SAIGON MOTOBAI DIARIES

Balloons, balloons and more baloons!

2008-12-16T03:36:00.000-08:00

Round & Round

2008-12-16T03:31:00.000-08:00

Street Scenes @ Holiday Lighting

2008-12-16T03:23:00.000-08:00

Holiday Lights Downtown

2008-12-16T03:21:00.000-08:00

In search of tacos, motorbike crashes

2008-12-16T03:12:00.000-08:00

Not so happy!

Cantina Central: only memorable because of the motorbike crash minutes earlier. Side-slammed, out of nowhere, we both downed a drink and silently picked at some mediocre street-style tacos (although I have to say I was very surprised by their mini-tortillas! They were actually

hand-made and pretty good). Furniture by Gaya, otherwise dull interior.

More food, more coffee, more drinks!

2008-12-16T02:50:00.000-08:00

Saigon Cafe Nightlife

2008-12-16T01:12:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for somewhere to go and get your energy moving, whether it be at 11 am or 11 pm, Windows Cafe on Alexandre de Rhodes Street is the place to go. Thumpin' music w/ live Dj, great coffee, atmosphere, design, Spirits, food....they've got it all!

Gaya Store Built 1974

2008-12-16T00:33:00.000-08:00

Saigon City Retro-Architecture

2008-12-16T00:26:00.001-08:00

Cao Thang Street: Clothing, cops, sidewalk tailors & mini lake cafe

2008-12-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

BEST Bahn Xeo on Cao Tang Street

2008-12-12T20:41:00.000-08:00

This is the one w/ Ozonated water! Not only was this bahn xeo the best one we have had but cleaner and cheaper ($35,000 apx. $2USD) filled to the brim w/ pork belly and shrimp. And the bahn cot ( mini pancakes) were crazy yummy! Not to mention the establishment had spritzers and fans to cool you off, and clay tiled palapa roofs. Definitiely a place to frequent ( hope it doesn't disappear!)

Banh Cuon Somewhere around #11 Cao Thang, D3

2008-12-12T20:26:00.000-08:00

We were looking for Hai Nam Bahn Cuon #11A Cao Thang St, D3. But as it turns out, this was one of those places that was no longer there (although it had been raved about in the November issue of "The Word HCMC"). But we did find a place close by which must have been it, re-located somehow. Anyhow, the bahn cuon were amazing!!!!! I thought the ones we had at our frequented deli were good.... but these little suckers were to die for! Bahn cuon are gelationous rice paper rolls, filled w/ either pork or pork and shrimp, served w/ a sweet fish sauce, bean sprouts, and a couple of slices of Vietnamese ham. For under $16,000 VND ( less than $1 USD) it just doesn't get any better than this!!!

Saigon City Food

2008-12-12T19:47:00.000-08:00

Bahn Xeo 46A 46A Dinh Cong Trang, D1
Food, food, food. I'm pretty sure we've both put on about 7lbs each. The thing is, the food is light and fresh and by nature, not fattening. But we tend to eat places where we can't be sure of the amounts of MSG being used, and I think that may be a factor. I think we're just bloated! But in the quest for the best, we've had to sacrifice our bodies for taste and discovery! In the process, we have been both pleasantly surprised and completely disappointed. In most cases, though, our favorite places have altogether just "disappeared". Swearing by our memories of our most frequented eateries, we thought we were going crazy when whole city blocks had been removed of all familiar signs. poof! gone... sometimes leaving their signs behind, but the buildings were either something else or in the process of becoming something else. Signs of the faces of change in a fast-growing economy ( even in this world of downturns and recession). Even those eateries mentioned in last month's issue of local ex-pat magazines like "The Word" or "Asia Life", had mysteriously disappeared! Whatever the case, it was beginning to become an annoyance, really. But we found some new favorites, particularly for those looking for a really good bahn xeo (Vietnamese crepe) and bahn cot ( Vietnamese mini rice pancakes w/ shrimp). We actually found a place where all the veggies are washed w/ ozonated water and they even have ozone water for washing your hands! We also enjoyed an amazing bahn cuon ( steamed rice flour rolls stuffed w/ ground pork & mushrooms) typically from Hue, and other Hue-style specialties. Both these places were MSG-free. Following are pics of the first good bahn xeo eatery. It is an outdoor street-style restaurant in an alley. Clean and good. For $50,000VN ( apx $3 USD) you get a good bahn xeo ( we thought it was the best up until this point, until we tried the other place ( next blog). I have to say, however, that this place has awesome spring rolls, made to order. We definitely felt better about the amount of food we were eating when we saw three small Chinese women order one bahn xeo each and a full order of spring rolls (8!) and had no problem finishing all of it! note: one bahn xeo is the size of a cocktail tray, folded in half! Thien and I split one, a half order of spring rolls, and one beef skewer, and were quite stuffed!

