A non-vacationy vacation

This is a non-vacationy vacation! My days are filled with normal activies: meeting people for breakfast, looking at apartments with a real estate agent, meeting someone else for lunch, grabbing a few groceries here and there, and getting ready to go out at night. All the while texting various people and talking on the phone or Skype. It's just another day in the life of me in Viet Nam.

I met with Thu this morning outside Diamond Plaza where I'm staying. Whilst waiting for her in the cool breezy air (!) I sat on the granite wall outside the building. The police officer guarding the area (they're everywhere!) stood not 5' from me the whole time while I leaned, swung my feet, and generally relaxed there. Suddenly another officer came so my officer started telling the Vietnamese that they couldn't sit there anymore but allowed me to continue until the other officer made his move to stop me from sitting. Once the other officer approached my officer joined in reprimanding me for sitting there but with a friendly sparkle in his eyes so I knew he was just acting and doing his job. After the other guy left he said, "Sorry." I told him thank you for allowing me to sit there. A nice little connection made that can't hurt.

Thu and I drove a little ways to District 3 to look at the first apartment on the agenda. It was a small building on a quaint and quiet street loaded with restaurants and coffee shops, including a piano bar. While I liked it I feel in comparison to the others I had yet to see it was too far away from the hustle and bustle that I seek. So on to the next one. Driving along a street I noticed a motorbike parking lot that seemed familiar; sure enough it was the one my room looks out over from Diamond. I was recognizing it from the street! Now I really feel like I have a grasp of where I am! The next apartment called HBT is amazing and exactly what I would envision living in if I were to live here: open air lobby, bamboo and other tropical plants in the garden behind a gate, plus it's off of a small alley instead of a busy street. Yet the busy-ness is right around the corner where there is a French market, restaurants and coffee shops nearby!! Plus, it's only 5 blocks from Diamond - - a PERFECT location. Rooms there rarely become available. That is the spot and I knew it instantly. Off we went to a couple other spots with the final being a place called Saigon Domaine which is a modern facility right on the river. It looks like a hotel in Bali with the water, flowering trees and gardens, teak furniture and lounge chairs, boat taxi to take one to the city, flowers floating in pools and fountains. I mean, seriously. This place is like a luxury hotel! And the rooms are nice yet high-risey. At $2,000/month it's a steal for a 1 bedroom so could be considered yet it is very far away from the action that I love. Of course, all this looking is just lighthearted right now but it's fun to see what's available.

My time with Thu was really special. She's a wonderful person and we seem to have a lot in common and had a lot to talk about. We both agreed we'd like to get together again on a personal level. I had to cut our time short as I was meeting my friend Binh for lunch at 12:00.