Karaoke, Cocktails, Mopeds and Christmas

Well, well, well,
How's everyone doing? Getting into the festive spirit? It's been a while since I posted anything but I'll make up for it with a christmas bonanza post today with photos and videos for you. It's not really christmas over here; 25 degrees and no holidays- but there are some decorations up and the 'western' bars and coffeeshops are all playing classic christmas songs which is a bit surreal. Things are going well, lots of work at the bar and quite a bit of english teaching all keeping me busy. Football training is going well and the league is a mixture of vietnamese and expat teams. Our next game is on the 6th January (christmas break for the expat teams), and you'll obviously be getting a detailed match report.
After 25 years of succesfully avoiding it, I spent last saturday night warming up for work by going to a karaoke night. Images of getting up in the middle of a busy pub swaying from the Jamesons singing dirty old town should immediately be dismissed. Over here it's a national sport. You get a private room with plenty of booze, a massive tv and songbook and everyone just goes for it. Despite the visible pain caused whenever I opened my mouth, I may even go back. So, you get a few photos from the karaoke and I managed to take a couple at the bar to give you an idea. I also got round to doing a mini video tour by moped. This trip is from my house to Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and then to my favourite spot for a coffee via Lenin's statue. I'll get round to doing one of the old quarter for you but for now you'll have to make do with these.

For the photos...

Karaoke and Bar

and for the moped tour....

No.1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwjEIdZw0OI

No.2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRRGoJKRNGs

No.3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXhycQMljxk

No.4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQr-25E6n_c

For those of you who don't have an in depth knowledge of Alan Partridge I apologise in advance as I must just sound like a raving lunatic.

And on that bombshell all that remains is for me to wish everyone a very merry christmas and happy new year.
Cheers for all your comments (Mr. Cash, how did you know where I was)
much love from Hanoi
Carlo

Hanoi

1st stop, Hanoi. This place is really special. I've been here a week now and everything is going amazingly. I'm staying with Mark and he's been showing me around town and introducing me to all the local things that I would never normally have seen. Mark runs a bar on a boat on the river Song and I've been doing a few shifts down there, tasting their drinks and getting to know the locals. I've hired a moped which is great fun, there are no rules on the roads so it's a bit like reality playstation but it means I can get around on my own easily and take some nice photos for you all....

If you go to

http://picasaweb.google.com/gherardi1/Carlo

you should be able to see the first instalment....
There really are too many things to describe and do them justice, I may try in later posts but for now you'll have to do with the photos.
Apart from that I've joined a football team, training starts on tuesday, will keep you informed...Hope everyone's well

Carlo

Alright,
lazy and useless as I am I've just managed to get this thing up and running before I go. I hope that you can all leave me periodically abusive comments to make me feel at home wherever I am and I'll try and put down a few words here and there when I've not, as the title suggests, pissed off somewhere for a cheeky half......