Vietnam or Veracruz?

2008-12-12T19:36:00.000-08:00

If it wasn't for the pointed straw hats and signage, I'd swear I was in Veracruz. The similarities are striking. I swear I've seen this house before!

Dalat: City of flowers, man-made lake & French-era houses

2008-12-11T02:59:00.000-08:00

This was our second time visiting Dalat, and although we were only there for one day, this time around, not much had changed. Still beautiful and strange, cold and damp, and damn good coffee! Known for it's high mountain coffee and specialty roasting, the area is highly regarded as the country's premier coffee region. Besides breaking down on our scooter... twice ... we enjoed the fresh, cold mountain air. The trip home was a long one ... we highly recommend flying out of the Dalat airport at the base of the mountain, unless you're into long car rides ... as far as the scenery... coffee, coffee and more coffee...and about an hour or 2 before the outskirts of Saigon, there are some really funky, on-the-verge-of-creepy buildings w/ out-of-proportion size religious statues...and funky-neo-retro looking churches. Funny, though, I couldn't really tell if I was traveling through coastal Veracruz, Mexico or if I was in Vietnam... the similarities are astounding! Climate, culture, architecture, religious fervor.... wow! Check out the slideshow "Roadside Attractions" at the bottom left.

Family pet or dinner?

2008-12-11T02:49:00.000-08:00

More Pics: Nha Trang & Fishing Village Loung Soung

2008-12-10T02:31:00.000-08:00

Loung Sung fisshing village apx. 30km north of Nha Trang
Cham Temple in Nha Trang

Day 2 & 3: Nha Trang

2008-12-10T01:21:00.000-08:00

The weather eventually cleared up..... on the day we left... of course!!! We did enjoy the hot mineral mud baths which Nha Trang is well-known for. I rode the bike successfully, for the first time. Note: successfully! My first ( and what I thought would be my last) time was in Saigon, on our last trip, at night. Thien insisted I ride alone, so I did, I kept going, when I should've stopped...I thought to myself "you're a natural"... I turned with everyone else, blended right in ( except for the blonde hair, hight, and stiff arms..) Then, all I could see were "no turning" signs...everwhere. And I got lost, then I became anxious, then I almost ran over 2 pedestrains, whom later helped me find my way back to the pirated DVD stall ( one of many, and of course, they ALL looked the same!) where I had last seen Thien 40 minutes earlier... Oh yeah, did I mention I fell over on the curb trying to avoid the innocent bystanders? Anyways, this time I was taken to a place where there was nobody...I mean NOBODY....that I could hurt. Success!

Day 2: Nha Trang: "Hot Toc" before and after

2008-12-09T02:45:00.001-08:00

Day 1: Nha Trang Afternoon arrival by plane. Not so sunny!

