I think I was up about 05:45.  Talked with B and M until I sent them off to school.  Chilled and moved what I’ve written to my blog now that I have Internet for my lappy.  No rush; I’m on vacation.

Walked to a small park on the Saigon River  called Công viên Thảo Điền to see what I could hear.  Unfortunately there was a backhoe at work next door.  We shall see if those audio recordings offer anything worthwhile.  Many young men and a few women were doing various health activities, some using the included park equipment.

That having failed I headed back toward the restaurant and shopping areas for additional wandering.

Met a trio of Romanians on the sidewalk and talked with them until their cab arrived.

There was a security guy in a hammock and when I offered to take his picture he insisted I wait until he pulled out this two- or three-foot long pipe to smoke for the photo.  Clearly the highlight of his day.

Found some chickens in wire rings on the sidewalk.

Visited something that was either a shrine or a park or maybe something else entirely.  Hung out making a recording of the sounds and trying to shoot some more birds.  Slightly better luck here.

Later found a Korean noodle place and had their lunch special plus an order of gyoza.  The tea may have been a bit thin but it was bottomless and icy.

Met a guy from Texas and his lady friend.  They gave me tons of advice and place ideas for visiting.  Also told me about a gelateria.

Ralf’s Artisan Gelato was tiny.  There was just enough room for the three girls to stand behind the counter.  It was maybe two feet between either the entrance wall or the back wall to the gelato counter.  They three huddled behind and me on the other side.  Such a tiny space was easy to keep cool.

I ordered a scoop of Smurf (which was vanilla with chocolate chips and somehow made blue, perhaps using blueberry flour if that’s a good translation) and a scoop of cherry variegato.  They asked if I wanted a free sample-sized scoop as well.  Duh.  Chocolate.  Even had a little chocolate cookie thing on top.

They offered for me to sit inside which meant sitting on a small stool next to a small fridge between the door and the payment counter.  Perfect place to eat my gelato.  Definitely made up for the lame ice cream from yesterday.

After that I returned to Quan Bui Garden to try one of their cocktails and to wait for the brewery to open so I can maybe buy a baseball cap.  I had the Saigon Hustle (black label whiskey, bar-made jackfruit syrup, D O M (?), egg white, and lime).

Keep hearing Christmas music and have to remind myself it’s November:  80-100f is not my usual November temperature range.

Met a guy from London and his Vietnamese girlfriend.  We talked for a couple of hours maybe.  Another quick violent rain storm and another recording of that.

Back to Pasteur Street but no baseball caps today.  Had the jasmine IPA.  Think I prefer the jasmine amber because the jasmine comes through more clearly.

Walked back and started to write this up but was too exhausted to finish.