Hanging with the locals

Right outside my hotel there's a local bar. They have one brew sold by the liter and others in bottles that are the same as bought from the store. The sold by the liter brew is served in plastic jugs that are filled when you order then capped with a screw cap. $9,000 VND or about 43¢ /liter! Even at 43¢/liter they still serve free bar snacks, grapes and boiled peanuts.

The place opens around 10:00AM and I'm not sure closing time. I've only seen it closed once at night. I was going into the hotel at 1:00AM and the bar was closed.

Heading out of the hotel for lunch one day I decided to go stop there for a beer instead. It's a real local hangout. All Vietnamese faces, no menus, a white board with hand written prices on it and low plastic furniture everywhere. I ordered a bottled beer. Before I finished a fellow approached me and began asking the a usual questions, e.g., where you from, how long you here, what's your name, etc.?

after beer sitting in a real restaurant

We had a few beers together (he bought his own and I didn't buy the bottled on the spot local brew), some of the boiled peanuts the house served and he had the house grapes too.

Turned out he is an unpublished author with hopes of selling a book around the world about maintaining good health and virility. He carries his manuscript around with him in his backpack. He is 79 and, based on his assertion that he drinks 10 - 12 beers a day at lunch, he does look much younger than I would expect.

Plus I met him after liquid lunch time and he was still talking clearly and able to walk a straight line. Drinking is not one of the methods he endorsed to maintain health and virility, Vietnamese yoga is. Being able to dring while maintaining one's health is just a side benefit. 


He'd appreciate hearing from anyone. If you want to send him a note address a message to thaithanh999 at yahoo dut com.