Wining about Saigon - Aussie style!

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For once we had a plan for the weekend in Saigon. Of course, it was always going to start with Friday evening in Baba's Kitchen because it seems to have become a tradition, possibly even a habit. Still, we never tire of eating there!

By some stroke of luck we had stumbled across an article about an Australian Wine Show. With practically no advertising, and certainly none whatsoever out in Binh Duong where we live, we didn't have great expectations. After an easy morning dodging the showers in the Coffee Bean and Tealeaf (as usual!) we met up with our friends Mark and Andrea outside the Caravelle Hotel. It must be amazing to stay there but it's beyond even our splurge budget!

On the third floor we paid our 350,000VND (about £11) and went in. We were 10 minutes early so hopefully we didn't look too keen for our four hours of free flowing Australian wine. We were not disappointed. There were some amazing wines there (and some not so amazing!) plus they were cooking up beautiful pasties, pies and sausage rolls with imported Aussie meat. Bonza! We were in heaven!!!!!

The wine continued to flow and we're not exactly sure how much "tasting" we did and how much was really "quaffing"! Certainly a fair few savoury snacks passed our lips too! All the Sheilas and Bruces (look up G'day Bruce on Youtube!) seemed to be having a jolly good time and before we knew it they were clearing up around us, people were minesweeping for that last half a bottle to sit on the floor and "taste" but not once did I see a lady in high heels stumble. How do they do that???!!! Well done to everyone for putting on such a good show. We were even invited to a whisky and cognac tasting a few days later but the invites somehow got lost our the hazy departure. Oh well, you have to take the rough with the smooth!

That night we decided to go out to a steak restaurant int he backpacker district. Sadly they were out of steak! Needless to say, we didn't let it spoil a good weekend.

The plan for Sunday was to be a bit healthier and go to a fruit festival. Unfortunately none of us really felt inclined to do so when the time came. After a morning of ambling around following another breakfast at Bobby Brewers (the service was AWFUL again so that was their last chance!) we decided to head home. The reward later in the day was a most incredible sunset which was a beautiful end to a great weekend in the city.

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