2008-12-09T02:34:00.000-08:00

Night out with friends

2008-12-09T02:16:00.000-08:00

Hanging out with locals is key. You get to check out places you normally wouldn't find by reading the guides or ex-pat magazines. We crossed Saigon River, wound through the outskirts of town and ended up reaching a riverside cafe next to some very nice homes. Quail eggs in a bag were sold as snacks ( of course we did!) and coffee was dripped tableside. Besides the two brothers who continuously swashed their mouths with petrol and lit sticks on fire.... (cringe cringe....the younger brother was only about 6 or 7 ) the view was amzing and so was the company. Ending up at a local eatery we had an interesting meal of several goat dishes. By far the most bizarre we've tried in Vietnam was the goat's blood w/ raw goats meat and some sort of herbs...not sure which was creepier ... that, or the beating cobra heart that Thien swallowed on our first trip to Hanoi! We will have to edit that video from 3 years ago, and post upon our return.

FashionTV Cafe

2008-12-09T02:11:00.000-08:00

Waiting at the fashionTV cafe while Thien gets pampered at "Just for Men".... haircut, wash and massage....no no...no happy ending...yep, I'm sure.

More pics of Boulangerie on Le Loi

2008-12-08T21:08:00.000-08:00

Making Bahn Cuon

Our favorite Boulangerie....Perfect mix of French-style deli w/ great Vietnamese street food

2008-12-08T20:48:00.000-08:00

We eat here all of the time...favorite dish is Bahn Cuon ( ground pork and black mushroom rolled in steamed rice sheets, served w/ bean sprouts, sweet fish sauce, and cold deli meats). Also their Bahn Mi Tit Noung (BBQ pork sandwiches on fresh-baked baquette), Bun Rieu ( crab & noodle soup w/ shrimp paste) and their fruit juices are amazing....also their iced coffee comes out frothed over crushed ice...

You can buy cold meats, fresh bread, all the fillings to make sandwiches later.

Hayden? Is that you?

2008-12-08T20:39:00.000-08:00

Hayden shopping at Diamond Plaza.....She's my hero!

Ciao Cafe 11am 2nd day....

2008-12-08T20:34:00.000-08:00

Thien ordered a Tiger Beer....I had the yogurt drink on ice....yummy. This cafe has all sorts of reading material, travel magazines, etc... Also, apparently, their spaghetti & meatballs is very popular w/ the locals.

Catching up..

2008-12-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

Been busy discovering new spots in and around the city. So I will try to play catch-up by posting pictures with captions in the order of our stay.

I will call these: First Impressions... the 3rd time around."

Later, I will post tips on traveling to Vietnam ( what to prepare, wear, bring and leave behind) Tips on food, motobai riding, bargaining, tipping, etc... I will post some great links that have all the good info... why re-invent the wheel? Of course, we'll add our own suggestions based on personal experience, too. Hopefully they will be useful to those planning a trip, but most importantly for our friends who will be attending our wedding here in Saigon 2009. We would like some feedback from anyone planning on coming on places you may or may not be into traveling to outside of Saigon. Places to consider: Nhat Trang & Mui Ne, Phu Quoc Island, Can Dao Island ( which we have not yet been to) and Cambodia & Laos ( we will definitely be planning a 3-day trip from Saigon to Siem Riep to see the ancient city of Angkor Wat and surrounding temples and hopefully have time for Laotia, either Luang Prabang or Vientiane, for one night. So, do your research, post your comments, tell us your ideas.

Ciao for now.

Good Morning Vietnam!

2008-12-06T00:58:00.000-08:00

2008-11-25T14:39:00.000-08:00

DAY 1: Waiting for the sun to rise and the Pho shops to open. Jet lag sucks! Been up since 3am. Thank goodness for our Airport Express and wireless internet... and yes, to our new little MacBook friend....

More Beach Scenes Vung Tao

2008-03-31T03:18:00.000-07:00

Visiting Ancestors and the Best Bahn Khot!

2008-03-30T00:42:00.000-07:00

Thien's grandparents' tomb

Bahn Khot are little

crepe-like rice panc

akes with shrimp, topped with powdered dried shrimp and chopped green onions. They are eaten wrapped in greens and dipped in nuoc mam. These little suckers are amazing! Not to mention we ate them here in Vung Tao, at the most famous

place in all of Vietnam. The batter......

