We've arrived! And already we have learned our way around the Old Quarter (the big lake in the middle helps ;-), how to navigate traffic (Lindsey got 'nudged' by a whole family on a xe-om (motorcycle) in our first ten minutes in the city - only pride was injured), how to bargain with denominations in the millions and found loads and loads and loads of beautiful food.
Food: We've had two 'mysterious' meals on the street so far (no food poisoning yet, Tom) and LOVING sitting/squatting (there is a lot of squatting) on little plastic stools in the middle of streets while food is cooked in front of us/by us by the locals. First call was 'pho' - noodle soup with a range of meats (porkish I think), mushrooms and spicy bits - complete with the locals having a midday lunch. Last night we hung out on the pavement with the young hip Vietnamese where a young hip maitron-dee in a young hip plastic leather jacket quite literally 'worked the street' - bringing our ingredients (we were offered chicken, beef or pork which meant you got beef and called it pork or chicken unless you had chosen beef in which case you got beef too). But twas DELICIOUS! (Nick has relaxed his mammal-free diet for the duration in the interests of cultural exploration and difficulty in accurate food-identification).
We also saw lots of stuff and might even write about it some time. But right now we're off to Halong Bay to sleep overnight on a 'junk'.
Love to all!
Lindsey and Nick
No comments:
Post a Comment