Pho time

So it's taken us till the last meal before departing Vietnam but we have had our first pho. And Eva scored a piece of chilli in her first mouthful.

Very tasty and very filling, indeed.

Tokyo deli

For a fix of Japanese cuisine, Eva and I nip around the corner to this little restaurant.

It is reassuring that despite the language barrier, pictures speak a thousand words. It was just a shame that they didn't have a photo of a cup of green tea. Eva ended up with a glass of chilled tea. Which I found refreshing as she chugged into my Sapporo.

No picture could capture our hunger and there was no time to snap the pancake or tempura prawns that were wolfed down.

The sushi came later and was therefore recorded for history.

HCMC Tour

Danh took us to visit the war museum, Post Office, Presidential Palace and Highland Coffee shop.

Heavy downpour at the palace was a relief.

There are many fine colonial buildings remaining;  probably the only good thing that the French did in this country.

Lemongrass

Whenever Eva and I visit Saigon we make a point of returning to Lemongrass, a perennial favourite.

The view from this government-run restaurant is to die for, as atested to by any non-paying customer.

Mine host, and Eva's as well, Bui, did steer us towards the seafood menu like a kamikaze driver. We avoided it and settled for our favourites; fresh rice paper roll, deep fried calamary (Vietnamese spelling) and for mains, of which we had two, pork ribs in five spice and prawn, eggplant and tofu in claypot.

Fine wines from the Rothschild estate (in Chile) complimented the meal. (I don't know what the pepsi was doing on the table.)

So that is what a million dong meal tastes like. Very similar to a fifty dollar meal back home.

Mekong River Cruise

Ventured forth with Eunice and Isobel, two sisters from Borneo,  to The Delta. After arriving there we visited a brick kiln!  Saw how bricks were made. Examined the kiln. From the inside. Tang, our intrepid guide, reckons that some couples get married in them.

We then boarded a small vessel to journey up river and into a canal where we experienced the ancient craft of preparing coconut candy. Yummy. Then we were off to see how two ladies can make 75 cents an hour by making grass mats.

An exciting trip back onto the river while a gale was blowing was a treat. Especially when they handed out the life jackets and requested that we put them on!

We made it to our destination: the La Jarrai. A converted freight carrier of some kind. We were given a demonstration on how to make spring rolls before I showed them how to do it properly.

We had a lovely meal. Chicken and banana flower salad. Caramelised pork in claypot with bok choy and rice.

Ganesh Restaurant

After walking along a seedy street we navigated our way across a busy road and made it safely to our destination.

Ganesh Indian Restaurant,  specialising in northern and southern cuisines from the sub-continent.

Eva was do pleased with herself that she celebrated with a beer. And a mineral water.

Mmmm...
Sizzling mix of tandoor delights, chicken jalfrezi, rice, poppadams, garlic naan and a couple of glasses of white from Chile.

$34.00

Serving Vietnam since 1999.

Grand Hotel Saigon

Eva's impressed. Glenn has done good.
She like the additional powder room at the entrance. She likes the TV in the lounge room. She like the TV in the bedroom. She likes the twin sinks in the bathroom.

Glenn is awarded the Hang the Expense badge and Working until 70 / Bar of Devotion cluster.