......a secret, of course!

Vung Tao

2008-03-29T03:36:00.000-07:00

Soft landing into the comfort of our secondary home in Saigon, we met Thien's mom and planned our next journey to Vung Tao, the town ( now ever growing city) where he was born. This is our second trip to the port city that was once occupied by the French, then the Americans and later, the Russians. Remains of these epochs are evident in the architecture, including the old Rex Hotel, which I believe having read, was a communications center for the US during the War. It is now the 3rd largest city and a popular vacation spot for nationals. The funky coastline is a hodge podge of archictural styles, from gaudy neo-colonial, to mid-century, to New England style knock-offs. In between are Theravada Buddhist Temples and Christian chusches alike, sometimes overlapping with their statues and symbols of faith on the horizon. Check it out for yourself!

Engagement Beach at Bo Resort

2008-03-29T03:32:00.000-07:00

How could she not say "YES!"

Beaches Phu Quoc

2008-03-24T00:05:00.000-07:00

We could get used to this.....

And this....

Jungle Paradise

2008-03-23T23:59:00.000-07:00

Bo Resort Bungalow 11

The perfect setting.....

Ready for lift off!

2008-03-23T23:53:00.001-07:00

Saigon from the air and Phu Quoc landing

Break Time

2008-03-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

For as much as we love Saigon and all of is underpinnings, we've been here for a month while only taking an overnight trip partly up the Mekong. The weather seems to be warming up and the hours between noon and 3pm are a bit torturish- we preffer to spend them in our hotel, in the aircon, reading or trying to surf the web,...well,actually, here its more like wading in the slow and shallow virtual shoals. We seem to wake up fully when the sun begins to back off and the thick motorbike pollution seems to be swept away by the almost predictable afternoon breeze. This is the time of day our routine kicks in, starting with a much anticipated visit to our moveable coffee shop accross the street. Mainly set up to feed the local labor class during the day, the afternoon brings in a variety of people, even other farong and Viet Cu like ourselves. But we have established a mutual friendship with the family that runs the not-so-legal joint, (by this I mean that they seem to only have a liscence for food and coffee, but beer and smokes are always available.) During inspection day, they seem to be gone, but really, they've only just set-up around the corner in the alley street in front of their home. From there, the meals continue to be served and there is always a cold Tiger beer somewhere to be provided for two thirsty regulars.

We've discovered many many things about Saigon just from hanging out back there. Apparently, inspection can last a few days so we've been intently observing who comes in, who goes out. It is literally "The Lost City" that has yet to be mentioned in any of the "Pancacker" travel guides. The labryinth of small streets that are city block deep is just incredible. Cities within cites....food stalls, hair salons, computer rooms.....all providing local services within the 5, 6 story buildings erected above the double motorbike width alleys.

It is time for us to pack-up shop and hit the pristine waters of Phu Quoc. Our eco-villa at Bo Resort will bring forth a fresh new perspective as we near the end of the beginning of our stay. We will be limited in our communication with the rest of the world for the next five days. Cheers to our friends and family!

xoxo D & T.

When you're feeling down, get beat up!

