Sunday, September 5, 2010

Tangled Up in Blue

Every time I land at Noi Bai airport I am struck with the same realization Oh my gosh, I live in Vietnam. Really, you'd think I'd be used to it by now but the concept of it, at times, is still an abstract novelty. By now, I am able to navigate the chaotic streets with relative ease but the fact that I'm living this bizarre yet incredible life is not lost on me.

As I mentioned previously, it was very difficult for me to leave home this time. I thought it would be easy and painless, and was surprised in fact to find how easily I morphed back into a "New York state of mind" during my six week stint there, I really felt that i had progressed so much since moving here, that New York was great but that it was nothing compared to my adventures here.

I'm still "New York sick" but found that once I was in a cab heading home (laughing at the fact that my only "real" address these days is in Vietnam) that it was like I never left. Almost. I unpacked all of my things, and within hours I was immersed back into the Hanoi scene. It's kind of incredible to me that in 36 hours I am seamlessly able to transition from having drinks on the roof of the Soho House to eating street food and listening to music at Cinematheque.

Two solid days later, I've fallen back into my old routine. Same friends. Same habits. Same bars. The only thing that's different is me. When I left for vacation I was convinced that I wasn't ready to be a US resident for a while and this trip made me question that, so I am still pining a little bit for home. However, I have a feeling in the weeks to come (which will surely include several bowls of stellar pho) that the gnaw will dull and I'll be imagining how I could ever go back to NYC.

12 comments:

  1. Then you've got to head to Phở Lý Quốc Sư ASAP. I've heard from good sources which swore the recipe for their broth is 100+ yrs old.

    http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/venue/show/2863/Pho-Ly-Quoc-Su

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  2. oh that's my local pho spot. it's 3 minutes from my house and I am frequent patron. the rumors are true, it's fab.

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  3. you guys need to get tests done at a proper medical establishments on your taste buds

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  4. I've never tasted the stuff myself. I've never been to Hanoi for that matter; but I've seen the famous singer My Linh interviewed on VTV4, and she swore by the Pho there. Now that I've thought about it, I'm not so sure her taste in things can be wholly trusted, because she also said she once went shopping for a multi-million dollars yacht in Hong Kong with her husband. In a poor country like Vietnam, I'm certain that counts for bad taste.

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  5. I ate there tonight. i like it. Viet is an elitest who rarely knows what he's talking about

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  6. I ate there last week. The reason why the recipe was created 100 years ago is because that was also the moment when the French brought us artificial seasoning.

    The traditional recipe lasted for a thousand year. Beat that.

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  7. why don't you take me on a date to a better place then? or all you all talk and no action?

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  8. If you are ready to pay 45 bucks (minimum) for a bowl of Pho, sure. Let's go.

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  9. @Viet: we have the Japanese to thank for artificial seasoning. Hello Ajinomoto!
    $45 American greenbacks for a bowl of Phở in VN? WTF. That's insane on many levels. Market Economy with Socialist Orientation is now officially lost on me.:(

    I also retract what I said about My Linh having bad taste. VTV4 is going to air a half hour documentary about Phở Lý Quốc Sư. From now on you can tell the old boss lady you saw her on TV, then maybe she'll be star-struck and comp you some free quay.:)

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  10. Well, because that bowl of pho has Kobe beef in it. 45 american dollars seem about right for several pieces.

    I just asked the local near my work place today. They have been living for their whole life, been through the two wars. They say that the old Ly Quoc Su was good, but they moved to some other place, and the new one swiftly moved in and replaced it.

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  11. @Viet can you come with me this weekend ad help me get internet set up for my phone?

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  12. sure. text me about the time and place

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