Took a languorous walk out of town this afternoon around 2pm as the streets were nearly empty. The wide avenue that goes through town quickly became a narrow winding street when it crossed the river and went into the countryside. I shouldered my guitar, figuring I might find a quiet place to strum this new thing I've been working on, so I hit the road looking for the muse.
Often I'll get that 'Erev Ba' feeling as the sun begins to set, Erev Ba being an Israeli folk song that talks about the evening approaching and a certain kind of stillness in the air as the days draws to a close. I had that kind of dreamy vibe going, wandering in a new place, waving to the folks who waved at me, passing cornfields, yapping dogs, people on mororcycles, some cows, a meandering river, very peaceful on the day of the New Year celebration.
3 or 4 different people stopped their bikes as they passed me, indicating that I could hop on and take a ride if I was so inclined. I smiled and thanked them, indicating that I was just out for a walk, but I was struck by the friendliness and kindness being offered. (here in North Vietnam, sabes?). Many others stopped to wave, say 'Hello', shake my hand, and offer a smile. Like I say, there is no tourism in this community and I was an oddity, which suited me just fine.
On the way back to town, instead of crossing back over the river, I scouted out a little flat spot hidden under a stand of bamboo, and there I spent maybe half an hour practicing this new piece, imagining some lyrical ideas, and simply enjoying my guitar friend one more time. It was such a great move to bring it along, as not a day goes by that I'm not pleased to have it along. Often it's a way for others to connect with me, as tons of people know a few chords and are wanting to play something... which leads to some kind of interchange as others hear the music and come to check it out. I should name this guitar, she has became quite a great friend. I'm open to suggestions for a name.... (maybe something a little Spanish, as I picked her up in Sevilla).
Speaking of names, as in 'Who's on first?', last night I was totally enjoying the fried egg roll things that Lan Anh's husband Sing had made. I asked, 'what do you call these, what's the name?' She said, 'mame', I said, yeah, the name, she said, 'name'. That's what it's called. OMG they are so delicious and there's another batch for tonight's feast. A combination of pork, veggies, noodles, mushrooms chopped fine and rolled into a rice paper tortilla thing, then fried in oil to a golden brown. That's what's in a name...
Also on the humor front, and this one courtesy of Sing. One of the dishes we ate was cooked bamboo, and I made the comment that wow, you build with it, sit on it, use it for mats, picture frames, even eat it. He added, in Vietnamese, 'yeah and we stick it in the feet of the prisoners', as that was one of the ways of interroagating prisoners. Doesn't sound funny to write it down, but in the context of the conversation, it was hilarious. So good to share humor with these friends.
When I came back from the walk, Lan Anh was busy putting together tonights 'name' and Sing was slaughtering a chicken which they keep in a little coop in the backyard. It's for tonight's ceremony and I was interested in how he performed the ritual. He grabbed it, used his feet to stabilize it, put his hand over the head to stretch it and calm it down, then sliced the neck to bleed it. He collected the blood in a bowl, then kind of kept the bird really still as it died. Seemed humane and respectful. Next he turned it over and over in hot water to soften it up for plucking the feathers, which he spent twenty minutes carefully doing. Midnight bird tonight.
Of course I wanted to help in the preparation, and I got the opportunity fo first bring in some of the plants for the setting, including the mandarin tree, now strung with lights, as well as a large, white blossomed plant in a big planter, both of which were set on opposite sides of the room. Then it was time to sweep the large sidewalk in front of the house as well as toss bucket after bucket of water to move the dirt toward the street. I did this with Lan Anh's mom and the neighbors looked on approvingly. Then she handed me a bucket and a mop and I did the floors twice so the place is now sparkling. We're gonna have a meal before too long, and then hang around until midnight when the relatives show up for the real celebration, with champagne, special foods, lucky money etc. I'll write about it after it happens.
It's now 6:15 pm, dark and we'll see what happens from here. My first Tet, best one yet...
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