2008-03-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

Cao Gio (fire cupping) is a long-standing healing art in Vietnam, as it is in many other parts of Asia. The technique involves having your masseuse prep your back with about 10 minutes of acupressure focused on the complaint area(s). When you're all warmed up and ready to go, she preps her first glass jar by rubbing the inside with a swab of alchohol, which she then lights with a small torch and promptly lays on your slightly oiled skin, causing a leech strength suction that stretches your skin to the limits. Once she's done placing her whole collection of about 30 cuppers on your back and arms, she places a warm towel over the cups that now create a nice table for two. It's a strange yet cool sensation as she slides her hands up and down the glasses that now encase your skin. I guess it's meant to stimulate the circulation, as if the rest wasn't enough! As that part is cookin', you get a nice leg and foot massage, probably to take your mind off an almost unbearable skin stretch. Periodicaly she reaches over to ensure that the cups are tight and doing their job by giving them an extra twist. After about 20 minutes, she starts pluckin' away, like picking mollusks off the sea wall. Little do you know that by the end of the treatment you'll look like, (quoting Thien).."you got hit by a tennis ball machine!" The circle tattoos will last about a week, they say. It's been about 5 days and I'm still bearing the marks. But I must say, it really is a pick-me-up when you're feeling a bit sluggish or fluish. My session extended into an hour-long combo of Shiatsu, Thai and Taiwanese acupressure techniques that stretched, pulled, pushed and kneaded away any tightness or stress in the body. And all of this for an unreasonable $110,000 dng (apx. $8.50 USD)!!! At home a similar treatment has cost me upwards of $120 for a 90-minute session, without the cupping! What a deal..... I'm definetly going back, but next timewill be for a foot massage, which includes a 20 minute session in an herbal steam and sauna, a jacuzzi with mineral salts and your choice of essential oils, a half-hour foot reflexology targeting specific ailments, topping off the gour long treatment with a parrafin dip. All of this for a very affordable price: $15 USD/60 min or $20/90min. Defenitely a must for any hard working local or tired traveller.

The clinic is called Ngoc Anh and is located at 31/1 Nguyen Binh Kiem, Q.1, HCMC http://www.tanngocanh.com/ & http://www.ngocanhspa.com/.

Power Bowl Saigonese Style

2008-03-10T21:16:00.000-07:00

Bowling is a big part of the Saigonese's leisure activities. With AC, thumping music and an attentive wait staff bringing you beers, smoothies and snacks, it is a great way to spend a hot afternoon. With Thien's aunt and uncle, and our extended family from our hotel at Nam De, we bowled it out, leaving Thien the champ, Lauc in 2nd place and Nam, our hip-hop surrogate sister, coming in 3rd, calling it close with Phuong in 4th and myself, competing with Co Lan for fifth and final place!

RU Palace

2008-03-10T20:46:00.000-07:00

This is a detail of the Reunification Palace built in the 1960's to house the South Vietnamese government until northern troops broke through the gates in 1975, giving it its current name. The architecture, being mid-century, is quite stunning, with beautiful gardens and a modern art museum attached. Unfortunately, we visited when the gates were closing. But we will go back to walk the grounds and take more pics. Later, D.

Pham Ngu Lauers

2008-03-10T02:00:00.000-07:00

Once every few days we like to do some type of tourist activity like hang out at Pham Ngu Lau, the backpaker district, and intently observe "first-timers" and "old-timers" alike. There are those who come in search of anonymity, others who are blatently devious and proud of it. Then there are the 20-somethings that hang out at places like the Go To Bar (the old Heart of Darkness) in their tour group and swap stories of their recent trips to Cambodia and Laos. And out of the corner of your eye you'll see the older, worn out American Vet, milking his Johnny Walker as he considers the array of propositions he receives throughout the evening. Splattered all over the place is a kaleidescope of foreign travellers, some in search of a long-time-gone romanticised dream, others, wandering about with just plain deer-in-headlights looks. Maybe some believe the dream and think they'll find it backpacking through this urban jungle, or by indulging in one of the many luxurious recreations of the French Colonial epoch (note: in 1859 the French naval destroyed what the Nguyen emporers had built here, only to rebuild it as a colonial city and rename it Saigon, meaning "wood of the kapok tree". My point being that the romanticised notion of Indochine should be taken with a grain of salt, and should not be the sole lens through which it is seen nor experienced. Especially because the French only ruled indirectly for a brief period, considering this country's long standing history.)

Anyways....on with the blog...

And somewhere in between stand the tax evaders, the small-time drug dealers that "can't" return home. However, they can only hide for so long in their ex-pat bars and pretend this world is their oyster, because, really, they are the golden oysters in the eyes of the everyday people.

