An evening walk

So, on Sunday after dinner we decided to go for a little walk.
Partly to show the newest member of our little volunteer house around, partly to look around the neighbourhood.
Seeing as the beach is only about 300metres away, we ventured into the little laneways behind our house.

As you get further from the main road it becomes a smaller, dirt road. With low houses, much more of a country village feel!

We walked past one house (that we could hear from miles away!) who were having a Tet (new years - celebrated in line with Chinese new years) party. They (like everyone else on this lane!) shouted hello and waved as we went past. But they also dispatched a group of people to come out and follow us, and invite us in.

when we walked in to the party EVERYONE clapped and cheered! I felt like some sort of hero, not a complete stranger! there were probably 30-40 people in this back yard cheering for the 3 of us!

So we drank and were greeted repeatedly, hands shaken and cries of mot, hai, ba, YO! (1,2,3,cheer!). After we drank half our beers, they somehow decided that Sally and I didn't like beer (a true assumption, but I was drinking it so I didn't look rude!)I turned away for a minute and when i went back the beer had been tipped out and replaced with coke. Dan had to keep drinking beer, and everyone was doing their best to get him drinking as many as possible in the short time we were there!

Dan was the first pulled on stage to Karaoke. Which, I must point out is some sort of advanced level Karaoke where there are no words, or screen. Just a guy playing keyboard! Dan's rendition of "Happy Birthday Vietnam" went down well. Sally and I finally agreed to sing some old and faithful lion king "can you feel the love tonight" - with the aid of googling lyrics on a phone! We came unstuck however, when they keyboard player listened to the intro of the song.... and just played that. So there was no real lyrical tune!!!

We gave up after a struggled verse and a couple of belted out choruses (because, everyone can do the chorus!) and redeemed ourselves by doing a quick Rudolf the red nosed raindeer - songs that don't need music are much better!

When we left, the teenager who was the main translator (not that you could hear over the music anyway. they had 3 giant speakers- each more than a metre tall stacked up) walked us out and explained that tomorrow they are having a party at noon (11am) and we should all come.
Unfortunately that is the time our cook serves up lunch, and we had some jobs to do over lunchtime. However, I will definitely be making it a mission to wander down that road again.

I do have some photos..... but i can't be bothered finding my camera right now!
so you can wait :P