December 9, 2007
Hi....
Evie and I have just returned from a late night out. We went out to dinner with our attorney and two representatives from the other agency he works for. We went to the SEN restaurant. It was quite the experience.
The beginning of the night was a bit worrisome....first Evelyn cried when the two representatives, Martin and Kim tried to hold her ...and I mean really cried. It was now already 7:00 and she hadn't eaten any dinner yet and she didn't know either one of them. I could have predicted this would be her reaction, but here in Vietnam you want to be polite to people and if they want to hold the baby (even i you know she is going to cry) you politely let them learn for themselves!!!
The next part of our adventure was the taxi ride. It appeared to me that the driver didn't really know where he was going due to the slowness of his driving on one particular street. Then it became very apparent he was lost when he turned the taxi around on a very busy 2lane (maybe 3 lane) highway...or at least a what is called a highway here in Hanoi. In actuality it is about the width of a two way street in America but there are cars, trucks, buses and motor bikes going along in any which lane. It is quite amusing how the double line means nothing over here. So finally, i realize the cab driver or the rep. or maybe both are calling the restaurant for directions and we eventually make it down what I would call an alleyway. At the end of the "alley" are many people, bright lights, a man selling balloons and approx. 10 cabs or so. It looks as if there is a party going on. I soon learn that this is the restaurant.
It was a very large, open air place with long tables. It had the feel of Durgin Park....everyone sits with everyone and it is loud and busy!! It was a buffet style restaurant. We were seated at the end of a long table, asked what we would like for drinks and then ushered over to the huge variety of food. I was so pleased to see that the food was labled in both Vietnamese and English. I picked out several salad type dishes, some sauteed green beans with prawns, grilled prawns and soup to start with. I knew Evelyn would like the soup and the rest looked interesting to me. I stayed clear of the eel, the goat meat and snails!! MY first course was delicious and before I knew it more food was placed in front of me. Martin and Kim took it upon themselves to get me food. Eveyln continued to sample a few things...spring rolls and fish sauteed with mushrooms and beef. SHe would have tried more but mommy drew the line on the clams with hot pepper sauce and the fish and glass noodles!! She even wanted to get her hands on the chopsticks.
The next thing I knew...dessert had come. A very large plate of fruit, creme de caramel, sweet black beans, donuts, and some other fruit in sugar. I was so surprised with the black beans. Martin said that they only had them in Vietnam and that I had to try them. Well, they were outstanding. I asked how to make them and will attempt them when I get home. It might take me a while to perfect the right amount of sugar...but I don't think it will be too hard.
All in all it was a wonderful evening. A late one....Evie finally fell asleep on my shoulder at about 9:15 or so. I figured it didn't matter if she was up late or not given the fact she was up every hour last night. But....she seems to be fast asleep at this point. She didn't even wake up as I took her out of her carrier, took off her jacket, changed her diaper and laid her into her bed. Maybe she needs more nights out to help her sleep!! She certainly loved the excitement and was a very good little girl through the whole event.
I am hopeful that this will turn out to be one of our very last Vietnamese meals in Hanoi and one of our very last experiences before heading home. It would certainly be a nice way to end it.
Evie and I have just returned from a late night out. We went out to dinner with our attorney and two representatives from the other agency he works for. We went to the SEN restaurant. It was quite the experience.
The beginning of the night was a bit worrisome....first Evelyn cried when the two representatives, Martin and Kim tried to hold her ...and I mean really cried. It was now already 7:00 and she hadn't eaten any dinner yet and she didn't know either one of them. I could have predicted this would be her reaction, but here in Vietnam you want to be polite to people and if they want to hold the baby (even i you know she is going to cry) you politely let them learn for themselves!!!
The next part of our adventure was the taxi ride. It appeared to me that the driver didn't really know where he was going due to the slowness of his driving on one particular street. Then it became very apparent he was lost when he turned the taxi around on a very busy 2lane (maybe 3 lane) highway...or at least a what is called a highway here in Hanoi. In actuality it is about the width of a two way street in America but there are cars, trucks, buses and motor bikes going along in any which lane. It is quite amusing how the double line means nothing over here. So finally, i realize the cab driver or the rep. or maybe both are calling the restaurant for directions and we eventually make it down what I would call an alleyway. At the end of the "alley" are many people, bright lights, a man selling balloons and approx. 10 cabs or so. It looks as if there is a party going on. I soon learn that this is the restaurant.
It was a very large, open air place with long tables. It had the feel of Durgin Park....everyone sits with everyone and it is loud and busy!! It was a buffet style restaurant. We were seated at the end of a long table, asked what we would like for drinks and then ushered over to the huge variety of food. I was so pleased to see that the food was labled in both Vietnamese and English. I picked out several salad type dishes, some sauteed green beans with prawns, grilled prawns and soup to start with. I knew Evelyn would like the soup and the rest looked interesting to me. I stayed clear of the eel, the goat meat and snails!! MY first course was delicious and before I knew it more food was placed in front of me. Martin and Kim took it upon themselves to get me food. Eveyln continued to sample a few things...spring rolls and fish sauteed with mushrooms and beef. SHe would have tried more but mommy drew the line on the clams with hot pepper sauce and the fish and glass noodles!! She even wanted to get her hands on the chopsticks.
The next thing I knew...dessert had come. A very large plate of fruit, creme de caramel, sweet black beans, donuts, and some other fruit in sugar. I was so surprised with the black beans. Martin said that they only had them in Vietnam and that I had to try them. Well, they were outstanding. I asked how to make them and will attempt them when I get home. It might take me a while to perfect the right amount of sugar...but I don't think it will be too hard.
All in all it was a wonderful evening. A late one....Evie finally fell asleep on my shoulder at about 9:15 or so. I figured it didn't matter if she was up late or not given the fact she was up every hour last night. But....she seems to be fast asleep at this point. She didn't even wake up as I took her out of her carrier, took off her jacket, changed her diaper and laid her into her bed. Maybe she needs more nights out to help her sleep!! She certainly loved the excitement and was a very good little girl through the whole event.
I am hopeful that this will turn out to be one of our very last Vietnamese meals in Hanoi and one of our very last experiences before heading home. It would certainly be a nice way to end it.
