Vietnamese dinner

I think my worst fear is getting lost in a huge city where I do not speak the lingo. Last night was the first night I have really spent alone at dinner time in HCMC, or in Vietnam for that matter. 

I was determined to find some place to eat, and figure out how to make that work. Since my hotel is at an intersection, I decided to take each direction from the hotel and walk until I couldn't or didn't find anything. 

My second fear is getting hit by a motorbike. They are everywhere, even on the sidewalk (sometimes especially on the sidewalk - a popular if illegal way to get around stopped traffic). Crossing a street you have to walk steadily and pretend not to see them, and in theory they go around you. I avoid crossing busy streets, although the locals do it. 

As it turns out, I live in a garment/banking area where restaurants are scarce, so I did  a lot of walking. There was  KFC, but I did not want to give in to the temptation to eat there. I kept going and eventually stumbled upon a Pho place that had seating for maybe 25, one Pho pot by the front of the store, and a few customers. 

The Pho was good as far as I can tell. People ask me if it was good Pho. How would I know? I put in a lot of those hot yellow peppers. To me, the Pho tastes like pepper sauce. Then it becomes an issue of texture. Noodles, meat, and the leaves I tear up and throw in. I really don't know what "good" is. If my scalp tingles and my forehead is dewy and my nose runs, it is darned good Pho! 

After dinner, I offered them either 100,000 VND or 5 dollars US. They took the VND and gave me change. I think I ate a good dinner and had a beer for about 40,000VND (about 2 bucks). Not a word of English was ever exchanged. 

I try to say stuff like "Cam on", which if I say it right is "Thank you". People smile and nod. I know my pronunciation is horrible. I just can't tell when I say it that it is horrible. Sounds right to me. But then, I can't tell good Pho from bad, either.