Sugar Cane Juice
Bun Thit Nuong
Saigon Import Beer
Glutinous Rice Desserts
Pho Bo and Herbs
Sugar Cane Juice
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Vietnam - Hanoi
Saturday, 18 January 2014
Good Morning Vietnam!
So I made sure I made the most of my time in Hanoi and crammed a week's worth of sight-seeing and eating into 3 days *phew*
I don't ordinarily make a fuss, but the hotel's complimentary taxi from the Hotel didn't arrive - leaving us to foot the bill for an expensive taxi. When we arrived at the Hotel I let the receptionist know that the driver hadn't turned up (In case he came late and was waiting for us). She looked appalled and instantly upgraded us to the Honeymoon Sweet!
The room was much bigger and had a great (sound-proofed!) view of the markets down below, which were transformed into Night Markets at sundown. Although I couldn't get over how funny it was that my mate and I were staying at the Serenade Hotel's Honeymoon Suite... sounds like a pay-by-the-hour sort of joint, right?
One of my good friends was living and teaching in Vietnam while I was there, and so I organised with her to go around and see all the city's hottest spots.
After having lived there for 4 months already, she was practically a local! We started with a tour to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The monolithic structure is impressive and really heavily guarded. Don't even think of stepping onto the grass! My foot strayed while taking this photo and I was promptly reprimanded!
We then hit-up the Dong Xuan Markets and shopped until we dropped. Literally. My blood sugar felt so low I thought I was going to collapse so I bought some dried and candied Mango slices.
Within the Dong Xuan Markets there's a food court area... but it's more like dozens of street stalls under a roof! For fantastically low prices, we bought several delicious dishes:
Later that night we went out Clubbing in Hanoi. Being a clubbing-virgin I didn't really know what to expect, but the ridiculously-low prices of alcohol meant that it was an easily viable option to buy a bucket of alcohol.
The dance club we went to served mixed drinks and cocktails in sandcastle buckets and... Piggy Banks!
The next day we took the lengthy bus journey to Halong Bay and then a cruise around the rock formations.
Our tour guide took us to some secluded rock caverns with stunning formations inside. Our less-mobile fellow tourists (an old Polish couple) stayed behind - meaning that we could get around to some special sites with ease.
However, they DID eat most of the food provided on the cruise and weren't willing to share, so I had a measly serving of prawns and crab.
All in all, Hanoi was a bustling and exciting city with something for everyone!
So I made sure I made the most of my time in Hanoi and crammed a week's worth of sight-seeing and eating into 3 days *phew*
I don't ordinarily make a fuss, but the hotel's complimentary taxi from the Hotel didn't arrive - leaving us to foot the bill for an expensive taxi. When we arrived at the Hotel I let the receptionist know that the driver hadn't turned up (In case he came late and was waiting for us). She looked appalled and instantly upgraded us to the Honeymoon Sweet!
Honeymoon Suite
The room was much bigger and had a great (sound-proofed!) view of the markets down below, which were transformed into Night Markets at sundown. Although I couldn't get over how funny it was that my mate and I were staying at the Serenade Hotel's Honeymoon Suite... sounds like a pay-by-the-hour sort of joint, right?
One of my good friends was living and teaching in Vietnam while I was there, and so I organised with her to go around and see all the city's hottest spots.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
After having lived there for 4 months already, she was practically a local! We started with a tour to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The monolithic structure is impressive and really heavily guarded. Don't even think of stepping onto the grass! My foot strayed while taking this photo and I was promptly reprimanded!
Dried and Candied Mango Slices
We then hit-up the Dong Xuan Markets and shopped until we dropped. Literally. My blood sugar felt so low I thought I was going to collapse so I bought some dried and candied Mango slices.
Within the Dong Xuan Markets there's a food court area... but it's more like dozens of street stalls under a roof! For fantastically low prices, we bought several delicious dishes:
Lettuce, Prawn and Noodle Soup
Nem Nuong
Later that night we went out Clubbing in Hanoi. Being a clubbing-virgin I didn't really know what to expect, but the ridiculously-low prices of alcohol meant that it was an easily viable option to buy a bucket of alcohol.
