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Selling pomelos on barges
It's bathing time
We were shown to varied landscapes of the Delta: from rice fields to shaded coconut tree woods (I bought 6 packs of coconut candy which is super-lickcious), to mangrove, orchards, interspersed with timeless villages with their handicrafts and even traditional industries of rice-paper-making and rice crispies producing process.
Rice fields
Rice-paper-making
Coconut candy
Rice pops
He's been a star overnight
Ginger beancurd anyone?
Mangroves
A dreadful one-hour boat ride in the hot weather finally halted at an open-concept restaurant. Lunch was a simple and tasty rice with chicken meat and vegetable soup. From a sky full of sunshine, dark clouds later hovered the sky signalling an impending downpour with strong winds. We were kept indoor consequently and were entertained by the folklore singing to the tunes of the Chinese orchestras.
Soon to reach restaurant
Sweaty and oily
Rain drops like shimmering diamonds
The yam-roll is yummy
Hammock under hut; cool breeze before rain at time of photo-taking
Another hour of boat ride boat ride brought us to the town of Vinh Long. It's a wet marketplace with muddy roads due to the rain. We bought a pack of Vietnamese cigarettes and lighted a butt or two.
By the time we were back in Ho Chi Minh City, the sun has set (at 6pm). After placing our shoppings back in the room, we were off to Ngoc Suong Marina (recommended by travel.yahoo.com) along Ly Tan Ton Street for dinner.
Going Al Fresco under the coconut trees; but no worries for there are no coconuts above
We ordered Vietnamese salads, drunken prawns, grilled crabs and glass noodles. A waiter demonstrated to us the way to having the Vietnamese salads (in which we have to wrap the veggies into springroll-like).
To my horror, a waitress placed a transparent glass pot filled with live prawns in it. The prawns were really alive and kicking, soaked in wines! The way jv shaked the pot so as to properly marinate them really shocked me. Then came a stove on a stand beside us and the waitress cooked them alive! So fresh isn't it?
The grilled crabs were the best. Never had I eaten such a big and meaty claws. Never before a grilled crab as well. Sweet-tasting.
The bill came to only a little over SGD50.00. Cheap compared to Singapore standard.
After dinner, we relied on our soon-tattered map to our next location by foot for about 45 minutes - Apocalypse Bar (recommended by Lonely Planet) situated on Thi Sach Street. Nice mix of music (R&B, rock). Had a glass of avocado juice instead of alcohol.
Reunification Palace at night (walking past on our way to Apocalypse Bar)
Labels: First Taste of Vietnam
