Modern Vespa

Like most Vesparati, I try to stop to relax my body and mind every 1-2 hours. The break might be somewhere scenic, but if I'm going through civilization, I tend to use coffee shops as my waypoints.

En route to top Thai Hoa's coffee shop, I noticed a brand new building just up the road. It looked like a restaurant, but rather than investigate, my impulse was to head to the coffee shop to see if they served food; it was getting to be lunchtime.

They didn't, so I pulled out the map to see what I could learn about the building I'd just passed. While I had it open, I noticed there's a bun cha place in town. Bun cha is one of my favorite Viet dishes, and one of my standard orders in San Francisco. On the ride here, I was observing that it had been a while since I'd had one. It's originally from Hanoi and popular in the cities, but it falls off the menu when you get into the villages of central Vietnam.

The barista walks up and asks what I'd like to eat. I show her the two options I'd just pulled up and ask her favorite. She picked bun cha, and you could tell she was excited to recommend it!

According to Google, it was just a few turns away, near a small lake. There's a wide corner at the bottom of the lake. I take it, and as soon as I get to the lake, Google tells me I've gone too far. I turn back and notice a little cul de sac in the corner. Google tells me I'm getting warmer.

I'm just about there when three giggly elementary school kids run out of a villa: "hello! hello! hello!" One asks my name. I tell her and ask hers. She gets shy and hides behind her brother, still laughing like this is the most fun she's ever had. He proudly tells me her name. I try to ask if there is bun cha nearby, but the message is not received.

I peek at the next house. It looks like it might have been a restaurant in some past life, but certainly isn't today. I could hear an adult in the courtyard of the villa, so I go back to ask for directions.

As I pass through the gate, I see that the adult was Grandma, sitting on the couch in the living room, skeptical of the stranger standing in the driveway.

A teenage boy comes bounding down the stairs and offers his services. I ask if he knows the bun cha place. "One minute," he disappears back into the house, and re emerges with a bicycle helmet. He's as excited as the barista:

"That's the best place in town! Did you bring friends?"

"I came alone."

"Great - I'll take you there!'

He hops on his motorbike, and me on mine. We head away from the lake, and just as we approach a main road he darts into a dirt parking lot, weaving between the cars. At the back corner is a little alleyway, and around it's bend is bun cha. Ta da!

I ask his name. It's Khanh, but it almost sounds like Ken. Before I can even offer to buy him lunch or ask to take a photo together, he wishes me a pleasant meal and disappears back into the dust.

I really enjoy reading of your travel in foreign lands and the interactions with average citizens you meet. Thank you much!

Glad to hear it!

Just re-read your entire Italy thread yesterday. Great stuff man.

MV needs to crowdfund mayorofnow a GoPro so we can get the full experience on video!