Vodka Redbull in a Piggy Bank
The dance club we went to served mixed drinks and cocktails in sandcastle buckets and... Piggy Banks!
The next day we took the lengthy bus journey to Halong Bay and then a cruise around the rock formations.
Our tour guide took us to some secluded rock caverns with stunning formations inside. Our less-mobile fellow tourists (an old Polish couple) stayed behind - meaning that we could get around to some special sites with ease.
Prawns and Crab
However, they DID eat most of the food provided on the cruise and weren't willing to share, so I had a measly serving of prawns and crab.
All in all, Hanoi was a bustling and exciting city with something for everyone!
Vietnam - Hoi An
Monday, 30 December 2013
Hoi An is hands-down Vietnam's capital for:
- Beaches
- Resorts
- ...and Tailoring?
You wouldn't believe it until you see it for yourself. Hoi An boasts the most tailors per square metre of anywhere in the world, and I wouldn't argue with that.
Not only is the main street littered with tailoring 'shops', but in the bowels of the town there's a large warehouse which is brimming with tailors.
I can't help but feel that the word 'tailor' is used pretty loosely there though. I mean, does a person sitting at a table with a sewing machine count as a tailor? And what about those 'stores' that have been variously busted as fronts for sweat-shops with child labour?
Anyway, I had some shoes and apparel custom-fitted and designed to my specifications, for 1/3 of what they would have cost in Australia on a conservative estimate.
Back to the Beaches!
After landing at Danang Airport, we were picked-up by our resort's personal driver and taken on the 40 minute drive down the beach to the resort. All the way along the beach is just resort after resort, with construction sites for new resorts everywhere else.
We got slightly scammed on the way though. Our driver took us to his cousin's pottery and jewellery store on the way, as it was at the bottom of the Jade Mountain and so I thought I'd purchase a little jade for my Mum. But it was soon apparent that they were just ripping-off 'wealthy' Westerners. Honey, I had just finished school... I'm not exactly rolling in $$$
Now onto the Food/stuffing my face at every opportunity
- Beaches
- Resorts
- ...and Tailoring?
You wouldn't believe it until you see it for yourself. Hoi An boasts the most tailors per square metre of anywhere in the world, and I wouldn't argue with that.
Not only is the main street littered with tailoring 'shops', but in the bowels of the town there's a large warehouse which is brimming with tailors.
I can't help but feel that the word 'tailor' is used pretty loosely there though. I mean, does a person sitting at a table with a sewing machine count as a tailor? And what about those 'stores' that have been variously busted as fronts for sweat-shops with child labour?
Anyway, I had some shoes and apparel custom-fitted and designed to my specifications, for 1/3 of what they would have cost in Australia on a conservative estimate.
Back to the Beaches!
After landing at Danang Airport, we were picked-up by our resort's personal driver and taken on the 40 minute drive down the beach to the resort. All the way along the beach is just resort after resort, with construction sites for new resorts everywhere else.
We got slightly scammed on the way though. Our driver took us to his cousin's pottery and jewellery store on the way, as it was at the bottom of the Jade Mountain and so I thought I'd purchase a little jade for my Mum. But it was soon apparent that they were just ripping-off 'wealthy' Westerners. Honey, I had just finished school... I'm not exactly rolling in $$$
Now onto the Food/stuffing my face at every opportunity
If you haven't worked it out yet, I love my noodles.
Sweet Potato Cakes
Banana Crêpe (French colonial overhang?)
Pineapple Crêpe
Roadside Bun Thit Nuong
Local Draught Beer
Vietnam - Photos of Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon
Thursday, 26 December 2013
Bun Thit Nuong
Carrying Freshly-Cut Coconuts
Bun Bo Hue
Local Shops
Roadside Eateries
Vietnamese Fried Rice with Egg and Greens
Street Vendor Making Banh Mi
Restaurant Within the Night Markets
Banh Xeo
Street Vendors Within the Night Markets
(another) Bun Bo Hue
Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City
Wednesday, 25 December 2013
*So after a long MASSIVE break, you're probably more inclined to call me 'Infrequent Foodie' - I'm back now!*
After studying Vietnam in History class at school, I started developing an interest in the country, it's history and people. But it wasn't until I saw Luke Nguyen's culinary adventures throughout Vietnam that my plans go actually go there started to crystallise. And I'm so glad they did, because my 10 days there were some of the best of my life (thus far)!
