Culture, Food, Travel

Off to the temple

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.

Food

Last US Meal

Sophia and I had our last US meal at Olive Garden before our flight to Vietnam.  I wanted to reward her for being a trouper with immunizations.  She got her shot first, and when I asked if she need me to hold her hand, she responded, “No Mommy, I got this!”.  She then came over and held my had while I got shots, and then I went white in the face after one of them, to which she proceeded to take care of me.  It’s amazing how much of an adult she can be sometimes.  Makes me so proud.  I told her she was brave and she took the opportunity to ask to go to Olive Garden, and so I happily obliged. Being my daughter, she felt the Band-Aid was too plain and decided to make it more colorful by coloring it with crayon.IMG_00124

We then proceeded to have a blueberry limonata which was “mine” but Sophia pretty much drank most of it, so I had the water and taste of the limonata.  She also took advantage of my proud moment to ask me for dessert and of course I said yes.

Our meal started with the chicken and gnocci, with a ton of cheese.  The waiter did a good job of catering to her wishes and then we had the tour of Italy and finished our meal off with a s’more cake, which was absolutely delicious.  We must do that again when we are back in the states.