from David and Goliath fame, yes that one). They were made out of wood, I think, though some could have been marble. The pagoda flags were out in full force, and I saw a handful of black figures decked out in very colourful clothing. There was the standard rock/brick tower in the middle of the inner courtyard as well as the wooden tables and beams supporting the roof on the perimeter as well. By the way, the Lacetti chariot we were in today is made by nobody else than ... Chevrolet! Who would'a thunk??
There was some driving between the stops. The distance between the first two pagodas was about 30 minutes. The drive to Bat Trang where we had lunch and hung out for 2 hours or so was quite a bit longer. The architecture of the houses all throughout the trip was so Southeast Asian, or at least what I expected it to look like. Just like in Japan (from what I have heard and seen on Discovery channel :)). they build up rather than out. I saw many houses 3 or 4 stories high with a footprint probably less than 50 square metres or 400 or so square feet (i.e., 20 by 20 feet). I would not want to find out what the temperature is like on the fourth floor on a day like this.
The next stop was Bát Tràng ... a famous ceramics outlet town and oh ya, just in case you are missing them already, a pagoda! Bát Tràng was a huge treat. We started by going to a pagoda, of all things :), but after a conversation we had with someone there, we were told to do the town walkabout then come back. The town is exactly 1,000 years old I was told, having been founded in 1010 of all years!! The streets were narrow, the architecture wonderful and very heavily weathered, and the sites a treat to see. We saw the familiar piles of bricks seen elsewhere, except some of them were actually other clay components than traditional bricks. Some were a variation of brick that had two centimetre holes drilled through their length probably for drainage. We returned to the pagida and had a look around. It was beautiful inside and I purchased some goodies for my babies and Annabelle/Paddy/Sean/Avery (soon-to-arrive grandson ... yessirreeeee ... August 23 through September 5 is his due date :)).
We then spent about 15 minutes trying to find somewhere for lunch and that was an adventure. We finally ended up at a place called Nàh Hàm Gống (sweet ... found out how to do the "o" with the 2 accents ... beauty!!!!!!!!!! ... and yes even though it looks like an "o" with a tilde [~] character, it is correct). I ordered the chicken, and was told they only had whole chickens. No problem, I will take the rest home. Guess what ... they did mean the whole chicken; the beady eyes were looking right at me, I cut off the head and hid it under a piece of chicken skin. The owner took me outside by the arm after I shook her hand and thanked her and said something to me in Vietnamese that I actually understood ... " bring all your friends here too". We then went to a ceramic spot ... no not a store, a factory, after a stroll through the marketplace. Junie painted a bowl the guy who works there made and we had a tea while it was fired.
We then headed back to Hanoi and I was sort of glad to be going back to air-conditioning. The day was beyond expectations and I have the pictures to prove it.
The city went on and on and eventually things started to get more rural. Junie mentioned that a large area of land was annexed by the City of Hanoi I think she said over the past 20 years and that is why the city now seems to stretch on and on and on. It still looked somewhat urban as the scenery eventually melted into the countryside.
The road was not great but the roller coaster ride was worth it. We drove through one small enclave of people after another, on what seemed to be a raised piece of land between two soft valleys. The road was reminiscent of driving on a causeway except there was not water on either side. There were scooters everywhere and a lot of dodge-em manoeuvers pulled off instantaneously all along the course to avoid them. Large trucks whose brands I have never heard of sprung up all along the way; that was a different flavour of dodge-em.
We winded our way down a narrow road, half covered by alternating piles of sand and rocks. The first stop as was a pagoda. Pagodas in Vietnam are places of worship though they are not Buddhist Temples. They are the next closest thing. Just before getting to the pagoda, we saw the first of over 2 million piles of neatly arranged bricks at the side of the road. These piles are sometimes quite massive and so nicely arranged in a criss-cross fashion.
Inside the pagoda was the usual assortment of altars, busts, and Buddha-like figures, not to mention the ever-present incense. There were some very interesting trees with a cluster of narrowish feet at the base that split into more branches not far from the ground. I have seen these all over Hanoi. The buildings in the courtyard were classically Vietnamese with the traditional rooves many with turned up intricate corners.
The inside was wonderful, lots of reds and gold coloured tributes to Buddha, and did I mention the incense? There was lots of wood surrounding the inner courtyard and a concrete tower as well as many low distinctive buildings on the border of said courtyard. Some of the smaller altars had small figures on them, and were made out of wood and sometimes stone (the altars that is :)).
The inside is punctuated by pagoda flags which are very colourful, narrow, and tall material separated into a few vertical parts by intricate assortments of coloured cloth. I saw a few windows with 2 familiar Asian signs in them made from sculpted concrete. I think one of them means long life. There was naturally a small cafe on the way out, and then I saw one of many buses made by my favourite automobile manufacturer Hyundai. Our next stop was another pagoda.
