Chilled Blood with Nuts

I have many memories of Vietnam. So so many. One of the stand out memories is a simple one, but exemplifies the kind of unique experience one can have over there. It was a small part of my 'going away' party - which was amazing in iteslf, but I wont go on with all of it here..
After last drinks at one of the usual hangs in the old quarter, myself and my usual partner in crime were on our way somewhere.. and although the 'where' is important, it also requires its own story and lengthy prelude, and in all honesty, it was the journey to find this place that was special.

Firstly, as many people in VN know, drink-driving is not unusual. Whilst I did not drink drive, or drive period, I often found myself on the back of a bike with someone who had been drinking. This is a stupid stupid thing that I did, something I wouldnt even dream of doing at home. But I was not alone in my feeling of invincibility - there must have been something in the water (or the beer..)

So off we go on the bike, across a bridge that bikes were not allowed on. Somehow, in our logic to reach our destination that was somewhere at the other end of the bridge, we ended up on a country road that appeared to be endless. With the typical sentiment of the lost, we just assumed that 'there's gotta be a turn-off', instead of just going back the way we came.
On this loop we were, and decided to stop off after what seemed like a helluva long way into the countryside. The little roadside cafe sold the usual stuff, so we ordered a couple of bia hoi's and a bowl of pho each. We got the beer alright, but instead of pho we ended up with ah..goose (?)blood sprinkled with nuts. Just the thing you want at 6am after a heavy night on the town. Dont get me wrong - I was open to trying many a dish in VN, but chilled blood was not one of them.

So faced with this blood, in our ridiculous logic we decided that rather than offend the lady, I would pretend I was sick and that we had to go (after we finished our beers of course.)
Our acting was pitiful, and our explanations in tieng Viet probably worse, but the lady was so concerned that we actually felt SO SO bad, but it was way too late to go back on our plan.
I was offered a bed out the back to rest and all sorts. And when we did actually manage to leave after much protesting from the lady (obviously someone in my condition should not be travelling..), I had my head wrapped in a plastic bag as it was starting to lightly rain, and the woman was fearful I would catch a cold.

It was one of those times I felt a sense of belonging, and anything but alone, even though we were lost in some foreign countryside. Whilst we both mused we could have handled the situation better i.e. we could have just politely declined the bowl of blood and she probably wouldnt have cared anyway, I realised that without the 'performance' we would have missed out on a wonderful memory.

I would love to go back and visit the country roadside cafe, if I could ever find it. Not only to see the lovely lady, but also to experience the bathroom, where the only thing between myself and three huge curious pigs was a small cement barrier. Imagine what those pigs have seen..

I guess this simple experience was special because the night had come full circle and ended by reminding me that I had indeed overcome my fears of the unknown...except chilled blood with nuts.