My Blog

I as I stare out of my office , I begin to rant
Ever since I qualified for my own office when I started to work I look back and realized I had some good ones and others would say unbearable ones.

My least flattering office was described by my staff then was like Harry Potter’s bedroom under the stairs hehehe Well it was literally under stairs. with one door and was about 8 sqm .Just enough for a workstation and a table for my stuff.

They wonder why I choose that spot when I could have a choice of spot all over the hotel. I simply said I want where the action is I simply step out and I see all my managers and staff .

My most luxurious was a 50 sqm office. It would be a nice condo unit size already. It had antique office table and my chair was a antique bishop’s chair who’s value then was about of a 2nd car , which I replaced with a more traditional office chair. I had my own toilet and bathroom , conference room and mini library .The kicker was I had in my office an original Fernando Amorsolo painting which was more then an average workers salary for a life time. I even said to my secretary then don’t watch me just watch the painting.

In between of these I had a Hotel room converted to an office, a standard Corporate office, open enviroment office mean no cubicle for anyone , a container van and at one time I had 3 offices in one building.

Like I said I was never picky about my office. That’s me as long it works and I have my basic needs I pretty ok.

I realize that’s it’s the man who seats in the office that’s makes the office. a person who commands respect of his people needs no grand office. I always maintained an open door policy any one who wants to talk to me gets to walking in and talk . no need for appointment but if you’re a sales rep heheh talk to my secretary if she can squeeze you in next year.

Argh I wont be able to make my yearly jaunt to Ithaca , New York this year .
Our property is fully booked solid for a month . Arrgh I miss my long walks in the beautiful pathways of Cornell campus where summer brings the beautiful flowers out .

Plus my boss is on R&R so I am left to be the acting big cheese of our property so escape is futile.

I miss meeting my old friends and new ones during my stay there for my classes .

I ll miss College town and it’s many student haunts and even Ithaca famous vegan Moose head Restaurant .

Hopefully I can still make it to Wharton this October to take some courses and visit my brother in New York , Oh well

Hoi- an is a lovely old city in Vietnam a UNESCO heritage as it was centuries old as a trading post where Chinese , Korean and other countries come to trade you can see their influence in the centuries old building.

A lot of tourist are discovering this once sleep town . You see Europeans and Americans going around on feet , bicycles and even rickshaw.

After my dive I was famish so I ventured out of my hotel to taste the local cuisine .
I saw a nice an d clean place , which name I forgot.

They had an English menu so no fear of me getting something I didn’t want
I simply turn to the page where it said Hoi-an Specialties

I order cau lau ,It was a pork dish with noodles , the vegetable salad used a sweet fish sauce as dressing The pork itself was similar to the pork asado that I know ,with textured noodles made from wheat. The dish was served in one bowl . The taste was light but not filling enough for me .

I also ordered white flower which is basically dim sum with pork filling dime size. Served with light sweet sauce and crunchy garlic toppings.

I had my own personalize entertainment as the owner’s dog was walking back and forth my table but I think from his experience never attempted to climb on my chair to ask for food.

once in a while he would stop and look me in the eye like saying” Shees another dumb human cant he get the hint that I want food.”

It was light meal nothing spectacular but for about $5 dollar with drinks and an order of deep fried spring roll.

I headed off to Hoi an’s famous tailor shops which gives you catalogs of Armani, Hugo , Versace etc suits and tuxedo measure you ,copy it strikingly same and all within 24 hours delivered to your hotel for $80 only

That’s another entry….

I opened my email the other day before I headed for my R&R in Hoian . The name was Muslim sounding and the Subject line was simply HI. I was kind of frustrated thinking that another junk scam email passed the email filters of my Yahoo Mail Plus.
Anyways I had the time to burn so I got to read it expecting the line someone died and left him a zillion dollars and wanted to share with me blah blah.

I went to his email asking me if I ever stayed in their hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan,
Then it struck a bell in my head I went over my email and found out almost 3 years ago I got a job offer to be a GM for a hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan.

At that time I was seriously considered it but after the I found out they are not willing to shoulder KFR insurance for me never mind the large monthly salary, I opted the other job offer in a more let say hostile place.

Anyways he was the financial controller there and he seemed to be relocated to Sochi, Russia.

He just wanted to say hi and wanted to keep in touch.
Asking me how I was hmmm do I smell vodka in the air?

hehehehe

Vietnamese coffee is served by having your cup with thick condense milk while a small tin chamber containing dark Vietnamese coffee drip
slowly into your cup. Vietnamese coffee is to enjoyed slowly not rush or placed
in a styro cup rush off to work . As the black aromatic liquid tends to be
served steaming hot you have to wait and relax pretty much how people here look
at life.

The coffee was wonderful one of the best cups I ever had. and
I plan to come back for more.

It was a lazy wet Saigon afternoon
I had brunch after doing some banking chores at the local HSBC. I order Nasi
Goreng  with chicken Satay for my brunch. It was a good meal in a very nice café called
Highlands ,Vietnam version of Starbucks .

