Siem Reap Dinner

After my long day of sightseeing I catch dinner around the corner at The Christa Restaurant & Bar where I get to try Cambodian style curry. It is quite good.

I call it an early night.

Next Day

I could do another day of sightseeing today but I instead choose to stay close to my hotel.

I start the day at the breakfast buffet at the hotel. They missed me yesterday since I woke up so early to catch the sunrise at Angkor Wat.

I am exhausted from the heat and traveling so I book a massage through my hotel and because it is Cambodia it is very affordable. The female masseuse comes to my room. We don’t speak each other’s language which doesn’t matter too much except I want to make sure she doesn’t do any back/hand/whatever cracking like what happened in Thailand. I try to communicate this in mime and not sure she understands but fortunately my massage had no cracking and was just what I needed.

Afterwards I decide to take advantage of the pool. It is small but only enhabited by two others who don’t stay long. The laps I do are refreshing but once I get my fill I decide I need to go try to find yoga pants for my yoga retreat I have scheduled in about a week. Unfortunately I am a terrible shopper in my home country and even worse in a foreign country. I cannot find yoga pants. It is hot so I give up.

I spend the evening exploring pub street instead.

I settle on a restaurant with balcony seating where I get to try Fish Amok at Traditional Khmer Food Restaurant. The balcony over looks a narrow alley with stores and other restaurants. Not a ton of foot traffic but it keeps me sort of entertained while I eat.

Fish Amok (fish with traditional Cambodian curry made lemongrass, chilli, coconut milk and **amok** “ngor” leaves, served in banana leaf)

Tomorrow is my birthday and I have nothing planned. I decide I need to go back to my room and make some sort of plans for tomorrow.

Arrived in Ho Chi Minh City

I am now in Ho Chi Minh City, the last town in my Vietnam exploration (or commonly known as Saigon). In my trip planning it was very important for me to include this city since it would help complete my tour of all the different parts of Vietnam. Each area of Vietnam has its own culture and style of food and I wanted to experience as much of it as I could given my short window (3 1/2 weeks in the country).

I am seated next to two friendly Vietnamese men on my flight. One lives in the United States and is visiting family, and the other is an infectious disease doctor in Saigon. I probe the doctor about the need for Malaria pills (since Cambodia is coming up soon). He assures me that I will not need the pills in any of the places I am visiting. It is so much more helpful to get the advice from a doctor that lives in the region you are visiting. The doctor gives me his business card in case I need any help around while in the city.

I stay in a hostel-like hotel in the middle of the action for my Saigon visit. I book a private room at the very pretty Aquarizon Boutique Hostel on the busy Bui Vien street. The hotel is funky and cool. Unfortunately my first room assigned is too moldy and musty for me to enjoy. After one night of sleep I fear I will get a sinus infection. Luckily the hotel has a spare room and is willing to work with me. I am moved to another room in the front of the hotel. The new room still has a musty smell but not as bad as my original room. I decide it is good enough for my stay. The noise from the street is louder in the front of the hotel but luckily I can mostly sleep through background noise; plus I have my ear plugs if I really need them.

Because I book a private room instead of the hostel dorm I get an upgraded breakfast. My breakfast is a buffet with more choices at the sister hotel next door. It is a bit of a maze to access the breakfast room but there is connectivity via one of the upper floors of my hotel.

My first evening I decide to try some mexican around the corner. I ask for a seat outside so I can people watch at Sancho’s Craft Beer & Mexican Kitchen.

Bui Vien Street.
There are no cars at this time but usually you have to be careful to dodge cars while walking on the street.

Bun Cha 145

The next day I go out for Bun Cha. I have heard they make it differently in Saigon. It is true. It is sweeter down south. The place I choose is popular. I arrive before it opens and there is already a small line outside

I can’t resist ordering the fried banana in green rice. It has a fun chocolate dipping sauce.

I decide to wander around and find an indoor food court. I have recently eaten but make a mental note in case I run out of places to eat nearby.

The food court is next to a park. A collegiate girl stops me to practice English. She wants to major in hospitality and wishes to visit the USA someday. She tells me interesting things about the city.

I walk back to my hotel via Bui Vien to take advantage of the happy hour offered downstairs that evening.

I have tours booked tomorrow so no late night for me.

Eating my way through Hue

It is my last day in Hue. Yesterday was busy so I take it easy today.

I return to Hahn restaurant since my last experience was so good.

Banh Beo chen

These are steamed rice cakes, about the size of a silver dollar, that come five to eight pieces to an order, topped with dried shrimp, pork cracklings, shallots and herbs and served with a dipping sauce, steamed and served in small ceramic saucers.

Banh Nam

Yet another delicious steamed rice savory cake, this time flat, with a mixture of fried ground shrimp, pork and scallions pressed into the surface before it’s wrapped in banana leaves then steamed. I guess this dish is kind of similar to the other dish I order.

Later I eat at my hotel Serene Palace Hotel . The hotel restaurant Serene Palace Restaurant isn’t bad. I got to try a couple more regional dishes.

Fried Spring Rolls

I believe these were made with glass noodles, vegetables and pork. Served on a fun pineapple.

Lemongrass Chicken

Seasoned and breaded chicken cooked on a skewer made of lemongrass.

Hue

I can’t pronounce the town correctly but I sure can enjoy the food. Full disclosure I have been prouncing the name of this city incorrectly before I arrived to Vietnam. I always thought it sounds like view when it really sounds like way. Lesson learned. I am in Hue Vietnam after a short morning flight from Hanoi.

