I went to the hotel breakfast and met and sat with some texans. I really dig the breakfast in vietnam. Today I had a little bit of everything. Including soup and a bunch of things that you eat with fish sauce (oh wait that is almost everything here). Using copious amounts of fish sauce just might be the key to a good life, a fabulous restaurant, and just happiness in general. I took the Texan guy's advice "take small bites of that there so it doesn't look so bad when you spit it out." He was dead on about the odd green thing he was pointing to. I have no idea even how to describe it. he was a newly retired high school phys Ed teacher/ coach and this was his first time out of the country (an interesting choice for the first venture. He hadn't even been to Mexico). He told me the one thing he wished was that he had learned to use chopsticks prior to arriving and bc of his lack of skills combined with a lot of spitting things out he had had fun but definitely lost weight on the trip.
After breakfast I caught the bus to hoi an, a city known for its UNESCO rehab.
The town and it's architecture are beautiful and was definitely worth the four hour "assigned" seating Vietnamese bus ride. Because of the preservation it looks too good and beautiful to be true a la Walt Disney's main street USA. The shops and restaurants are very westernized and well kept. The market and the shops as well as the various temples and meeting houses are mostly contained in a walking district. No cars = less fumed, honking, and life risking when crossing the street. Scooters of course get to go everywhere and anywhere.
I find myself talking about the food here food quite often and it is because it is just amazing. The food in Hoi An is no exception. Among all of the tailors and cobblers this is the land of cooking schools (my time was limited so I didn't take a class this time). One of Hoi An's specialty dishes is called Cau lo (sp?) this is supposedly the closest thing Vietnam has to soba noodles and if made correctly is prepares using water from a certain special well. I also made my first real breakout food move and purchased food from a street vendor. He looked like a nice guy who wouldn't put anything scary into his food. I bought a "meat" bun. When I asked what type of meat. He just said meat. I decided it was best to abandon all further questioning. it was really tasty although I definitely wasn't expecting the tiny whole boiled egg that was also inside with the mystery meat. I couldnt help thinking of some poor robin who lost all their progeny. Disclaimer: I fully realize that both of the above choices could lead to dysentery, however I might as well put the traveling pharmacy that is my bag to use.
Wandering around the markets here people were a little more pushy about their merchandise and this is the first place I have experienced begging from children. Because of this "annoy them until they surrender their money" technique I now own a lantern (no idea what I am going to do with it, now or later). It seemed so important to the guy that i buy it and It was very important to me for him to stop shadowing me saying "green". Lesson learned don't touch the green lantern.
One of the things I have noticed in all bathrooms in Vietnam small and large (even if there is a shower with a detachable head) fancy or road side stop there is a kitchen sink sprayer directly beside the toilet (picture below). I have thought a lot about what one would do with this and maintain decorum. I havent come up with much. The vision that dominates is one of me waiting patiently in the bathroom for someone I know (admittedly that would take a longish time since I know very few people here) and then attack spray them. Although I am not sure anyone wants to be attacked sprayed by what I think might be the Vietnamese version of a bidet.
Pics: hotel breakfast,street bun, hoi an hotel balcony, sprayer, lanterns deliciousness, River front hoi an
No comments:
Post a Comment