Category: Culture

Culture, Food

Just another normal Monday..

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Sophia woke up and wanted Pho again…so we went to Pho Anh Kiet…right down the street and around a corner.  We got her an adult size bowl and iced coffee.  She only drank a little bit of iced coffee (Vietnam iced coffee is not as strong as America).  She finished up the bowl, in true Vietnamese style with chopsticks.  I realize she’s a pretty messy eater, we are going to work on that.

We then explored the town and had some fresh squeezed orange juice.  Yes, Vietnamese oranges are not orange, they are green, but still just as delicious.  The other drink is basil seed in a syrup with different kinds of seaweed.  She loves trying to bite those little seeds.  She asked if they have this in America, and so guess what I will be making for her when I get back to the states.

Since I had to do housework and laundry there are not too many fun pictures. We hung our clothes to dry and spend time doing house stuff.  Its been forever since I have washed a whole load of dishes by hand.  Anne helped sell at the stationary store, and we went over there to get ourselves some stationary.  Sophia wanted to work too, best way to learn Vietnamese is to go out and sell at the store.  Sophia was so happy we have a store.

I think we may go back for some more later…Vietnam has the best stationary.  Anyone who knows me….knows I LOVE stationary.  I grabbed myself some fountain pens.  Unfortunately for Sophia, much of the stationary will be used to do homework…she was not happy about that.  Daddy’s rules.

For a snack, Sophia tried Custard apple for the first time and loved it!!  We will be eating this more in the next month to get Sophia her fill.  This stuff is expensive in the states.

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Culture, Food, Travel

Monsoon Downpour

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Our journey today started out as a nice day.  We packed food and drinks and was on the road to do some chores…and…I will let you guess.   Don’t know?

Eat, of course!  We started at a coffee shop with this:

Yes, Sophia and had some coffee too.  Sophia had the avocado shake, and she loved it.  Then the kids went to look at fish and ate sunny side up eggs with bread.  The adults then went to eat at 7 Toi to eat Bánh xèo…which is a Vietnamese crepe and banh khot which is the round dough with shrimp.  This is special because it’s made out of the young shoots of a coconut tree show below, and tastes similar to bamboo shoots but a little more tender.  You take the pieces and wrap it in the huge bowl of veggies.

After the delicious lunch, we went sight seeing in Soc Trang.  We start off with the temple:  Tan Hue Vien.  They have delicious food like Chinese sausage, and cakes in a variety of flavors.  They have ice cream and Sophia got the coconut and mango flavor.  It started raining very hard and the façade of a nice day disappeared and turned into monsoon downpours.   I guess it’s Vietnam’s way of making us Washingtonians feel at home.  Gray skies and torrential downpours.  I made Sophia sing the “Rain, rain, go away song”  5 times, and it worked.  5 minute weathers.

After that we head to another temple with a Cambodian influence.   The specialty of this temple is that there is an old structure that is made entirely of porcelain bowls, plates, and other miscellaneous pieces.

 

We went to Bac Lieu to see the prince of Bac Lieu’s house in Vietnam.  We had a tour and looked at all the old stuff.  Apparently his bed is over $300,000 dollars.  His decedents are still living and occasionally visit the place.

Then of course my favorite part of the today its the seafood!  The specific variety is called slipper lobster (Tôm mũ ni).  Then there is octopus, scallops, slipper lobster, crab, and all kinds of goodies.    

We walked in the rain to and from this food, but totally worth it.

 

Culture, Food, Travel

Off to the temple

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The morning started off with Sophia wanting Pho and bread.  My uncle of course spoils her, and gives it to her.  She devours the whole bowl, and people are impressed that this half white girl knows how to use chopsticks.  She thinks it delicious, even better than America and I would have to say I agree on this one.  She got her bread which was really good.  While she does not have any butter she still pretty much devours the bread plain.

Today was off to the temple we go…to read a chant for my father.  He passed away in May.  On our way to the temple, we stopped for some sugar cane drink.  It is one of my favorite things to drink and obviously one of Sophia’s favorite as well considering she drank both of ours.

We arrive at this temple and my uncle gets a flat tire on the way, so my cousin has to come back and get us.  He jokes that its because of my weight that the tire goes flat, and I joke back and say it’s because your bike is too low quality to handle American cargo.

My nieces and nephews meet us there and of course when they meet up its a little group of laughter and chaotic fun.  I know I’m biased, but that’s a group of pretty good looking kids.

At the temple, random kids are facinated with my camera and so, they ask me to take pictures of them, here they are.  The kids here like to ask random people for money, and they are very bold and talk or yell at you like adults.  I’m not sure I like that, but it doesn’t phase me.  It does however make a little sad as I believe kids should be kids not miniture adults.

After the prayer is done, I do not stay for the vegetarian food even though it looks delicious.  I save that for my aunts, there are plenty of meat to eat in Vietnam without the vegetarian stuff.  I will be gaining enough weight as is.   Especially since my whole family are foodies, specifically my cousins.  Dinner is with my cousin buying us these things.

Oh no, dinner is not complete without a home cooked meal.  I can’t resist.  It’s thit kho, with lots of fat and lots of eggs.  Canh Mang which is bamboo shoot soup with pigs feet and sautéed lotus root to shrimp and pork.   The ones pictured are not yet sautéed, because after they were sautéed I was just eating and forgot to actually take pictures.  I love eating with my uncle.  He is a fantastic chef.   Some days I am glad I live in America where I don’t cook, cause if I lived here, I would keep gaining weight.