Nasi Goreng was tasty but still lacks in spices ,the way my
palate told me but a good meal none the less. and for 80,000  VND dong about  $5.00 it was value for money considering it
included my coffee and a small bottle of mineral water.

Pamper time Caravelle

Each city would have its grand dame hotels, Hotels that
stood the test of time and hold an air of tradition which defines the city or
even the country. Sure Four Seasons Ritz Carlton are the crème de la crème of Luxury hotels but these hotels ,some of them are chain owned but some are and
remain  like they were when they were 1^st
built  are independents meaning they do
not belong to any Hotel Chain making them more unique in character rather than
cookie cutter box hotels.

New York has it Waldorf Astoria or The Plaza

Paris has its Ritz

London has its Savoy

Singapore its Raffles

And Vietnam has its Caravelle

I had the unique opportunity to stay in the Caravelle for my
R&R. It  was both a pampering timefor
me and learning experience. I always try to check-in in a hotel and study it
and perhaps bring back an idea back to work.

The lobby isn’t as grand compared with the Plaza or Waldorf;
it was a simple lobby yet it clean and had a clear flow of guest.

Room rates start at $250 USD and go up $1250 for the Suites.

The rooms are simple compared to other luxury hotels. The amenities
are what you expect.

Caravelle only had its name and location going for it but it
was in a lot better shape then

Manila

hotel.

The rooms are clean even the picture frame were clean. It a
habit of mine to use my finger and check the picture frames if they are dusty
my mark on how good the Housekeeping is.

I usually drive my Housekeeping Managers crazy with this
type of inspection.

Anyways the location can’t be beat with shopping, Saigon
Opera House, HSBC and alike are just on it perimeter. It has the right to say
it has the most prestigious address in

Saigon

.

Even the Taxi drivers still blink when I answer them where they
will bring me,

I simply say
“Caravelle Hotel” indeed it still a prestigious address to have in HCMC

Yipee after a month of  work 24/7 work  it’s pamper time. I get to have a day of R&R in Saigon

Rest and Recreation
Rest and Relaxation
Rest and Recuperation

Depends on what dictionary you use or what you have  planned to do .

Cant wait to pack my overnight bags.

Next R&R hmmmm Hoian or Halong Bay
Thats what I will think about on my R&R tom.

Ahhh rest day

I shut down the centralized air-con in my unit.Opened the balcony doors and the sea winds blew a nice cool breeze into my room.

I got a booked i have not touched for a month. Pop in the entertainment center  my autographed Cd of Sitti and made myself a nice cup  coffee from my coffee machine.

I then lazily positioned myself on the couch .Cool breeze , soft music , good cup of coffee and great book. Beats a Starbucks anytime.

After an hour I fall asleep.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I had the chance to spend the night in Quy Nhon city. So once I got to my hotel I headed to Kiwi connection a small backpackers inn and restaurant ran by a retired Kiwi (New Zealander) named Barbara.

I read somewhere that one should really pass by her  place  while in transit for those heading to Nha Thrang or Hoain even Saigon.

It was on a corner about 100 meters away from my hotel. It was a simple place as expected but you can feel the warmth of the hospitality as Barbara greets you.

I order Fish and Chip which got rave reviews from those how partook it.  One even went as far as saying it’s the best fish and chips outside the flag of the Union Jack.

Being hungry or just being unfamiliar I order my Fish and Chips with 2 pieces of fish. They had the imports like Heineken and even one of my favorites, Tiger but I opted to try the locals I had a choice of 333, Saigon or Quy Nhon Bai (beer).

I choose Saigon lager. As it was served to me, I took a swig of the amber colored liquid. Wow it was light and sweet taste similar to the Philippine San Miguel Pale Pilsner a bit watered down but the malt flavor was still there.

I was relaxing sipping my beer while making some small chit chat with a Trio of French guy and gals while a American lady riding her bicycle across Vietnam joined the small talk.

“That smells good “my American friend said when my fish and chips arrived
My eyes grew wide like little saucers from the size of my order .
Barbara even laughed saying you sure you can finish it up obviously from the very animate face I had.

I nodded

After 30 mins of downing my wonderful meal Yes Virginia it’s the best fish and Chips I tasted yet downed by a good local beer. I had enough courage to partake a small slice of the newly baked homemade mango coconut pie.

Burp Burp

I paid my bill, which amounted, to 80,000 VND or about $ 6 USD

It is worth the money I paid .

so I bid my friends good bye who will head on to their own journeys

I left saying to Barbara see you around. She smiled back knowing I will be back for more

It a long weekend in Vietnam this weekend . Most of the people try to leave the cities and head out to outside destinations . Guess what that where I work . so instead of lazy moments of  enjoying the Holidays . I am up to my ears with Guest -Expats, High Government Officials , Embassy Officials on R&R. So I am busy as heck.

I can wait for my own R&R to Saigon due in a few weeks . It’s my turn to get pampered