This one was populated on the inside by an assortment of Buddha-like figures again, sized all the way from as tall as a 5 year-old child to the size of Goliath (from David and Goliath fame, yes that one). They were made out of wood, I think, though some could have been marble. The pagoda flags were out in full force, and I saw a handful of black figures decked out in very colourful clothing. There was the standard rock/brick tower in the middle of the inner courtyard as well as the wooden tables and beams supporting the roof on the perimeter as well. By the way, the Lacetti chariot we were in today is made by nobody else than ... Chevrolet! Who would'a thunk??
There was some driving between the stops. The distance between the first two pagodas was about 30 minutes. The drive to Bat Trang where we had lunch and hung out for 2 hours or so was quite a bit longer. The architecture of the houses all throughout the trip was so Southeast Asian, or at least what I expected it to look like. Just like in Japan (from what I have heard and seen on Discovery channel :)). they build up rather than out. I saw many houses 3 or 4 stories high with a footprint probably less than 50 square metres or 400 or so square feet (i.e., 20 by 20 feet). I would not want to find out what the temperature is like on the fourth floor on a day like this.
The next stop was Bát Tràng ... a famous ceramics outlet town and oh ya, just in case you are missing them already, a pagoda! Bát Tràng was a huge treat. We started by going to a pagoda, of all things :), but after a conversation we had with someone there, we were told to do the town walkabout then come back. The town is exactly 1,000 years old I was told, having been founded in 1010 of all years!! The streets were narrow, the architecture wonderful and very heavily weathered, and the sites a treat to see. We saw the familiar piles of bricks seen elsewhere, except some of them were actually other clay components than traditional bricks. Some were a variation of brick that had two centimetre holes drilled through their length probably for drainage. We returned to the pagida and had a look around. It was beautiful inside and I purchased some goodies for my babies and Annabelle/Paddy/Sean/Avery (soon-to-arrive grandson ... yessirreeeee ... August 23 through September 5 is his due date :)).
We then spent about 15 minutes trying to find somewhere for lunch and that was an adventure. We finally ended up at a place called Nàh Hàm Gống (sweet ... found out how to do the "o" with the 2 accents ... beauty!!!!!!!!!! ... and yes even though it looks like an "o" with a tilde [~] character, it is correct). I ordered the chicken, and was told they only had whole chickens. No problem, I will take the rest home. Guess what ... they did mean the whole chicken; the beady eyes were looking right at me, I cut off the head and hid it under a piece of chicken skin. The owner took me outside by the arm after I shook her hand and thanked her and said something to me in Vietnamese that I actually understood ... " bring all your friends here too". We then went to a ceramic spot ... no not a store, a factory, after a stroll through the marketplace. Junie painted a bowl the guy who works there made and we had a tea while it was fired.
We then headed back to Hanoi and I was sort of glad to be going back to air-conditioning. The day was beyond expectations and I have the pictures to prove it.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
So now what
The biggest thing I have done while in Hanoi to pass the time is watch the World Cup. We are now down to 4 teams and they are off today and tomorrow. It gets even worse. The 2 semi-final games are on at 1:30AM Wednesday and Thursday with the 5 hour time change from South Africa. I will have to have a nap in the evening and then watch the games. I cannot go this far then miss the semis.
So what does a young man's "fancy" turn to when there is no football ... Wimbledon, ya that's the ticket. Nadal and Berdych men's final is on at 2PM London time which I think is 9PM here ... oops make that 8PM here. My BB 8800 is on its last legs; the trackball has been acting up for quite some time. I picked up a cheap Nokia in case it dies before I return to Ottawa. A cell phone is a must when travelling.
It should be very interesting the tour I have lined up today. I do not have a clue where I am going. I am always fascinated by the surroundings of these bergs that I stay in when traveling like this. I am sure I will see locals scurrying around at a ferverish pace like I do in Hanoi.
So what does a young man's "fancy" turn to when there is no football ... Wimbledon, ya that's the ticket. Nadal and Berdych men's final is on at 2PM London time which I think is 9PM here ... oops make that 8PM here. My BB 8800 is on its last legs; the trackball has been acting up for quite some time. I picked up a cheap Nokia in case it dies before I return to Ottawa. A cell phone is a must when travelling.
It should be very interesting the tour I have lined up today. I do not have a clue where I am going. I am always fascinated by the surroundings of these bergs that I stay in when traveling like this. I am sure I will see locals scurrying around at a ferverish pace like I do in Hanoi.
A gaggle of giggles ...
So I go to this restaurant near the hotel tonight for dinner before yet another 1 and maybe 2 World Cup matches. The ladies working there start to giggle as soon as stupid ferenge arrives and it does not stop while I am there. Every time my eyes meet one of theirs, it brings a smile to their faces followed by another dose of giggling. I wonder what it is that they find so amusing? Auf Wiedersehen Argentina. Germany was all over them. I have plans to watch Paraguay and Spain at 1:30AM so we will see how it goes.
Never before seen
I am spending all of today working on some documentation deliverables for MoF. I received an updated copy of the TOR (terms of reference) for this engagement and saw a clause that "spooked me". I have seen verbiage similar to this in other contracts, but not something that explicitly stated if they are not satisfied with the output I produce, I ain't going to get paid :). I have no reason to believe they won't be happy, but it was a little un-settling the way it was worded.