But those who choose not to return home end up going into some sort of business, like making plaster fountains in Vung Tau or the like. And, we know this, how? Well, we've developed some good eavesdropping, observational and conversational skills over the past several weeks as we try to understand what it is that has drawn over 400,000 tourists in the month of February alone!

And we discover new answers to that question everyday.

Lost in Saigon

2008-03-10T01:45:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! Just wanted to touch base - hope everyone is doing great - we are having an amazing trip so far - 3 weeks in, and 3 weeks left - how time flies! We have been getting to know the real in's and out's of Saigon and everyday is a brand new adventure leading to the discovery of something new. Yesterday we got lost in Saigon and ended up crossing several bridges and ending up in District 2 on some very small and obscure streets - the "real Saigon" discovered, away from anything modern...back to basic living. Later on, after having to take the ferry back with our motorbike from wherever we were, we learned we were in the area where Thien and his family lived for 3 months prior to leaving the country. Tonight we will be going back with the video cam and also to take more pics. We'll post them later on our blog . It's not totally updated yet - we've had some computer/internet problems that we just resolved. Can't wait to hear from everyone... hugs, D&T.

Part III: Cai Rang & Mekong: Pictures speak louder than words...

2008-03-02T19:31:00.001-08:00

Can Tho Women

Part II: Cai Rang, Can Tho & Mekong continued...

2008-03-02T05:31:00.000-08:00

Where did we leave off....oh yeah....the city of Can Tho....after waking from a much needed nap in our windowless "budget" room (which we had reluctantly accepted as a downgrade from our reserved "superior" room for half of the "tourist" price......mmmm......) we were ready to find a bargain sanpan and guide to take us to the floating markets at Cai Rang at sunrise. No need to look far, for once we reached the boardwalk, a persistant dark boat man named Hui immediately sold us on a 3 hour tour for half the price the hotel was offering. Thien negotiated as we followed him to see our ride. We were satisfied. It was time to find some food and more photo opp's. We found ourselves amidst a highly energetic crowd, busily finishing the final touches on the the display booths for the Mekong-Can Tho yearly festival. We witnessed rats of all shapes and sizes, from gigantic gold and silver paper maches to woven life-size animated creatures - all of course in celebration of the Year of the Rat, 2008. No, folks, Chinese New Year festivities had not died down and Chunc Mung Nam Moi banners were as prominent as ever! As the sun began to settle, the neon lights took its place. We walked across the bridge which crossed the Cai Khe Canal in search of the well known Victoria Can Tho Hotel. As we approached its secluded location, we began to wonder if we shouldn't have just bitten the bullet and stayed there instead. At first glance we were impressed with its colonial architecture and manicured gardens. The lobby was striking with its open-air patios and magazine pool. But after observing the guests, we realized that this is what we had come here to get away from- not that we don't appreciate the finer things in life, but we had not travelled half-way across the globe to be surrounded by American and European tourists who preffered to visit from a distance. You know, the kind that do not like to "mingle" with the locals, or eat the local fare. They much prefer their Indochina dream unscathed by the not-so-romantic harshness of life. But all that comes with the loss of truly experiencing the heart of Vietnam, of its people.

After our inflated $7.00 bill was paid, we found ourselves back on the street, plopped down at a Bun Xeo street restaurant and enjoyed one of the best Vietnamese crepes we had had yet, and at $2, only a fraction of our Victoria bill (bottled water is normally .20 cents, a liquor $1.50-2, Victoria water 2.50 and the campari a modest 4.50). You can really take it up the arse at some of these "finer" resorts.

Writing interrupted......

2008-02-29T05:24:00.000-08:00

Our daily updates had been interrupted by a little bugger called the flu..... and its taken me a few days to recover and Thien has been busy taking care of me. But after a "jump-start" acupuncture treatment at the Institute of Traditional Medicine I was able to get back on my feet within a couple of days. It is great to have the option of traditional medicince with western practice in this city. I must warn however, that the Acu-Impulse treatment is quite literally, a jump-start! Not for the delicate nor the faint of heart! The needles are thick, they go in deep, and the electrical current that is pumped through them is enough to run a small motor... they do not kid around! But it got me up and running within 24 hours, along with some prescribed chinese herbs and tonics. All (needles, diagnosis, herbs and torture) for under $20 usd! Wish I had some pics to show....but some things are best left to the volatile recollection of memory......

