Street food and xe oms

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So for Sam's birthday treat we went on a night time tour of Saigon with xe om tours. 2 young Vietnamese girls picked us up from the hotel and we hopped on the back of their scooters and whizzed off into the traffic, visiting 6 different districts and stopping for various food experiences. I was freakin scared to start as it was 5.30 and so rush hour - Sam was fearless - but it was fab fun, and we all arrived alive at each stop. 14 of us in total, and our personal guide did all the hard work peeling the prawns and winkling the edible stuff out of crabs legs. WE had loads of stuff - goat, frog, scallops and the most hardcore - duck foetus (Sam refused and I've spent today trying not to think about it...). It's a 2 week old duckling boiled, and first you have to drink the liquid (tastes like chicken soup, they said) and then eat the rest with a spoon. I managed about half before giving up, and the guide got the rest out of the shell and poked around in it. There was a teeny tiny foot sticking up but but no head, so I must have eaten that, beak and all. Once only experience, I feel.

The company was very professional, lovely girls with great English. We had 3 bodyguards to help, and Sam's bike got a puncture so they took his while he sorted it. Totally recommend it, as we went places where we wouldn't normally, and the scootering was great. Then we went out again to the Gogo Bar and chatted to a couple from England, he being first generation of Vietnamese parents who were boat people. It was really interesting to listen to him, and his girlfriend who has had a hard time being accepted into his family, who wanted him to marry a Nice Vietnamese Girl!

Yet again woke up exhausted, up early and on the bus for the Mekong Delta by 8. Beautiful day, lots of rice paddies on the way, then small boat, big boat, lunch, folk music (defies description - lovely people but the language is definitely not music for our uncouth western ears), coconut candy factory, Buddhist temple and snake-holding, all for $10. Bargain day but jetlag still following us around. Oh, and on the way the bus driver knocked a little guy off his scooter. There was a big bang from the front, we stopped and people hurried over, picked him up and the driver pulled round him and drove off, leaving him trying to stand on his injured leg. No one seemed to think it was anything out of the ordinary, no one shouted and no exchange of names. We were all a bit shocked!

Tonight we bargained for a xe om in the street (motorbike taxi - far more exciting than a proper one - less than £1 each and they picked us up after too) and went to the Water Puppet theatre. So super-cute, especially the commentary of the musicians, this time very musical chattering, like little birds. Back to eat on tiny plastic stools rice and meat with a fried egg and vegetables, less than £2 for 2 of us with a beer. Lazy day tomorrow before we both collapse lying around the pool at the Renaissance Hotel overlooking the Saigon River.

More to come.....

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Comments

[Heather Hersics]

Love your blog and commentary and all the different foods you are experiencing good for you both I will continue with you both on your wonderful journey thanx for the site Sam and best wishes on your Birthday March 1st Love A Heather