Category: Vietnam

Hanoi Street Food Tour – Did Someone say “Pancakes?”

We’re on a street-food-tasting walking tour in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. The dishes at our first two stops were incredible. Given how high the bar had been set, I figured it’d be downhill from here. But I was wrong.

Our tour guide and fearless leader, Lemon, has been telling us what Hanoi street food is all about, showing us what to do, and explaining what we’ve been tasting. She’s even managed to get us across a few Old Quarter streets with no casualties. (Admittedly, traffic where we’ve been so far has been light. That would change soon enough). Continue reading “Hanoi Street Food Tour – Did Someone say “Pancakes?””

Hanoi Street Food – The Tour

It’s a beautiful spring day in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. We’re going to spend most of the day on a food-tasting tour. We’ve made a reservation for a tour called “Hanoi Street Food Tour – Eat Like a Hanoian.” The tour is a walking tour that takes place entirely in the Old Quarter.  On the way here, we had our first exposure to the infamous Hanoi traffic. Whoa. That was something. We made it, though, so we’re ready to get started. Continue reading “Hanoi Street Food – The Tour”

Hanoi Street Food – Almost

It’s our first day waking up in Hanoi. We only have one activity scheduled for today – a foodie tour focusing on Hanoi street food. I’ve been waiting for this for quite a while. I’m ready!

It’s So Good…

Vietnamese food is so good. Most people are familiar with the beef noodle soup called “pho.” (In vietnamese it’s spelled “phở”, and pronounced “fuh.” Rhymes with “duh”). Spring rolls, too. Pork and shrimp mixed with vermicelli, lettuce, and mint, wrapped in rice paper so thin you can see though it. Dip them in peanut sauce. Yum yum. Continue reading “Hanoi Street Food – Almost”

Hanoi Martini

We’re in Hanoi! Yay! It’s been a long travel day, but we finally made it. We started early this morning in My Tho, south of Ho Chi Minh City. Everything was smooth sailing until the taxi ride to the hotel, when we thought we were going to get rolled. That little episode sure got our attention, but it turned out to be just a misunderstanding, and now it’s all good. Continue reading “Hanoi Martini”

Go North Young Man — to Hanoi!

It’s a travel day. We started this morning in My Tho, where we got on a bus bound for Ho Chi Minh City. From downtown Ho Chi Minh City, we took a shuttle to Ton Son Nhat airport, where we boarded a plane to Hanoi. We’ve gotten a taste of southern Vietnam. Now we’ll get to see what the North is like. I’ve heard it’s quite a bit different. We shall see! Continue reading “Go North Young Man — to Hanoi!”

Ho Chi Minh City

We’re still in the Mekong Delta, but unfortunately, not for long. We boarded a bus this morning and left for Ho Chi Minh City via Vietnam’s North-South Expressway. From there, we’ll find our way to the airport, where we’ll board a plane for Hanoi. We call this a “travel day.” Continue reading “Ho Chi Minh City”

Morning in My Tho

It’s morning in My Tho. And unfortunately, it’s time for us to say “good-bye” to the Mekong Delta. Even worse, it’s time for us to leave the boat that’s been our home for the past seven days. We’ve been on an Amawaterways cruise on the Mekong River, starting in Cambodia and ending here in My Tho. Continue reading “Morning in My Tho”

Mekong Delta Towns and Dong Hoa Hiep Village

We’re on the Mekong River, making our way toward the South China Sea, visiting Delta towns along the way. We crossed the Vietnam/Cambodia border at Tan Chau, stopped for a day at Sa Dec, and now we’re in Cai Be.

None of these Delta towns has what one would consider to be a giant tourist draw. If “Disneyland, Vietnam” is around here somewhere, I guess we missed it. These are working towns – homes to farmers and fishermen. But we’ve been getting a glimpse into a special part of the world that’s unlike anyplace I’ve experienced. I think it’s starting to grow on me. Continue reading “Mekong Delta Towns and Dong Hoa Hiep Village”

Delta Towns — Sa Dec and Cai Be

We’re in Sa Dec, Vietnam, wandering around in a large open-air market. There are hundreds of vendors here, selling whatever it is they’ve grown, caught, or raised.  We passed through the produce section and the fresh fish section, where, as far as I could tell, everything that was for sale was still alive. When we left off last time, we were just leaving the fish section, headed for the “meat department.” Continue reading “Delta Towns — Sa Dec and Cai Be”

Welcome to Sa Dec, Vietnam!

We’re cruising around in the famous and infamous Mekong Delta. Fifty years ago, this was a place where few people wanted to be. Today, it’s a laid-back network of rivers, canals, and rice fields. It’s one of the most fertile places in the world, and home to 20 million people. Yesterday we visited the quiet little town of Tan Chau, just across the border from Cambodia. Now we’ve moved eastward, further into the delta toward the South China Sea. Our next stop is the hustling, bustling city of Sa Dec. Continue reading “Welcome to Sa Dec, Vietnam!”