To market, to market

This morning, Katherine, Tu, Duan and I met for coffee at 8:30, and then we all walked down to the market near campus . Katherine and I needed supplies to make fresh spring rolls, and the boys tagged along and took these photos. Thanks, boys! (For more photos, see Tu's picasa here.)

drinking coffee at a little shop nearby (katherine, tu, and me)

Duan reading my palm and drawing flowers on my fingertips (long story)

Walking to the market, we found this little ceramic dog for sale at a flower shop.

at the market.....

buying veggies (so inexpensive here!!!!)

and buying fresh tofu...

and fresh vermicelli...

finishing up by buying fruit...

...and finally back at home!

In the afternoon, Katherine and I went for a walk to explore a part of the neighborhood we'd never visited. We found another market, where I bought this little rug for 7000 dong, or about 45 cents. Hopefully it will prevent the floor outside my bathroom from getting completely wet when I shower.

Finally, Katherine and I attempted to make fresh spring rolls from the rice paper, veggies, and tofu we bought at the market. We checked out the kitchen in the building, but it was....terrifying. We opted to borrow Steve's hot water maker to make water to soften the rice paper. All said, the spring rolls proved to be quite tasty: tofu, cucumber, lettuce, basil, mint, bean sprouts, soy sauce and vegetarian fish sauce. Given that we had no kitchen and only 2 bowls and a plate, I think we did pretty damn well! (Note: We clean all of our fruits and veggies with special baby bottle/veggie/fruit cleanser!)

ingredients

Aaaand....here's my new bike!! Steve has loaned me a great bicycle helmet (he has a spare, and he drives a motorbike anyway) until I buy my own.


In other news, I was supposed to start classes tomorrow, but my Monday classes have been canceled. I'm a little disappointed but it's moderated by the fact that now I don't have to get up at 6am (my first class on Mondays is at 7!).

Also, it has started raining. I was right. Last night and tonight have brought torrential rains. It seems to be only be raining at night and in the morning right now, and the days are still sunny. I can handle this, but I assume monsoon season only gets more intense. And just as my sunburn is starting to go away!

Back in the real world, Sam is having an exciting day. He's playing a Folds show with the Nashville Symphony tonight! (Read more here.) At this moment, in fact, he's probably heading to rehearsal. I'm so proud of him. As happy as I am here, and as little as I want to go back, there are a few things I'm sad to miss. This is one of them. Hopefully I'll be able to do some youtube stalking tomorrow...