Night out, Vietnamese-style

For lunch I went back to the bún thịt nướng place from a couple of days before but this time opted for "everything" (minced beef, barbecued pork and spring roll) and added more chilli and it made it much nicer. I know I go on about it lots but really do love that meal.

In the afternoon Thuận (who I'd met on the night out with the Dutch going to the rooftop bar) picked me up and we went for a drink by the river. He got a phone call from his friends from back home in the north who were having drinks and food on the other side of town. We drove there and met them in a very local bar that reminded me of places I'd seen in Hanoi where draught beer flowed and small plates of food were on every table. Obviously I was the only foreigner as I was a long way from District 1.

Thuận's two friends didn't speak English but we still spoke via Thuận. They were very nice and kept ordering more beer (Bia hơi from Hanoi, only 15p per glass). Literally every sip we had needed to be preceded by a 'cheers'. The photo is of our food/drink tab very early on, with the numbers at the top being the rounds of drinks.

When we left, I tried hard to pay for everything but they really wouldn't accept any money. It's customary for one person to pay for the whole bill and then take it in turns. We then went to a nice coffee shop where I made sure I paid for everything. The Vietnamese people are so generous and friendly.

On our way back to District 1, Thuận and I stopped off to have Bò Né, an amazing sizzling plate of eggs and meat, served with bread, which I'd only had once before in the central region of Vietnam back in January. It's definitely one of my favourite dishes here. The perfect end to the evening. I love Vietnam!