It would be futile (and somewhat offensive) to try to condense the entirety of Ho Chi Minh City down to 2 Blog posts, so I'm only going to shed light on but some of Saigon's culinary and cultural delights.
Let's start with the shopping.
The main streets are dotted with massive department stores, which attract the richer tourist clientele, with top-ranged brands like Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Louis Vuitton having a firm hold. Since $10,000 handbags aren't really my 'thing', I opted for the (much) cheaper street-vendors and markets where most of the locals do their shopping.
Though the gutters scream "EFFLUENT" and the department stores boast "AFFLUENT", I had a great time haggling prices down and shopping up a storm.
On the way, however, I was stopped by a gentleman selling freshly-cut coconuts and drinks, who was more that happy to pass his heavy baskets on to me. I look pretty authentic, right?
Mmmmm all that shopping had made me hungry! What better way to satisfy those cravings than with once of Saigon's specialties, Bun Thit Nuong! This delectable bowl of rice vermicelli topped with mounds of fresh herbs, grilled pork and Nem (spring rolls) never fails to hit to spot.
Dear Reader, you must be starting to think I am always hungry and gorge myself on anything and everything. And you'd be right! Particularly when meals are (conservatively) $3 and each consecutively seem to be the best meal you've ever tried while there, you can forgive me for indulging!
Saigon comes to life at night with its Night Markets. The massive Ben Thanh Market was only a short stroll away from our hotel, so I often found myself haggling, buying and eating there. The large fires (see above) cook hundreds, maybe even thousands, of fish, prawns, crepes, meats and noodles every night. Cleverly, the cooks have large fans set up to blow the mouth-watering aromas throughout the entire market.
I couldn't pass up this opportunity to try Saigon's famous Banh Xeo - a crispy rice crêpe with a mixed filling of bean sprouts, prawns and other vegetables. The crisp crêpe goes down nicely with a bottle of Saigon Export beer!
xx
After studying Vietnam in History class at school, I started developing an interest in the country, it's history and people. But it wasn't until I saw Luke Nguyen's culinary adventures throughout Vietnam that my plans go actually go there started to crystallise. And I'm so glad they did, because my 10 days there were some of the best of my life (thus far)!
It would be futile (and somewhat offensive) to try to condense the entirety of Ho Chi Minh City down to 2 Blog posts, so I'm only going to shed light on but some of Saigon's culinary and cultural delights.
Let's start with the shopping.
The main streets are dotted with massive department stores, which attract the richer tourist clientele, with top-ranged brands like Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Louis Vuitton having a firm hold. Since $10,000 handbags aren't really my 'thing', I opted for the (much) cheaper street-vendors and markets where most of the locals do their shopping.
Though the gutters scream "EFFLUENT" and the department stores boast "AFFLUENT", I had a great time haggling prices down and shopping up a storm.
On the way, however, I was stopped by a gentleman selling freshly-cut coconuts and drinks, who was more that happy to pass his heavy baskets on to me. I look pretty authentic, right?
Mmmmm all that shopping had made me hungry! What better way to satisfy those cravings than with once of Saigon's specialties, Bun Thit Nuong! This delectable bowl of rice vermicelli topped with mounds of fresh herbs, grilled pork and Nem (spring rolls) never fails to hit to spot.
Dear Reader, you must be starting to think I am always hungry and gorge myself on anything and everything. And you'd be right! Particularly when meals are (conservatively) $3 and each consecutively seem to be the best meal you've ever tried while there, you can forgive me for indulging!
Saigon comes to life at night with its Night Markets. The massive Ben Thanh Market was only a short stroll away from our hotel, so I often found myself haggling, buying and eating there. The large fires (see above) cook hundreds, maybe even thousands, of fish, prawns, crepes, meats and noodles every night. Cleverly, the cooks have large fans set up to blow the mouth-watering aromas throughout the entire market.
I couldn't pass up this opportunity to try Saigon's famous Banh Xeo - a crispy rice crêpe with a mixed filling of bean sprouts, prawns and other vegetables. The crisp crêpe goes down nicely with a bottle of Saigon Export beer!
xx
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