Tennis, Swimming, Soccer and an Outrageous Dinner in Saigon

Day two, and I am loving this place just as much, if not more. It's so much more modern and cosmopolitan than I imagined.

After breakfast and my morning stretching/exercise routine, I found a local KFC, bought a picture of Ho Chi Mihn, and interviewed local people, as well as a grumpy tourist, about the uncanny resemblance between Uncle Ho and the Colonel, and if that might explain why KFC is the only Western fast food chain in Vietnam. I got some great footage - of kids feeding me, of a cop sort of chasing me, of the manager denying everything... LOL.

After my little film shoot, I went back to the local tennis club I found yesterday, and paid the pro (who I was better than, and also about a foot taller than) 9 bucks to hit with me for an hour. The heat and humidity killed me, but it was super fun to play tennis for the first time in 3 months - though it didn't hold a candle to my tennis buds back home Onno and Jamie! Yeah, you know.

I befriend the 70 year old guy who runs the show there. We talk for a while, and he tells me about how he used to teach Thai Chi to US Military Policemen! He's super nice, and helps me get in the adjacent pool. It costs 80 cents, plus 20 cents for the swimsuit I was forces to rent. Gross! I'm certainly the only white guy there. I buy my Vietnamese friend an ice coffee and me steak and fries, and swim some.

I hop a motorbike home, and the guy drives like a Mario Andretti on crack - for real - and I fucking love it. Twice he hopped the curb to take a short cut - on the sidewalk! All you can do is enjoy it.

After my fourth shower of the day, I head to a nearby park, and some local guys invite me to join their soccer game, which was super, super fun. I scored two goals and had some nice assists - in flip flops! Go Krouzman.

This required shower number 5, then a walk back to aerobics square, and an amazing, amazing dinner with my German friends. We sat outside around a low wooden table amidst tropical plants and surrounding a beautiful colonial building. The place was packed with locals and a good amount of tourists too. We ordered 10 dishes and shared them. Amazing spring rolls, grilled squid, 2 soups, rice pancakes with shrimp, chicken...and oh god the dessert! It looked like testicles in cream sauce, but tasted much better. ;-)

Then we walked a ton through this awesome city, and got pedaled home in 3 Cyclos (a guy rides a bike and you sit in a sort of chariot in front of him). These guys were so sweet, and gave us a little tour, pointing out cool things like the old hotels, and the former US embassy in Saigon, a very important piece of military history. And the best thing is, they didn't really try to rip us off!

And now, my friends, it is off to bed. My body is beat - perhaps a massage tomorrow? I may also go dance at night. And maybe, just maybe, strike up a conversation with one of these Saigonese beauties. I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Much love,
Roni