We took a wonderful trip back to Vietnam in early 2012. Our first visit in 1996 had been somewhat limited by time and some difficulty back then travelling comfortably off the beaten track. So we did “the Grand Tour” back then but had always wanted to go back and see some other places.
This 2012 trip took in Saigon, Can Tho, the Mekong Delta (including a home stay in Ut Trinh), Dalat and then rest and relaxation in Ninh Van Bay.
Bad place to drop something – a major junction in Saigon
“Enjoyed” the country and river sounds homestay – rose quite early wrote up and had breakfast.
Then off for a walk/cycle around Cat Thia area of Delta…
Ged was invited into this rather grand Cat Thia homeThis girl persuaded Ged to take her photoDaisy met this gang on her cycling tour
…then boat to Cai Be and then car to Saigon.
Visited another Parkson mall taking coffee and bought ginseng.
Then flew from Saigon to Dalat.
On the plane, a western gentleman sat in his seat near ours, until a couple (local?) bustled along and threw him out of that seat so they could be together. Seems they should have sat in front of us but instead he did so, with a remarkable good humour and tolerance – in the end all of us were laughing.
Washed and scrubbed before dinner at lovely resort Ana Mandara Dalat. Combination of artichoke salad, bon bon? of young papaya and greens with beef & prawn wrapped in pork on a bed of noodle, bland chicken curry and a slow cooked dish of pork ribs in caramel fish sauce and steamed rice.
Up and out early for our breakfast cruise on the (lucky) Lady Hau [depicted above] boat, with other hotel residents, to the start of the Cai Rang Floating Market.
Then switched to our own boat where we meet Hiu and Hoa (Captain Birdseye). Captain Birdseye is a very good sailor when there are no other vessels around.
Unfortunately, the floating market has rather a lot of vessels, so we end up in tangled in someone’s anchor and Captain Birdseye goes under about three times failing to release us. He ended up cutting us loose, going under a fourth time and then sailing round finding a replacement anchor for the aggrieved boat.
Eventually we move on to Binh Minh village specialising in dried tofu…
…where we walked around – this village is only aspiring to be cultural and only a minority of households have achieved culture. We met some children and gave some pens. We also picked up Dhi Bay – (Mrs No 7) who prepares a lunch on board– Very tasty – pork stuffed courgette flower, spring rolls, chicken and some river prawns.
Daisy helped Dhi Bay with preparing luncheon
We then stop at Phước Hậu – a cultural village thank goodness [don’t ask how the dictate app imagined that village’s name is spelt], where Daisy cycled with Hiu and I walked with Binh. Very pleasant.
Daisy met this elegant lady on her cycling tourGed met this wonderful old-timer on his walking tour
We saw people growing mint and families playing cards – everyone was very friendly.
Comedy moment as Captain Birdseye crosses to the wrong side of the canal as Binh and I cross to meet him but eventually we pick up Daisy and Hiu and go on to Ut Trinh.
Captain Birdseye helps Daisy to board
Short stop at touristic nursery opposite (too long for Ged) and on to home stay, greeted by a rather sad/sickly looking Mrs Ba.
Mrs Ba cooking up a storm
Soon we meet Rowan and Cindy from Belgium and Manuel the German from Tokyo. Also Parisian Globetrotters Eloise (eight) and her parents.
Cooking class, dinner with our own freebie Park Hyatt wine and chat about the world afterwards.
