Posted on Mar 31, 2024
$1 Noodles VS $163 Noodles in Vietnam!! (RECORD BREAKING Bowl!!)
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Food/Chow
Eating and Diet
Vietnam
Posted 1 mo ago
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On the DMZ Korea 1972/73, most newbies didn't know of, or didn't like the ramen noodles. Most like me, never even saw, or heard of package dry noodles.
But, as I learned how to eat ramen noodles, it became a substitute meal, and for others, due to then, having to go to the messhall, which you need to take a bus, or get transportation to get there. About a mile away from our barracks building made out of thin fiberglass walls.
We had one fuel heater in the barracks, and thats how we cooked our ramen noodles, everyone had their own brass noodle pot, we cooked on the top of the heater, which was also a stove top, I think.
The fuel heater was perfect for cooking ramen noodles, but in the winter nights in the barracks, the temputure was at 13 degrees, or lower. I learned how to sleep with thick clothing on, long underware, 2 sheets, two wool blankets and a sleeping bag, at nights.
If you did, or could have, bought an electric blanket, you were better off at nights. But, in order to buy an electric blanket, you had to go to Soul city, which was 30 miles at the base exchange there in the Army base.
Or, buy one from the black market, which would cost you dubble the cost. An electric blanket bought in the exchange, each GI was limited to buy one blanket a year, as well as an electric fan.
Getting back to noodles, most bought a stash case of ramen noodles, Mr. Lee would get it for us down town, and the cost was a whooping, $2.00 for a case of 24 packs. Lol
But, as I learned how to eat ramen noodles, it became a substitute meal, and for others, due to then, having to go to the messhall, which you need to take a bus, or get transportation to get there. About a mile away from our barracks building made out of thin fiberglass walls.
We had one fuel heater in the barracks, and thats how we cooked our ramen noodles, everyone had their own brass noodle pot, we cooked on the top of the heater, which was also a stove top, I think.
The fuel heater was perfect for cooking ramen noodles, but in the winter nights in the barracks, the temputure was at 13 degrees, or lower. I learned how to sleep with thick clothing on, long underware, 2 sheets, two wool blankets and a sleeping bag, at nights.
If you did, or could have, bought an electric blanket, you were better off at nights. But, in order to buy an electric blanket, you had to go to Soul city, which was 30 miles at the base exchange there in the Army base.
Or, buy one from the black market, which would cost you dubble the cost. An electric blanket bought in the exchange, each GI was limited to buy one blanket a year, as well as an electric fan.
Getting back to noodles, most bought a stash case of ramen noodles, Mr. Lee would get it for us down town, and the cost was a whooping, $2.00 for a case of 24 packs. Lol
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
SGT (Join to see) I Got Hooked on Noodles being Hawaii was My First Posting!
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SGT (Join to see)
SGT (Join to see) you can always count on those Lee's... :-)
I used to get calls to attend Korean events... my family called me Chink... not politically correct now...
I used to get calls to attend Korean events... my family called me Chink... not politically correct now...
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SGT (Join to see)
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel - Hawaii 1972, I got stuck there trying to get a hop to Guam.
After three days at Hickam AFB terminal waiting to get a hop, a guy in the airforce approched me, and asked if I was from Guam. I was suprised there were people there from Guam, as well as all the Fhilpinos sailors sleeping in the terminal chairs and floors, waiting for a hop too.
So, Phil Alcon said that I can stay at his appartment in Wikiki, untill I get called for a hop to Guam.
Hawaii to me at the time was a great place to live, island life and weather, the people were welcoming people, good warm hearted people.
A long story short, I was to go home for Thanksgiving, I spent Thanksgiving that year in Hawaii, forgetting about home during those three weeks.
Al's older brother John was in Hawaii too, he knew my sister Betty in high shool, married to a hawaiian girl, that taught me how to play the ukulele while I was there.
Anyway, while there I met a Vietnamese woman, Tran, who worked at a club called, The Black Sands. We ate vietnamese food, but no noodiles, mostly vegie dishes, and I learned how to use chop sticks.
Tran showed me Waikiki beach, I didn't even know then, what Waikiki beach was, I came from a small island. She also introduced me to the park bench, the gateway back to Phil's Waikiki apartment, in satin sheets, and the Moody Blues song playing, Nights In White Satin. Everytime I hear that song, it brings me back to Waikiki beach, 52 years ago with Tran, and thinking what had happended to her throughout all the years pasted.
Anyway, after getting out of the army, Phil is a local artist here on Guam, he at one time was teaching art at a highschool.
But, for the past decades, he has a local art gallery, where people go to buy local art. Once in a while I stop by to see him, and chat about things, he's still the same, open hearted and a free soul. He gave me two of his art drawings, and I'll alway keep them, and pass it on to my children, with the story of Waikiki and Tran.
I think somewhere in the future, as people look at Phil's art work wondering what it is about, or what the drawing means.
But, to me, it'll always be about, Satin Sheets, with a beautiful woman named Tran, that gave me a very plesent memory, in Waikiki Hawaii.
AMEN!
After three days at Hickam AFB terminal waiting to get a hop, a guy in the airforce approched me, and asked if I was from Guam. I was suprised there were people there from Guam, as well as all the Fhilpinos sailors sleeping in the terminal chairs and floors, waiting for a hop too.
So, Phil Alcon said that I can stay at his appartment in Wikiki, untill I get called for a hop to Guam.
Hawaii to me at the time was a great place to live, island life and weather, the people were welcoming people, good warm hearted people.
A long story short, I was to go home for Thanksgiving, I spent Thanksgiving that year in Hawaii, forgetting about home during those three weeks.
Al's older brother John was in Hawaii too, he knew my sister Betty in high shool, married to a hawaiian girl, that taught me how to play the ukulele while I was there.
Anyway, while there I met a Vietnamese woman, Tran, who worked at a club called, The Black Sands. We ate vietnamese food, but no noodiles, mostly vegie dishes, and I learned how to use chop sticks.
Tran showed me Waikiki beach, I didn't even know then, what Waikiki beach was, I came from a small island. She also introduced me to the park bench, the gateway back to Phil's Waikiki apartment, in satin sheets, and the Moody Blues song playing, Nights In White Satin. Everytime I hear that song, it brings me back to Waikiki beach, 52 years ago with Tran, and thinking what had happended to her throughout all the years pasted.
Anyway, after getting out of the army, Phil is a local artist here on Guam, he at one time was teaching art at a highschool.
But, for the past decades, he has a local art gallery, where people go to buy local art. Once in a while I stop by to see him, and chat about things, he's still the same, open hearted and a free soul. He gave me two of his art drawings, and I'll alway keep them, and pass it on to my children, with the story of Waikiki and Tran.
I think somewhere in the future, as people look at Phil's art work wondering what it is about, or what the drawing means.
But, to me, it'll always be about, Satin Sheets, with a beautiful woman named Tran, that gave me a very plesent memory, in Waikiki Hawaii.
AMEN!
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