It’s been over a month and a half since the last time I was wandering around the north-end of Hoan Kiem Lake around the roundabout. As I entered the roundabout from Le Thai To, I looked to my left and thought…

 
OH SHNAPS!
 

There it was in all its three-letter glory: KFC.

And the new big white building too. Er… newly renovated big white building. But that makes me wonder if it was one building in the past or a number of buildings that they “glued” together to make into one big building… now?

I’ve eaten at KFC in HN before, but not at this location. I’ve had it only once and must say… it is not to my liking. It’s expensive compared to Vietnamese dishes and, compared to US proportions, it’s small.

I was neither satisfied nor upset. It is what it is.

Inside the complex that houses the Big C- or SUPER C, as I like to call it- is a brand-spankin’ new Pizza Hut! A first for Ha Noi! Yes, us U.S. Americans are excited beyond comprehension. (Ridiculously excited, that we’ll look back thinking “geez, we had no lives back then…”) My friends and I will be visiting and partaking in the pizza goodness that is real pepperoni very, very soon. Afterwards, we’ll hop a km or 2 to a nearby brewery/restaurant for some local beer. But we might do that before the pizza trip…

“Because I knew you…”

The relationships that we build throughout our lives never cease to amaze me. We all have a collective group that we attract and move towards. As you get to know the person, you either grow together or apart. Every now and again, you find someone that moves to the far end of your spectrum when you expect them to stay more close to center or in the other direction.

I have a friend that I like to hang out with. That’s all we do, just get together when we can and kick it. Mostly, we like to go dancing. Sometimes we don’t have the time- me more than her. But she still manages to send a message to see how things are going. As for me? When I’m focused on something, I usually tune out the rest of the world- for better or worse. (Worse.)It’s always nice to get a message every now and again from her.

Last week, she pulled me out of my usual routine for dinner and tea. The tea was to get me to relax and go to sleep. She knows me pretty well. It was an enjoyable night out. Great food; great tea; and, always, great company.

“I have been changed… for good.”

Sometimes the lights go out for a number of hours. It’s not that bad. You get used to it and do something else that doesn’t require electricity.

Today, one of my students showed me a website that tells you when and where the scheduled blackouts will occur in Hanoi.

‘Comes in handy.

Click this link for the scheduled blackouts in Hanoi.