They have their own particular flair on many dishes. There are many fried and unhealthy things but when in Huế…..

First stop is to try some local dishes at Hanh Restaurant. It is around the corner from my hotel and a great place to try out many different Hue style dishes.

Banh Khoai – Savory fried pancake (pork, shrimp, green onion) served with peanut sauce

Nem Ran – Fried Spring Roll (pork, mushroom, carrot)

Kem flaunt – creme caramel with passion fruit

After lunch I do some wandering around town. Hue is nice and quiet during the day. Like many cities it gets lively at night with the walking streets. I tend not to stay out late but I do my best to try a little bit of nightlife while I am here.

During my walk I find a great park with interesting modern sculptures (Park February 3).

After dark it is time for walking streets. The streets are blocked from cars. Pedestrians, vendors, and diners are out. For some reason there are a bunch of street fires. It is not cold so not 100% sure the purpose of these.

It is almost Halloween and some restaurants celebrate with spooky decor.

I stop in a cafe to get a beer, morning glory, and a bowl of Bun bo Hue. The soup isn’t the best version that I will try in Vietnam but it is good enough for dinner. I am happy for the huge plate of morning glory. I rarely get to eat greens like this when I am traveling.

The crowd gets thicker at all the cafes as time goes on. I shop a little bit then head back to my hotel. I have a tour of Hue booked for the next day.

Yen Duc Village

As part of my junk boat cruise package they offer an optional Vietnamese home-stay experience. Because my travel taste tends to favor local experience I decide to take advantage of the package. After I am picked up from my cruise I am taken to the Yen Duc village to experience Vietnamese life for a short while.

Many cruise vans stop by the village I am visiting for a water puppet show only. I ride with the group to the village but I am watching the puppet show the next day before I get picked up to return to Hanoi.

Instead I am taken to my room by electric cart. Usually there are more guests but tonight I am the only one. It is awkward because all the attention is on me but also I can cater the experience to exactly what I want.

My host takes me to my huge room. I relax there a bit after some welcome tea.

I am visiting during rainy season so we wait for the showers to end before going out for a bike ride around the village. I don’t bring my phone or camera on the ride for fear of rain so I get no pictures of that experience.

First stop is a local lady who has a 190 year old house. She lives mostly alone due to losing her husband years ago and her kids live out of town. She tells me of the family reunions that happen every ten years. She also explains the alters and offerings and how they worship a dead patriarch of many generations ago. She shows me her amazing family tree that now numbers more than 200 from a single ancestor , even going back when multiple wives were common. We talk about her garden and her house. Some of the plants in her garden I have grown in Florida in the past (my home). She is very nice.

Rice Harvesting

Next I learn how to produce rice. After harvesting rice has 2 layers to remove (brown rice just has one, the hull, removed). White rice is the same grain but has the hull, bran layer, and cereal germ removed.

A circular machine is used remove the outer layer shell, or hull.

Then rice is put into baskets to shake to remove the shell. It is an art. You shake and twirl to separate and use a jerk motion to knock the shell pieces out of the basket.

Then remove the second layer by bashing using a large mallet thing. It is a workout.

Finally I shake again to remove the rest of the bran and germ. It is an art. It is also hard work. I didn’t realize how much went into producing rice (and I didn’t even get to see it harvested). Rice is sold so cheaply all over the world and it takes so much manual labor to produce it.

Farm Fishing

After learning about rice we take bike ride to go fishing. In the village they do farm fishing in ponds. They grow the fish in ponds and use a basket method to catch the fish when it is time to cook it. I get a demonstration by the local fisherman. He plunges a wicker basket into the water in different areas in order to try to entrap a fish. This motion is done quickly all over the pond. Now it is my turn I walk into the muddy pond with water pants. I try and try and try but I couldn’t catch a fish of my own with the basket. I am assisted with catching one but I do have to stick my hand in and grab it put it in the basket. I hope this is something I would be able to master in time because right now my survival skills are lacking.

After fishing we ride back, there is finally great weather and I have great views of the rice fields.

When we return I get to roll my own dessert. Sugar cube, mung beans, dough and sesame. I can’t wait to try it later. I make a note to research all the cooking of mung beans. I forgot that I used to like them.

I go back to my room and cleanup but notice a huge spider chilling on my shower curtain. I am from Florida and we have a fair share of spiders but I am still scared of it. When I arrive at the dinner table later I tell my host about my fear of the spider. A staff member (who is small and petite) happily goes into my room and removes the huge spider with her hands. I am in awe. It is probably no big deal to her but I am impressed.

Soon I am served dinner like a queen (sorry forgot photos). One of the highlights is the morning glory at that like sautéed spinach.

Breakfast

I mean to go for a bike ride on my own in the morning but decide to relax instead. I always try to take my downtime when I can because things can always feel so fast-paced when traveling.

In no time at all it is lunchtime. Squid is on the menu but I am able to “swallow them down”. Again it is not that I don’t like squid, I actually do, I just don’t want to eat it all the time. I wish I had written down everything else I consumed, because it is all cooked well.

Soon it is time for me to watch the water puppet show. While I wait for the puppet show I take one last walk around the area.

Water Puppet Show

The puppet show starts with some singers. They sing a lovely song while they float around.

Soon the performance begins. The puppeters are behind the screen and are very skilled at acting out scenes with the puppets. A band plays music beside the stage.

After the show ends I head back to Hanoi for a second visit. More on that later.