I’ve been eager to see a water puppet show. I got a response to my emailed inquiry and asked if I could please have a seat reserved for the Friday 8pm show. I grabbed a bike taxi straight after a post-work shower. I got there with two minutes to spare. The theatre was closed, but there was certainly something else on the go.
There must have been at least 400 billion people bustling around the streets! I knew that the coming Monday was the Vietnam Day of Independence (which I was sure will be a huge deal), but it turned out that National Day was also in the mix, so this would be a whole long weekend of celebrations!
The scene was filled with colourful lights, balloons, food stalls, music, flashing toys and outfits, happy children, and candy floss. It’s amazing to think how this never would have happened during Covid times. It was almost like a celebration of its end with such a mass of humans.
Some crowds were gathered around live music performers, in perfect circles. My favourite was a rock n roll-type chap who sang while another dude danced very enthusiastically around the inner circle, trying to work the crowd. They didn’t have a tip box; they had three tip SUITCASES – filled with colourful notes!
I found a low rooftop bar which was a perfect spot to view the show from. I was very pleased with myself for having found a balcony seat, when the music suddenly stopped and the crowd dispersed. In fact, the entire festival suddenly switched off! I looked at the time. It was 10pm on the dot. Strict curfew? I considered that it had all perhaps begun much earlier on as a public holiday.
The only thing left to do was to stuff my bag full of food for late dinner and next-day lunch. I found the street restaurant where I had first tried an amazing Vietnamese sandwich. There was no English on the menu so I asked if I could please have two of their most popular bun cha. “Bun cha” is not the sandwich I was thinking of. It was two tubs of pho… The ‘bun chas’ (which I now know are called banh mi), were just next door, so I got two of those as well.
There was no chance of getting home by foot or car, so I got another bike taxi. (They are also about a third of the price and shave off about two thirds of the commute time). I put my hand on the driver’s shoulder and he knocked it off! Was that still putting him at risk of getting bad luck for the sake of mine, as a passenger?
During the white-knuckled ride, I felt something warm oozing down my back. The flipping tubs of pho had opened and were seeping broth through the plastic bags and my mini backpack!
What a mixed evening of fun surprise and sticky disappointment.
Next: Vietnam #5 – Is Marriage On?
Previously: Vietnam #3 – Hungry Ghosts
Discover more from Roaming Unbound
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.