We will post some more pics from our Can Tho / Mekong trip and finish up that story later.

Trip to Can Tho

2008-02-22T02:52:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, February 20th
6:00am: rise to alarm, stumble down 5 floors spiral stairs not because the hotel lacks an elevator, but because it's decendance is in pace with the awakening of the brain and the re-enterreing of the soul into the body. The body craves the morning jolt of our ca phe sua da(Vietnamese coffee), so Thien wakes the overnight staff, our coffee is freshly dripped and we wait for our morning bowl of hieu tiu, probably the next best thing to a really good bowl of pho at Pho 24 or a savory breakfast of bun bo hue at Mon Hue.
7:30am: We rush to the speed boat doc and load into a 25 seater ride, and off to Can Tho we go!
11:00am Upon arrival we reflect upon our 3 1/2 hour zip up the Mekong and through many of its tributaries. The landscape drastically changes as the city, and its surrounding mega-shipping industries, are trailed behind and transcend into a rural tone as we pass by less sophisticated boats hauling dirt, gravel, clay tiles.... all signs of the incredible pace of growth this country is in the midst of. We are witnessing history in the making.
Can Tho surprises us with its size and metropolitan vibe. We find ourselves walking lazily in a humid 22 deg. c . late morning to our Hotel Saigon Can Tho (on which we will comment later), just a few blocks away. Signs of tents and stands indicate some sort of festival about take place. We learn from the signage that it is the day before the Mekong-Can Tho Festival. We look forward to seeing the festival develop during our short stay.

Read and you'll find out...

2008-02-17T21:07:00.000-08:00

Breakfast above: Banh Tet ( New Year's Cake). Not really a "cake" but more like a rice and-other-unknown ingredients fried pancake that can lean to either side on the sweet-salty scale. (We both preffered a small amount of sprinkled sugar). Brought to our room by a concerned staff, we were politely pleaded to eat, fearing the quality of our Luck for 2008. Now we can be ensured that the Rat will be smiling upon us for the rest of the year!

About our evening last night....

It's all about taking Karaoke to the next level! The cover bands at Acoustic were phenomenal! Everything from Pink Floyd ( they really like Pink Floyd) to Britney Spears, Sting to Goo Goo Dolls! And the audience was 98% Vietnamese hipsters - only about 4 or 5 of us expat / foreigners there. No cover, but $40,000 dn for a Tiger (apx. $2.50; still cheap but 2x more than average), but cool & intimate atmosphere. Definetely a good time for anyone who wants to get away from the all-expat white-y bars. Tomorrow we're checking out Yoko, a "showcase for undiscovered Vietnamese music talent...ranging from Jazz to Rock". Next time we go out we'll lug the Pentax around so we have pics to show! Oh yeah, we also had some dinner at K Cafe, a tiny French-style "bistro" in the backpacker district. Not too much to say about the Steak Frites Salade nor the Steak au Poivre, that was more like "Cream au Poivre", but at $7 US what can you ask for? Even though it was stated on the Specials chalkboard that the beef was "imported"...mmmm.....But they make a good Mojito......

However, for those of you reading who may be visiting sometime in the near future, definitley pick up a free copy of THE WORD magazine in any cafe in or around Q1. It just launched and looks very promising - it's really got it all - cool layout, great articles, and listings for just about anything any foreign resident or traveller could possibly need or want. Today we'll be checking out a brand new multi-story mall that's supposed to be to the likes of the foo-foo malls in Bangkok.....we'll comment on that later. -D.

