22 March 2009
02 November 2008
On the money
We went along to the Saigon horse racing track a few weeks ago - an annual event that we missed last year. Not sure why, but actually I have never really been that interested in horses. And I haven't known how to place a bet at the track.
I got there a bit late - since I had a wedding to go to as well - and tried to catch up with the others. I hadn't dressed up in the spirit of the day, so needless to say I did not get chosen for the prize! What a shame...
Anyway, the last race was upon us, and I decided it was really now or never. So I went the window and placed a bet for a first placer and a tri-fecta. Horse 6 for the win and 3, 6, 12 for the boxed trifecta.
And what do you know!?! They ran home: 3-6-12! Very exciting - first bet at a race and I won!
And so for the winnings. Lost the 200,000 (dong) that I put on the win, but I got 864,000 from the 60,000 I put on the trifecta. Too bad I hadn't reversed that bet!
That's Duane and Mattie hamming it up with the grinning winner. Good fun, but I don't think I will take it up punting as a hobby.
I got there a bit late - since I had a wedding to go to as well - and tried to catch up with the others. I hadn't dressed up in the spirit of the day, so needless to say I did not get chosen for the prize! What a shame...
Anyway, the last race was upon us, and I decided it was really now or never. So I went the window and placed a bet for a first placer and a tri-fecta. Horse 6 for the win and 3, 6, 12 for the boxed trifecta.
And what do you know!?! They ran home: 3-6-12! Very exciting - first bet at a race and I won!
And so for the winnings. Lost the 200,000 (dong) that I put on the win, but I got 864,000 from the 60,000 I put on the trifecta. Too bad I hadn't reversed that bet!
That's Duane and Mattie hamming it up with the grinning winner. Good fun, but I don't think I will take it up punting as a hobby.
01 November 2008
Surprise em Hilly
About a week before the real day, the PC conspired to have a surprise birthday for Hilly. My job was to get the present. Right.... Right!- that photograph down on Le Loi. Managed to sneak down the road under pretense of a haircut or something. Bought the old fisherman and arranged for the shop to deliver it to Duane and Andrea's, who live near the restaurant. H and I taxied over to Le Jardin in An Phu and had a few pre-dinner drinks.
Duane called me a few times - "they still haven't come". But finally it did - on the back of a trusty motor-cycle - in one piece. D and I snuck it in to the court yard and then sprung the trap!
We have a bit of a tradition that the host pays for the birthday dinners over here. No worries really, except that when I went to give the manager my card, he sheepishly stated that they do not take credit cards! What - a french restaurant in the middle of an expat street that doesn't take a card? Of course I could have scraped up the dollars from our friends, but that wouldn't be right. So I told the manager that I would need to come back tomorrow with the cash. And he agreed - even though it was the first time I had even stepped foot in his place! Remarkable anywhere else I guess.
Happy birthday Hilly. I hope we can celebrate in another french restaurant again soon, but maybe next time in France!
Duane called me a few times - "they still haven't come". But finally it did - on the back of a trusty motor-cycle - in one piece. D and I snuck it in to the court yard and then sprung the trap!
We have a bit of a tradition that the host pays for the birthday dinners over here. No worries really, except that when I went to give the manager my card, he sheepishly stated that they do not take credit cards! What - a french restaurant in the middle of an expat street that doesn't take a card? Of course I could have scraped up the dollars from our friends, but that wouldn't be right. So I told the manager that I would need to come back tomorrow with the cash. And he agreed - even though it was the first time I had even stepped foot in his place! Remarkable anywhere else I guess. 
Happy birthday Hilly. I hope we can celebrate in another french restaurant again soon, but maybe next time in France!
26 October 2008
Twins together
Finally managed to convince Karen that we needed to be together and it had to be in Vietnam. Kezza (to her bro) gathered up the necessary courage and left the country she has been bonded to for ohh-so many years and flew to HCMC, via Singapore. She managed to "drag" daughter Grace - who made perfect compamy for her Asian extravaganza - so fly she did......And ended up right in the middle of Ho Chi Minh City!
From traffic to taxis to tunnels, there was no holding her back. The heat, the noise, the people, walking here and there.
After awhile in the big smoke, the three blondies headed up to Hoi An for some flirting with the seaside. Glen had to keep the nose to grindstone while the girls fired up. Beachside resort, lanterns, cafes galore and local shops.
After the jaunting up north, the girls were seen together in many of our favourite spots around HCMC - The Rex, Dong Khoi Street, Benh Thanh Market, Mekong Merchants. And Glen managed to tag along from time to time!
And in between the bargaining at the market and buying lots of clothes and stuff, we celebrated Hilly's birthday - the song was sung by a madding crowd, but none louder than the twins.
And while Kezza wasn't exploring, she would sit by the window and just check out life along Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street. She now knows more about the schedule of the little ladies across the street, understands the nuances of Vietnamese construction procedures and the crazy habits of our horn-honking scooter riders.
Hurry back you two. It was fantastic to have you both here!
From traffic to taxis to tunnels, there was no holding her back. The heat, the noise, the people, walking here and there.
After awhile in the big smoke, the three blondies headed up to Hoi An for some flirting with the seaside. Glen had to keep the nose to grindstone while the girls fired up. Beachside resort, lanterns, cafes galore and local shops.
After the jaunting up north, the girls were seen together in many of our favourite spots around HCMC - The Rex, Dong Khoi Street, Benh Thanh Market, Mekong Merchants. And Glen managed to tag along from time to time!
And in between the bargaining at the market and buying lots of clothes and stuff, we celebrated Hilly's birthday - the song was sung by a madding crowd, but none louder than the twins.
And while Kezza wasn't exploring, she would sit by the window and just check out life along Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street. She now knows more about the schedule of the little ladies across the street, understands the nuances of Vietnamese construction procedures and the crazy habits of our horn-honking scooter riders.
Hurry back you two. It was fantastic to have you both here!
17 August 2008
And Holly in the middle
So, it has been many a month since the Purple Circle has been in the same place at the same time. But today was the day. And in the middle of the circle is little Holly Emma, who was definitely the most photographed person in Ho Chi Minh City today!
Today was lunch at the Riverside, mainly to welcome home Jenna and Nigel from their England holiday. Two weeks with bJ's family, ending up back here wondering why!
Jill and Mattie joined us, and despite the encouragement provided by the piano, there was not a lot of singing. Just a lot of pounding on the keys!
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