We have now packad our stuff and moved to District 5 here in HCMC, china town are located in this part of town, a big differentwe I noticed is that almost nobody that We ”talked” to speak english around here.
It took us half an hour to book a room and make our self understood ... and then we were still in a hotel reception whose only goal is to rent out rooms.
What makes it a little extra difficult / challenging is that in this part of the world we do not have the same body language, we have also found that out when we traveled around the Thai countryside, so the handwaving is significantly overestimated.
What we have also learned is that the food you order rarely or never looks like the one shown in the pictures, maybe they are using Photoshop. (.. o no sorry, there were probably not invented when the pictures taken 🤔)
we have nevertheless become a bit skilled so we do not starve to death, we obey and eat ( and sometimes a little surprised ) what is being served to us.
The feeling that you are like an elephant in a porcelain factory is constantly present, but extraordinary at restaurant visits, chairs and stools seems to be purchased on Toys R us and is about 30 cm tall and it is a technical impossibility to get your oversized legs under the table.
But it doesnt matter because everyone that we meet are kind and friendly, we constantly meet smiling faces and people who are wishing us a "happy new year" ... like now that I think about it..there are actually three English words 🤩🎉.
And celebrate New Year they are really good at!!! In 3 ... or 4 days.
we walk around in a town filled with glittery confetti and the remains after big and small parties, the atmosphere today is a little like the day after the evenings before if you know what I meen, and some brave ones look like they been partying both day and night and still are celebrating with the same great enthusiasm.
we were invited to drink beer With them and today also dried fish was on the menu (to Rickard's delight * not *) and water melon.
We walked around in small blocks and in narrow alleys. There are very few Westerners here compared to District 1, and it is definitely easier to walk around in the streets, whether it's because it's weekend or if it's always like this is hard to know.
Tomorrow night we will take the night bus to Ha Tien for a further trip to Phu Quoc and get a little island life. It will be nice to get sand between the toes again and with that we are happy to say goodbye to the rooster, the animal of the year 2017 (they have kuckeling since four o´clock this morning 🙉)...
...And warmly welcome to the year of the dog 2018 🌺❤️☮️