Sixth week in Hanoi

Team Dinner - Cockles, Mussels and Crabs

Well, I stepped back into the project office after a week’s break from Hanoi and immediately landed myself in a couple of meetings. As a team, we needed to clarify a few issues so that everyone has a better picture of our current progress. Till date, I can safely say we are very much on track. Already anticipating that my team is probably going to be overwhelmed with the information coming in by end of this week. I’m going to have to work very closely with my lone belle and make sure we get things right the first time as much as possible.

Given that GH isn’t around this week, I decided to ask the team about the unique local food fare available in Hanoi. I reckoned I might as well go all out and be as adventurous this week. All kinds of strange meats came up in the conversation. Everything from cats, rats, and dogs to snails (nothing close to escargots), snakes and rabbits on the menu. We had a few good laughs and finally settled on grilled crabs.

You’d probably be thinking what’s so exotic about crabs huh? Well, I was thinking that too. The team insisted and I went along with the plan. There was a catch though. I had to buy the team dinner. I reckoned why not and agreed. The team was quick to pull a fast one on me and said it would cost VND500,000 per head. With 8 members of the team, that would be VND4,000,000 or SGD400. I wasn’t carrying that kind of cash around and it was going to be a street side stall. I’m pretty sure they do not take credit cards. Most probably get slapped on the back of my head if I tried that stunt. I was contemplating heading to the ATM before I realised I have been had. Real cheeky bunch we have here.

Hopped on one of the motorbikes and headed out to the place. Was a fun 7 minutes ride during rush hour. Strangely, the ride wasn’t as hair-raising as I expected. Perhaps I was in the hands of a good rider. On arriving at our destination and I was quick to learn something. At the dinner table (on make-shift stools), all inedible portions go to the floor. There is simply no room to be civil and pile your shells. So the sequence was straight-forward 4 step approach.

Pick-up
De-shell
Pop in mouth
Drop the shells and repeat step 1

Almost empty plate of grilled cockles in 10 minutes

Contemplating pinching some from the next table

Next up, mussels in ginger soup

Getting the hang of the 4 Step approach

As for the grilled crabs, they were fantastic and unlike the often hollow ones back home. You would find nothing under the shell except succulent flesh. By the time we were done, the aftermath is one sight you won’t see in the streets of Singapore. If I ever brought this habit back home, I would be doing a heck load of Corrective Work Orders and slapped with countless SGD1,000 fines. Hell, I’d probably end up in jail…

4 huge grilled crabs literally overflowing on each plate

Shutting up and grabbing your grub always works

The aftermath once I got the hang of it

You can always tell whose the greedy one by checking out the carnage

All in all, dinner was great. The final damage was approximately VND1,250,000 or SGD125. The bill was spilt between Ling and I. I wasn’t carrying sufficient cash anyway. For 8 heads, dinner was more than decent.

Not one piece is spared by gluttons

I will spot Ling for his portion tomorrow and put this on the project instead. Adjourning for coffee thereafter once again provided me with an evening of the local lifestyle. Most importantly, it was the first time the team saw the lighter side of me. At work, I’m one to get the job done and take no nonsense. It never hurts to spend time with folks you work with on a personal level.

Next up, a karaoke session with the team on Friday evening. That, I’m already looking forward to. Just have to bring more cash. If any of the team members are reading, do not even begin to play with the thought of putting this one on me guys…

Ok, I got to hit the sack now. Have to be up in 4 hours to catch up on work.