Cheryl Attends Another Vietnamese Wedding

Tonight I went to yet another Vietnamese wedding reception. I'm not sure how this is happening because if you want to know the truth, I've never even been to a wedding reception! So somehow, the fact that I've been to 2 weddings in the last week is kind of strange.

Tonight's wedding was offered to me by a new couple at the villa. I met them only last night while cooking my dinner in the kitchen. He's Greek & she's Vietnamese (which isn't unusual and is another story). They're married, but it's part of that other story. Since the woman actually lives here in Bien Hoa, she knew the groom who was getting married - they work together. And so after chatting with them for a while, the conversation came up and then the invitation, which I accepted.

When we arrived, the set up was similar to that of last week's. However, I forgot to mention one thing last time: as you may recall, I wrote about how (and had a picture of) many engaged couples in Hanoi go to the lake dressed in their wedding clothes to get wedding pictures taken. The pictures are for the wedding reception itself. In front of the door to the wedding hall reception, is an enlarged photo of the newly wedded couple. I'm not sure if this is so you know that you're at the correct wedding or if it's for some other reason.

This time we arrived on time and I was able to see part of the Vietnamese wedding tradition which I probably had missed last week. When we arrived, the bride and groom were at the door to greet everyone arriving. They were both dressed in western-style wedding clothing - she in a lovely white dress and he in a suit. Once everyone had arrived, a man got on the stage, spoke some introductory words and then the married couple began walking from the door to the stage. Each held a large lit sparkler, which I thought added a touch of class to the whole event (although as a citizen of a country which is obsessed with safety, I wondered how dangerous it was). They walked onto the stage and stood at the front, along with her mother and father. Then the food serving began.

The dinner included a menu which listed 6 courses! So tonight I was able to eat all 6 courses. Like last week, even though the people at the table had no clue who I was (they were also co-workers of the groom), a seat was added and I was welcomed. The beer cheering and consumption was the same (the guy who sat next to me made several comments about the amount of beer the Vietnamese drink), the bride and groom visited every table (the groom saluting the table with the beer cheer), as well as her mother, who was dressed in a nice light blue Ao dai. Karaoke was sung. And after all that, exactly like last week, when I looked up, suddenly nobody was there. Once again, most of the room had disappeared and only the guys at my table and one other were left seated! I can't figure out how this happens without me noticing.

Pictures were taken with the bride and groom, but before doing so, the groom presented me with one of two wedding cakes they had. This was because when he had visited our table a second time (more informally) near the end of the party, I made a joke. "No cake - bad wedding!" and gave him a thumbs down. Everyone had laughed, especially the woman who had invited me, so I was completely surprised when he handed me a box with a cake! I told him no and refused it several times, but nobody would let me. Both cakes were small, so I think they're only meant for the family or just a symbolic tradition, but I felt kind of uncomfortable. So I think I'll shut up about the cake thing from now on.

And by the way, going to karoake after a wedding party apparently is normal, because the group we ate with left for it afterwards.

Quack Quack

This morning I went to the supermarket. I was in the potato chip aisle looking at which chips I wanted to purchase when I came upon one called Peking Duck flavor potato chips. I'm not really sure what that was about. Peking Duck is best known in China. And how would you make a potato chip with that flavor if the potato never gets near a duck living in China? And how many Vietnamese can afford Peking Duck anyway?

Well, as it turns out, duck is quite common in Vietnamese. Just around the corner of my villa, on a long narrow road, are numerous houses which sell vegetables and fruit every day. The weekend is the busiest, as I've already reported. The street is usually filled with people and motorbikes. One of the shops nearest my street sells live chickens, roosters, and ducks. They're all confined in some manner, the ducks resting on the ground unable to use their wings. I saw duck on the menu at one of the restaurants when I was living in the HCM guesthouse. So perhaps it isn't that unaffordable at all. And if you put a potato next to the duck, maybe it will acquire the flavor.

The Hammock

The Vietnamese 2nd bed

The Vietnamese like to rest. They squat to rest, slide off their sandals and rest their feet on anything nearby, take afternoon siestas, go to bed by 10pm and swing in their hammocks. Hammocks are a common sight here, especially in the living rooms of homes. This is true! When I was living in HCMC, in the alley with all the guest houses, I'd sometimes see a person resting in their living room in a hammock. The first time I saw it, I thought the person must be a little looney. But since then, I've seen it repeatedly in the streets (mostly in Bien Hoa) and as I pass houses which have their front door open.

That's all I have to report.

Even the bananas have a hammock!