Quick Lunchtime Post

Okay, so it's noon here and I'm a little buzzed. I met my guide Zoom for breakfast and we headed for a bowl of bun oc or bowl of snails with noodles. By far, the best thing I have eaten in Hanoi. From there we went to talk to a restaurant that I want to photograph, and with Zoom's help we were in like Flynn. The restaurant called Chim Sao is a traditional Franco Vietnamese place owned by a Frenchmen and his Vietnamese wife and the wife's aunt is the woman running the show when we get there. Zoom explains what we are looking to do and she happily agrees. Without hesitation she gives us some tea and cucumbers with some dipping salt. Then after a quick tour of the kitchen and dining rooms we are standing at the service station when I ask about a lot of very phallic bottles on the shelf. Aunt Xian (sp?) smiles and next thing I know Zoom and I each have shot of homemade apple rice wine. Next thing I know, I have another shot poured. Not wanting to insult her, down the hatch it goes. Four more times and she and Zoom are laughing. Then Xian gets a bottle of unflavored rice wine. Three shots of that jet fuel and then, when I think I'm done, she pulls out the Mum flower flavored rice wine. Not sure how to describe that one and hope I never have too again. One final shot of the Mum and we are finally done. All of that in twenty minutes while Xian and Zoom are laughing the whole time. I need a Vietnamese ice coffee...