01 Jan 2012: NEW YEAR'S (MOVING) DAY

It's been a happy New Year so far, we had 2 bits of luck early. First, we got a minibus from Vung Tau to Saigon right at our door, didn't have to find a bus station. (Insert very rough 2-hour bouncing pot holes ride here.) Second, we could walk to our new digs even in the extreme heat of midday, again avoiding the search trauma of a new city. There is a bit of skyline highrise visible, but mostly a jumble of narrow storefronts and crazed motorbike revelers. Can you find Pat leaning out the window? 

Another nice bit of luck is a huge city park right across the kamikaze street. Rows of displays and booths by day ---- the government is still pushing military strength --- and family pix by the orchids. But after dark it became a wonderland of lights and celebration. Right beside each other were the 2 main Vietnamese art forms:over-the-top Chinese Opera, and magical water puppets. Camp and fun, respectively. 

Wouldn't you know it is also the World Culinary Festival! Booths offered tastes of everything from Mexican tamales to German bratwurst to New Zealand ice cream to Indonesian ristaffel. As it turned out, we already had eaten Italian, with a proudly mixed Vietnamese/Cambodian/Chinese waiter. We've landed in a great travelers' hood and we're jumping into the swirling chaos on Tham Street.