So having said the above, I have generally avoided the popular expat hangouts in Saigon such as Vasco's, Apocalypse, Go2, Lush and others that come to mind such as the Factory, Lavish, Acoustic, Yoko's, Phatty's, Drunken Duck, Bar Number Five, et al. I suppose I'm just not that social. And when I am feeling particularly social, I actually like to hear what my friends are saying without yelling What?! every time they finish speaking. I like music, but not when it feels like my ears are getting raped. Yes, I'm an old man. Turn down that music you sonofabitch!
Not to say that I've never been out in Saigon, I just tend to avoid the above places MOST OF THE TIME. I recently went back to Acoustic for the second time in nearly four years. And it was packed, brimming with mostly young Vietnamese. I'm surrounded by Asians! Such a rarity in Vietnam. Not one to particularly fancy hanging out by the door looking for a place to sit, we found some seats and I eventually blended in with the crowd nursing my beverage of choice, a cold Tiger.
And the beer was actually cold. Not just stuck in the fridge for ten minutes to feel frosty on the outside, but actually chilled throughout. The way a beer should be drunk. And the music was actually good too. A heavyset black guy banging out some classic covers and a cheesy, but likable Vietnamese guy doing a set shortly thereafter. Sure it helped to know the tunes, but they were performed well and I actually found myself singing (mostly in my head) and bobbing along as well. I hate those people.
And last night, a few nights post-Acoustic, I found myself in Vasco's. A place I have only visited a few times and really only to know what all the fuss was about. It wasn't all that. But having said that, I am hard to please. Unless of course we're talking a 14,000 dong beer on the street, but that shit better be cold! This time, I was invited to Vasco's and lately I've been needing a vice so it sounded like a good idea. And it was.
Hanging out with a bunch of new people proved slightly traumatic until the first beer passed my lips. Not really, I just like to exaggerate, but go with it. Anyway, it's not always easy hanging with new people who also happen to be from a different culture. Not that difficult, but harder to know what to say and what's going to be understood. It was fine and a lot of names were finally placed with faces.
And then there were a bunch of recognizable faces from work and softball and here and there and everywhere. Like a high school reunion only it hadn't been that long. Then there was that girl. And that guy. And that other girl. And my old housemate. And apparently some local celebrities. And drunk yet friendly folks passing by and making interesting conversation.
I was told that all the other popular hangouts were closed to mark the observance of a former Vietnamese Prime Minister's recent death. And so everyone came to Vasco's. Why they were able to stay open was not clear. Perhaps they paid off the police. Who the guy was I'll never know as I can't even find information on his death by simply checking the local Vietnamese papers online. Whatever. I was told nobody liked the guy so perhaps nobody did a write up. Well, I'm sure somebody did. I'm just not that interested to find it.
Anyway, maybe I'm changing. I'm going out more, enjoying people's company more and enjoying my own less. Perhaps compensating for all the moments I've enjoyed alone in the past. And also perhaps because I don't know how much longer I'll be in this city and I want to enjoy as many evenings as I can just in case there aren't that many more. And definitely because I'm taking my mind off other issues, which remain, but are at least less of an issue when I'm out enjoying myself. Not the best way to deal, but it could be worse. Always could be worse.
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