Mikes Writing

writing my morning

Every day is this walk for me. Sometimes short. Other times I want something longer. The weather is cooler now and memories of a thing or two seem to drive me to a thought on a place in Vietnam I would go. Saigon never was my favorite but it’s where my Vietnamese friend Lily can reach. She lives and works in the Mekong Delta and Can Tho is her home. One of my favorite little stops for the random walking. It always seemed to offer another sight down a corner. I went several times for no other reason to see her. But just as often she would ride up to Saigon and we would do an evening of talking, drinking, eating. So I was just thinking of Saigon and how I would just go. These days the just going happens less. In a few weeks I make amends and get to Kampot on my own.

But it’s Saigon this morning. Some times spent in some hazy past there. A photo may help. From another hazy pandemic time when I just traveled in Vietnam because there was no leaving. Who would want to though. I had this amazing and sometimes strange country. So in 2020 or so I did that.

saigon 2020

That building always captured me when I spent time in district one.

Today the memories of 2020 and how I just had gotten into Hanoi. Got a new passport and took care of some visa changes and turned around and left. So where to go? Saigon. Lily. Time spent in a world outside that I could not reach. Who cared. I had Vietnam. Like a giant playground.

And then now

But it also is this lens of now to then. Like how that 2020 led to other things. But it took time and I had no hurry. I just stayed and a wondrous change happened. Hanoi became home. It was the first time that happened in years of going. My landlady gave me a year lease on my little room happily. She was overjoyed. So all the days and Saigon and Hanoi blend together in that 2020. So when I think of one this morning it seems they all cried together. Wanting equal time to be remembered.

Now it’s Siem Reap. Not really home. I’ve never found that again. The measure was going in 2023 for Tet and staying in that same room. And I did feel like I was home again. Only for a short time. But I crossed the boundary. And I went back and Hanoi amazed me again.

Now I want back to see the city in the fall. That wonderful time when the weather shifts and more coffee awaits. I could write an entire thing on coffee there. Maybe the food too. All of that intertwined with the wonderful people there I met.

But... back to coffee and now. This Wednesday spent on the slow going that’s my life now.