Vietnam devotes much effort into beautifying the beachside parks and gardens.
This is the “Back Beach”, in Vung Tau; the same for Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hoi An – at destinations up and down the Vietnam coast.
Nha Trang
Crispy Rice ‘Puff’ is Good Stuff
Vietnam Lunch: the young bloke next to me was eating a plateful of these, with rice.
Being of daring spirit and with a yearn to learn, I had to try one too. Delicious!
Similar to a Cantonese ham sui gok, it is a light, hollow, doughy “puff” coated in baked rice “bubbles” (a la crispy rice crackers) and, I presume, pan fried.
These being hollow, you could have a lot of fun experimenting with various fillings such as paté or mince, or do vegetarian with diced tomatoes and onions; maybe a sweet version with raisins and citrus peel, and serve hot with vanilla bean ice-cream.
(I’ve impressed myself with these ideas. What am I doing, pretending to write? I should be pretending to “chef” …)
Vietnam Lunch is ‘One With The Lot’
Vietnam lunch is a “one with the lot”.
A big queue was happening at this Nha Trang street food stall – building labourers, office workers, they were pulling up on their motor scooters; the family running the stall were working like clockwork, filling take-away containers and ladening plates.
They all seemed to be ordering rice with a bit of everything. So I did, too! Smart move.
The meal was pork done various ways, chicken, boiled/stewed pigeon eggs, vegetable, crunchy fried shrimp (yes, I crunched them – shell, head and all), and other bits and pieces.
Generously spoon on some SE Asian home-made sweet chilli syrup, and tuck in …
Traditional Vietnamese Wedding is a Feast of Fun
Traditional Vietnamese wedding near nha Trang: what an honour to be invited, by Dung to the wedding of one of her work staff.
They are so courteous and friendly.
Two fun & friendly hours of eating, speeches, eating, singing, eating, hand-shaking, eating, pics, eating …
(videos to come)
A Quiet Time in Nha Trang’s Riverside
Simply a nice pic of the quiet, shady, placid streets in Nha Trang’s Riverside residential area.
Only a half-hour walk – but a far cry – from the hectic Beachside, constantly buzzing with a billion motorbikes, delivery vehicles and tourists.
It would be fair to think the Riverside area now is where the “smart money” is being invested …
Coffee is Gold, in Vietnam
Nha Trang Riverside: Beautiful new mansions.
I’m guessing the owners might be coffee merchants?
In Vietnam today, coffee is “gold”; in the 19th Century Gold Rush, merchants selling supplies to the prospectors became the millionaires.
Here, start the day with a tin phin drip coffee, with ice and “sweet milk” …
Smooothe Your Way into the Day
Travel’s eternal question: what to have for breakfast?
Mango/passionfruit/strawberry “smoothie” nails it. Natural, nutrional, fibre. 25k dong (AUD$1.50)
Now all set for the day, in Nha Trang, Vietnam …
“The Storm, Nha Trang”
Late in the hot afternoon
It slinks from its Lair
Deep in the indigo mist
of the Annamese mountains.
Champing for the Champa
Hunger whet since ancient times
The Dragon comes to devour all
As Time surely did intend
Slowly sliding down each slope
Silently slipping over each ridge;
The jungle a viridian carpet
For a Dragon come to feast
It edges to the very edge;
Conquest so very near
This day it must fulfill
The reason it is here
A deep, thundrous purr
Escapes into the heavy air
The Dragon’s tongue flicks
To taste the tantalising fringe
But No!
For unflinching
And immutable
Is the sighing Sea
Though thin as air
A barrier impregnable
Blankets shoreline
And all that dwell there
Thwarted again on the cusp
Dragon can taste only despair
Exhaling one long, cool gust
And retreats back to the Lair.
- GDH 8/6/2022
You Happy, Me Happy, Buddha Happy
A real, down-to–earth, quasi honest South-East Asian market. This is fair dunkum tourist shopping.
Here, the huge smiles take the sting out of being stung. Who cares if you pay a bit extra? It’s still cheap compared to back home – and good natured haggling can be a lot of fun.
On reaching a price, I tell them: “You happy, Me happy, Buddha happy!” And I slip them a generous tip anyway …
(At Cho Xóm Mói Market, Nha Trang, Vietnam)
Haxtrax 