If your name is 'Matt Kristek' then you may be known for many things - but one thing that tops the charts is your intense love for and dedication to Starbucks.
And, if you're me, Marsh, or Kristina - you get to benefit from the wealth of knowledge Matt has to share. I know more than I ever have about the history of Starbucks City Mugs, different ways I can order my coffee, and even the most recent store openings.
In fact, Matt was pleased to tell us that the first Starbucks to open in all of Vietnam opened in Ho Chi Minh, 3 weeks before we arrived! The icing on the cake? It was only a 10 minute walk from our hotel. Though, thinking back... Matt actually picked and booked our hotel in Ho Chi Minh, so maybe the close proximity to where we were staying was not actually a coincidence :)
While Marsh was out on his Back of the Bike Food Tour (eating fertilized duck and crow eggs... which we happily decided to skip....), we headed for Starbucks.
This is NOT an exaggeration - true Vietnamese coffee is the best coffee I've ever had. Starbucks coffee in Vietnam is the same it is in States. So, I was SHOCKED when we waited in line at Starbucks for 45 minutes - when the Vietnamese have the best coffee in the world all over their towns!
It was all worth the wait though. As I was waiting for our drinks, and Matt and Kristina were saving a table upstairs, I met probably the nicest Vietnamese person ever (again, not an exaggeration).
He struck up the conversation by asking, "are the queues for Starbucks this long in your country?" (being the only white person for a mile, I guess I stood out). I then had to inform him that I come from a country that sadly does not have much Vietnamese coffee, but we are the headquarter location of Starbucks.
After a great little conversation, I was re-counting the story to Matt and Kristina at our table. I realized that my new friend was at the table right across from us! He jumped up and came over - giving us recommendations of bars and restaurants to go to, sites to see, and even his phone number in case we got lost in the city!
I have a lot to learn about hospitality from the people of southeast Asia!
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| First Starbucks in Vietnam |
In fact, Matt was pleased to tell us that the first Starbucks to open in all of Vietnam opened in Ho Chi Minh, 3 weeks before we arrived! The icing on the cake? It was only a 10 minute walk from our hotel. Though, thinking back... Matt actually picked and booked our hotel in Ho Chi Minh, so maybe the close proximity to where we were staying was not actually a coincidence :)
While Marsh was out on his Back of the Bike Food Tour (eating fertilized duck and crow eggs... which we happily decided to skip....), we headed for Starbucks.
This is NOT an exaggeration - true Vietnamese coffee is the best coffee I've ever had. Starbucks coffee in Vietnam is the same it is in States. So, I was SHOCKED when we waited in line at Starbucks for 45 minutes - when the Vietnamese have the best coffee in the world all over their towns!
 |
| A glimpse at the lengthy queue... and two stunning models |
He struck up the conversation by asking, "are the queues for Starbucks this long in your country?" (being the only white person for a mile, I guess I stood out). I then had to inform him that I come from a country that sadly does not have much Vietnamese coffee, but we are the headquarter location of Starbucks.
After a great little conversation, I was re-counting the story to Matt and Kristina at our table. I realized that my new friend was at the table right across from us! He jumped up and came over - giving us recommendations of bars and restaurants to go to, sites to see, and even his phone number in case we got lost in the city!
I have a lot to learn about hospitality from the people of southeast Asia!
 |
| View of Ho Chi Minh from the second floor |
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