A Day in Cholon

2008-02-17T00:48:00.000-08:00

Cholon is an area between Q5 & Q6(District 5&6), predominantly inhabited by Vietnamese of Chinese origin. There you find the main trading quarters of Binh Tay Market, finding anything foodstuff, from dehydrated bamboo shoots and wild medicinal mushrooms to live fish and roasted pork. Clothing and candy are in abundance as well on the 2nd floor, if you can get through the maze of boxes being carried on the backs of hard working men and

women. We rode our motobai here from Q1 early this morning, but not early enough, unable to avoid some heavy morning traffic. While Thien manned the boat, avoiding all sorts of obstacles imaginable, I navigated as best I could, improvising at detours and streets not on my list. But we arrived without a scratch and enjoyed our observation post at the Trung Nguyen coffee shop across the street, along with the local Sunday-goers, reading their papers, smoking their cigs and enjoying a potent Vietnamese coffee, chased w/ a light iced-oolong tea, as is customary. These are a few of our top un-edited pics for the day, as we try to improve our photo skills. Enjoy! -D.

Crusteaceans and Shellfish

2008-02-16T21:16:00.000-08:00

The warmth and generosity we experience with our surrogate family at Hotel Nam De can only be described as refreshing. So far from our home in San Diego, however home is where the heart is. And for now our hearts are in Saigon. The staff have become our friends, brothers, sisters...family. Last night we experienced our "Moveable Feast" complete with bounties of the sea, laughter and genuine smiles that make the lights of this restless city seem pale in comparison.-TN

A day in the life of....

2008-02-14T23:49:00.000-08:00

Constantly surrounded by the frenzy of organized chaos that is the constant soundtrack of our evenings, has given us the chance to capture this momentary lapse of time. As we unwind from the early rising and the all -day -going, the city re-awakens as the sun begins to settle. The night becomes like day as the river of lights begin to flow beneath the safety of our balcony. -D.

I left my mole in Ho Chi Minh...

2008-02-14T23:33:00.000-08:00

Finally starting to settle in to the Saigon groove. T and D got their groove back. Doesn't take too long to get a feel again for the frenetic pace of things. You begin to get sucked up along with the currents of the city. Today was a day of epic proportions. A piece of myself will be forever left in this city of here today gone tomorrow. The Cindy Crawford mole on the side of my temple was incinerated in a Saigon back alley beauty salon, for 5 dolla made me holla! Farewell, my concubine. Jet lag is starting to subside and last night we were treated to a seafood feast accompanied with the Vietnamese Wedding Singer band. -TN

The scent of green....?

2008-02-13T23:01:00.000-08:00

Hello! We are great! just wanted to say hello. we are getting used to the time - a little jet lagged, but otherwise great - we are being treated like kings! We have had the best food already - and not to mention the most delictable fruits brought to our room every few hours...mmmmmmm! Just had some creamy Durian and sweet pitaya, oh , yeah, and some pink guavas. We have a bag of Rambuttan to go through still -
Thien's mom will be here on the 3rd - we are planning a few trips for next week - Can Tho, Phu Quoc island, Angkor Watt in Cambodia, Hanoi and Sapa in the North. I think we are going to Can Tho at the end of the week to visit the floating markets. We'll be at the Victoria Hotel. Then we'll be back inSaigon to plan our next move. Lots of positive things happening already w/ potential future biz. we'll let you know as things unfold. We will be updating our blog later tonight w/ some new pics. Great view from hotel and our new zoom lens is AWESOME!!!!! can't wait to share..... hope everyone is doing great - thanks for everyone's help - and Anette, say hello to my Nina - hope she is behaving - if, not Rescue Remedy to the rescue!
love, D & T.

65 mims. to lift-off

2008-02-11T22:45:00.000-08:00

Denise and I are patiently waiting to board and hoping that we my get lucky and get bumped up to first class. That would be the day right? Excitement starting to build and we feel really alive as of now. Let's hope we don't re-enact an episode of Lost.

1 day and counting

2008-02-09T18:03:00.001-08:00

1 day and counting before our journey begins. Anticipation is building along as the typical last minute glitches.