I was looking back my past posts and I realise I wanted to share more of Vietnam than I orginally did. I mean, there were so many things I missed out because half of the time when I blog, I'm already half asleep.

So aside from the conferences and shopping for cheap Kipling bags (S$9 and S$16), we had the traditional pho and ate by the streets. I loved how the you zha gui despite being cold, is still crispy and when deep into the hot steamy soup, it's just plain addictive. We ate that for two consecutive nights but we went to two different stores so we were able to try the different types of pho. The first night was probably more heavenly as we had traditional pho for the first time, but I loved how the second night had beef brisket and the tenderness of it just makes my mouth water.


Traditional pho often with lime and chili.

One of the more surprising good food I had was the ice-cream. It cost about $6000 dong (about S$0.60) and even though it's supposed to be vanilla, it tasted more like coconut. No wonder the woman on the plane was recommending it.
The parlor was also filled with people eating the same type of ice-cream. The ice-cream had a smooth milky texture and it's made so that it's refreshing and not too sweet. Even the cone was incredible for I believe I never tasted a cone quite like it.

Next stop is the amount of seafood I had there. Prawns, squid, clams, octopus, fish, I think I had all of them. I loved the way how they cooked it with vegetables, it made every meal very healthy. There was something I couldn't get use to though, the bamboo soup. I mean, we're not even used to the smell although my gradnma will love it. Something to do with Thai blood.

Ah, that's another thing I wanted to point out. Somehow another, Vietnamese and Thai food are oddly similar. Even the cultures are about the same. From the strong women to the sour and spicy food they eat (lime and chili, two things they can't live without). Not to mention fish sauce. The amount of fish sauce I had? Huh.

Some of the other delicacies I had were bun cha (noodles with fish sauce), bun tom (shrimp noodles), che (?) - traditional dessert which looks really disgusting but tastes really great-, and of course the unforgettable Vietnamese spring rolls.


Traditional Vietnamese fried spring rolls with noodles and fish sauce.


Honey banana fritters

And since they were once colonised by the French, they made great baguettes which we had every morning for the first three days.

The Vietnamese translators were fun to be with. And I learnt new card games from them too. It is pathetic as we seem to always play the same games and even though I may not have peers who play the same as me, it was definitely an experience.

And the cruise was relaxing and enjoyable. A couple of us went on deck to sleep open-air below the stars. It was definitely a treat especially after a couple of intense days. And jumping into the 18 degrees celsius sea was surprisingly comfortable and cooling. I think the guys who went in half naked were shivering though and some of them made a quick escape after a canon ball.

The last night of the trip, I bunked in with two other people in a supposedly twin room. Sarali, Serene and I Skyped with Esther back in Singapore where we took pictures so that my friend can post on her blog. Three of us talked way past midnight before we finally fell asleep like the dead.

And so we came back to Singapore to see my parents waving at me. And I, being an instant chatter, told them my life at Vietnam and how I reluctantly came back.

Post edit: I forgot to mention. I rode at the back of a motorcycle and a Vespa. Sweet rides.