wish list: chocolate

Going home in August, I was excited, knowing that my sister had brought me some chocolate in April. I opened the box that my mom had carefully put away, and it was a big-name brand (which equals barely average quality). Sis said she was in a rush and had to pick some up at the airport. No wonder! I could only digest a couple of pieces. That's the thing about chocolate for me. I'm addicted, but to quality, not to quantity. I'd rather not eat any for years than eat something less than gourmet (so spoiled i know).

As soon as i knew my sis was going home again in December, i asked her to buy some decent treats, not the airport kind. And yet I was again sorely disappointed. But i couldn't fault her. She moved to Zurich just a few days before flying out so she didn't know many places (plus, it's Zurich, not a French city). And then she spent a week in Bali, so the chocolate wasn't in, uhm, the best storage condition. Knowing that in no ways alleviated my sense of deprivation though. The last time I had some good one was all the way back in June when Col picked up some for me from Alegio's in Berkeley. It wasn't the best in the world (as advertised to him) but was up there.

I tried to suppress all thoughts about chocolate, but the wound was ripped open again when my friend Ysa posted on fb photos of the chocolate that she received (and got to eat). They looked divine, rubbing salt on my open sore. And I'm back on the crave. But this is Vietnam, it's like the antonym of good chocolate. In an act of desperation, I googled "best chocolate in Vietnam" and surprisingly came across a couple of interesting leads.

First is the Chocolate Buffet at the Hanoi's Metropole. Metropole is one of the top fine dining establishments in Hanoi. (I got to eat there once at a reception and every single thing was so damn delicious). All the reviews say the buffet is top-notch, mouth-watering, spectacular, sumptuous and scrumptious, blah blah blah. They even have chocolate spring rolls! What kind of sorcery is that! Not surprisingly it comes with a hefty price tag: $25. Sounds reasonable in dollars, but too sinful in Vietnam dong. But then, maybe i can eat myself out of ever wanting good chocolate again. Please let me indulge in some wishful thinking.

The other promising option is a chocolatier called Marou. They source cocoa beans in small farms in central and south Vietnam, and make the chocolate in Saigon. It's all local and small business. Sounds my type. And to top that off, behind it stand 2 French guys. French. Certainly helps, in my opinion. I'll be in Saigon in a couple of days and can't wait to taste their dark chocolate bar.

Scootering snaps: Beyond Cao Lanh

That's all chili in case you wonder.

Scootering snaps: Cao Lanh

Boats here have eyes so that they can see the way.

Destination: Đồng Tháp

150 kms southwest of Ho Chi Minh city, about 3.5 hrs by bus.

Things I know:
- an area called Đồng Tháp Mười, but i don't even know what and where exactly it is, and why it is famous.
- a town called Sadec, where part of the film L'amant (the Lover) was set. (A haunting book of longing and desire, adapted into a nostalgically sensual film, the first Western production shot in the country post 1975).

It is not all a tourist destination, evidenced by the dearth of hotel information online. I got off at the bus terminal and just asked around. Found a place and settled in. Dad called; he remembered that he has a friend here in the city of Cao Lanh (the provincial capital). That's the wonderful thing about the military: it's a hotpot of people from all different places.

15 years ago, my dad went a way for a year of training in the city of Nha Trang. Uncle Hung was in the same cohort as my dad. Back then, cell phones were a rarity. Once or twice a week, uncle Hung would trek to the local post office to call home. When my dad knew about this, he offered his cell phone number to uncle Hung so that his wife could call and he wouldn't have to take the walk at night any more.

Uncle Hung is now the second-in-command of the provincial army, and he offered me a military "escort" - one of his men can take me around to visit the recipients. Made me feel like a VIP, but i think i'll just opt for the xe ôm.

Uncle Hung explained to me that Đồng Tháp Mười back in the day was all uninhabited wetland where hardcore resistance fighters used to hide out. (Mystery solved!) It has turned into a major rice production area since. The only part that still resembles the past is Tràm Chim, which is now a national park and Ramsar site, famous for its crane population. Too bad I have no time for sightseeing on this trip, but definitely next time around.

On the road again... soon enough

I started this blog and decided to name it "musing on the road: here, there, and everywhere" right before I left France the summer of 2008. France was the official start of my traveling curse, which I was more than grateful to embrace. A couple of short trips, one to the Balearic islands, the other to Algeria, and at the end of my time in France, I knew that I didn't want to come back to the U.S. right away. I ended up in India. And after that, punctuated with semesters back in school were months in Peru, Mexico, and Cuba. I went as far as my time and finance would permit. The finale was 2 beautiful years in Hawaii. I was there for school so technically I can't call it traveling. But the islands are so beautiful I just have to brag about them.

I always thought that once i got back home i'd not be able to travel much again, that i'd have to settle down so to speak.

My prediction seemed to come true when i moved back. 4 months locked down in Hanoi. But now with this new job, half of my work time is on the road, here, there, and everywhere (but all within Vietnam of course). I think it'd suit me just fine. I'm excited to see parts of the country that I'm not at all familiar with. I'm excited that i don't work 9-5; i don't even have an office to work in for that matter. What more could a undisciplined soul ask for? I could already see a host of my friends nodding: Yeah you'd totally do something like that. I guess i'm just that predictable, people!

Tomorrow, the journey starts again. I'm nervous, almost like the first time I stepped out on the road, arm out thumb up, having absolutely no idea what was gonna happen. It might seem funny to people but I feel less safe in my own country than in other places (and yes, I traveled by myself to very conservative regions in Algeria and India). I'm Vietnamese, and have to play by the Vietnamese rules. Much less leeway than when I'm abroad and can fake ignorance to do what pleases me.

In a week, I'll know if I like the aftertaste.

hay que vivir bonito

Hello world and hello friends that stumble on my blog from time to time,

Here's another attempt at jotting down my life.

Biggest news is that I'm back in Vietnam after 7 years. The typical reaction from relatives, friends, acquaintances was: Why did you come back? Why didn't you just get married and settle abroad? It's so chaotic back here you won't be able to stand it.

There are various reasons, one being my stubbornness to prove myself, to prove that i can make it back here. It hasn't been smooth. After years of living life the way you want it, moving back with any parents would be hard. Riding around in scooter is stressful; sometimes i feel like my head would explode if i heard another honk. I miss the ocean, miss the smell of salt, miss the taste of it when i lick my lips. And perhaps a time of more innocence and less worry.

I worked briefly at a planning institute and fought a lot with mom and dad so that i could quit. It tired and depressed me to listen to pretty words from people who would do nothing close to what they say (or worse, the opposite of what they say). They say patience. What you need is patience to get to the place where you can do what you want. But no thank you, i can't live with pretentiousness.

While waiting to quit that job, thanks to Ngoc, i started working at a PR firm (her workplace). It kept me sane. The work was straightforward. I knew what i was doing and why i was doing it.

And now after 4 months of digging for directions, I got another chance. I already know there will be some big challenges and it will be trying both physically and psychologically. But i'll get to do something that is meaningful to me because it serves a greater good.

Sometimes I read back my blog and journal entries, and come across advice that people (usually random strangers) gave me about life. And i'd always cry. They all tell me to be who i am. Maybe because they're not my mom and don't have to fret about my future. Still, that's what i need to hear from time to time: do what you believe in.