I'm dedicating these maps to you Victor.
This is where I walked this morning. Almost 9 km. Getting fitter.
Google Earth version.
Google Maps version
Nice story: Along the river at the bottom are a few open-fronted shops selling books. I asked for bieu dien, and thankfully the guy understood I wanted dictionaries, i.e. tu dien (See dictionary story below). The recommended price written on the books came to 310,000 Dong, which I tried to give him - no, he only wanted 128,000 Dong. What a nice young man!!! I shook his hand, and he practised his English with "See you later".
PostScript: I just realised I had confused the number of words in the book for the price. Whoops. Still a very honest young man.
This is where I walked yesterday.
Apparently there is a huge fabric market just outside the city. I can catch bus 18 from Kim Ma Street to take me over the bridge across the Red River, then I can catch bus 10 or 54. It's on this blog so I remember which buses to take. Bus map below from:
http://www.tramoc.com.vn/images/File/Download/Busmap_28-8-07%28VERSON3%29.pdf
I have blisters on my feet! I bought expensive sandals from Ecco so that wouldn't happen!!! I really want to learn how to catch the bus - I suppose the best thing is to just do it. I'm a bit wary because one person tried to charge me AU$19 for a pair of thongs in the market.
I'm learning about one word a day at the moment - maybe I'm exaggerating; make that one word every two days. I'm practicing how to say hello properly, thank you, sorry, and tomorrow. Tomorrow /mai.i/ is used a lot because people say that to tell me to come back and buy another cup of coffee or more bananas from them.
The older women are gorgeous; they smile, wave, invite me to spend my money on their stalls. If it’s cheaper than Australia, I tend to pay the first price they ask - I just hope I'm not ruining the micro-economy or raising the prices for the locals; hopefully I'm only injecting more money into the local economy for their benefit.
I walked almost 9 km this morning, but had a couple of rests along the way, sitting on those tiny little plastic stools (hoping they wouldn't break) to have a glass of iced coffee and a salted lemon drink (that one I do NOT recommend) and a passionfruit juice (nice - I had two). I'm testing my stomach - so far ok. I still haven't met the other teachers staying at this hotel - where are they????
I wandered through the open area of RMIT, but didn't meet anyone. There are a few cafes at the back of RMIT where it faces a lake - very nice view, except the lake is rather putrid. I saw three European men sitting together so asked them if they were teaching at RMIT. No, they weren't. They were German anyway. I grabbed a pamphlet that described the student population at 5000. So there must be teachers around here somewhere.
I feel like I'm on holidays at the moment, so it might be a shock to actually begin work tomorrow.
Dictionary Story: I bought two dictionaries a couple of days ago, but when I tried to look up the English word "week", I found that whoever compiled the dictionary had entered wa- words into the dictionay, but not we-, or wi-, or wo- etc. words.
Is it one cup of semolina and 3 eggs to make pasta?
ReplyDeleteIf you use one cup of very finely ground semolina (is it semo;lina we used?), then just keep adding eggs until it's the right consistency. If you want you can add a little olive oil as well, to counter the cholestral fats in the eggs. Yo'll need to do a lot of kneading though.
ReplyDeleteHey you're not supposed to open your birthday present until October 11th!!!!!
I am deeply touched by your dedication. It brings back many fond memories. I shall study the with diligence.
ReplyDeleteCam on.
sorry ma, but it's a pasta machine!!! how can i not use it?
ReplyDeleteguess what, now blacky and grey-one sleep at the end of the bed together all night and it makes grey-one not be naughty at 6 in the morning and wake me up! so that's good. when the black one wants to go outside he just meows once really loudly and then roy will let him out. So now roy looks after the black one and i have to deal with kitten delicious all night (which is him in the kitchen knocking everyone on the floor or getting all the boxes out of the recycling bin and attacking them, or meowing at his food bowl to get fed, or sitting on my chest and swiping at my face).
Linda, try the yoghurt on ice at the lovely little cafe that is right on the lake (next to the big junction). Best iced drink you can get.
ReplyDelete