So my day will end with watching the World Cup at 9PM.
So my day will end with watching the World Cup at 9PM.
Friday, July 2, 2010
D minus 7.5
Just over a week from now I am embarking on what I know will be one of my most interesting adventures in my short life span ... a visit to my WONDERFUL little girl's new locale (at least for the last 16 months), Seoul Korea. I am stopping once in China for some reason rather than a direct flight to Seoul. I am not really sure what we will do together but I know the adventure will be action-packed. The World Cup final at 1:30AM Monday July 12 is the only thing definite so far. Naomi mentioned she knows at least one person who will be doing the same so it should be interesting. With Brasil gone it should be interesting.
The locals have a habit that we sure could benefit from in North America. They grab 40 winks many days during the 11:30-1:00 lunch hour. Many have folding cots similar to a pool chair we use at home. Out it comes, and they disappear for however long they can until stupid ferenge makes too much noise and they get up. The cot is then folded up and work re-commences. When they are napping, it is easy to think I am alone in the office. I have to remember this the next time so I don't do anything stupid that I would not do were I not "alone" ... stupid ferenge. The air conditioning does not come on until 7:30 and shuts itself down after the end of day chimes at 4:30. I am going to take a cot with me to the next after-hours meeting I am fortunate enough to attend.
The locals have a habit that we sure could benefit from in North America. They grab 40 winks many days during the 11:30-1:00 lunch hour. Many have folding cots similar to a pool chair we use at home. Out it comes, and they disappear for however long they can until stupid ferenge makes too much noise and they get up. The cot is then folded up and work re-commences. When they are napping, it is easy to think I am alone in the office. I have to remember this the next time so I don't do anything stupid that I would not do were I not "alone" ... stupid ferenge. The air conditioning does not come on until 7:30 and shuts itself down after the end of day chimes at 4:30. I am going to take a cot with me to the next after-hours meeting I am fortunate enough to attend.
'Twas a long week
What with the extra few hours last night for the World Bank meeting in the evening, it was a long week. I did get a lot accomplished preparing outputs for MoF and the Bank. We're back at the World Cup tonight at 9 with Brazil and Nederlands then Ghana and Uruguay in the late game. Tomorrow we are treated to Argentina / Germany then Paraguay / Spain.
Just watched Brasil lose ... wow! I am up until 1:30 to watch the late game too. It was packed in the bar for the early game. Bye bye Novak! I like that guy. Just watching Murray and Nadal. Where's Federer? Did he play Wimbledon? I spoke to the hockey deity tonight and got a thumbs up on the acquisition of Gonchar. Whatever Eeeeeeeen says goes.
I dined out tonight and decided in some local and almost all western restaurants here, meat or cheese dishes come swimming in a sea of grease. I guess that is the way of telling stupid ferenge to eat pho ba or ga (pronounce phir please).
I am hoping it's cool enough minyana to walk so I can spend a few hours doing just that. I think I'll watch the 9PM game tomorrow evening too. I got some lunch again today from a street vendor. I have bought from this lady many times before. I think I am getting the friendly discount; the first few times I was there lunch was an outrageous 95 cents and now I get it for 80 cents. 90 cents ... what a rip-off.
I had an especially nice time at work today with a few of the people I work with ... the Trangslator (of course) and Mr. Minh and Mr. Hanh too. I think the ladies in the office find ferenge quite funny and love to listen to Trangslator translate what I say in meetings. All of them are sponges for knowledge. I told the Trangslator today that there are words to the westminster chimes that announce the start (7:30) and end (4:30) of the work day ... go home Michael, time to go home. Try it, they fit perfectly into these chimes.
Just watched Brasil lose ... wow! I am up until 1:30 to watch the late game too. It was packed in the bar for the early game. Bye bye Novak! I like that guy. Just watching Murray and Nadal. Where's Federer? Did he play Wimbledon? I spoke to the hockey deity tonight and got a thumbs up on the acquisition of Gonchar. Whatever Eeeeeeeen says goes.
I dined out tonight and decided in some local and almost all western restaurants here, meat or cheese dishes come swimming in a sea of grease. I guess that is the way of telling stupid ferenge to eat pho ba or ga (pronounce phir please).
I am hoping it's cool enough minyana to walk so I can spend a few hours doing just that. I think I'll watch the 9PM game tomorrow evening too. I got some lunch again today from a street vendor. I have bought from this lady many times before. I think I am getting the friendly discount; the first few times I was there lunch was an outrageous 95 cents and now I get it for 80 cents. 90 cents ... what a rip-off.
I had an especially nice time at work today with a few of the people I work with ... the Trangslator (of course) and Mr. Minh and Mr. Hanh too. I think the ladies in the office find ferenge quite funny and love to listen to Trangslator translate what I say in meetings. All of them are sponges for knowledge. I told the Trangslator today that there are words to the westminster chimes that announce the start (7:30) and end (4:30) of the work day ... go home Michael, time to go home. Try it, they fit perfectly into these chimes.
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