Sunday, January 29, 2012

Last days - cooking and Mekong Delta

Well the last couple of days just disappeared. We had a cooking lesson (a bit of a travel tradition for us it seems). It was fabulous – we even made yummy food – spring rolls, sticky rice fritters stuffed with pork and a rice noodle dish with bbq pork. The chef was great and wonderful for me as he understood gluten, so with vegetarians and gluten free participants there was amount of adaption of the recipes –all coped with exceedingly well. Our second to last day- we took a tour to the Mekong delta – very good trip.
Stopped at a factory producing lacquer work, a temple with 2 very huge statues outside before we hit the water. We had 2 boat rides, one in a small row boat that took us through a smaller waterways.
Poor guy taking us a bit of weight in the boat there!!! Saw a coconut candy factory and were entertained with some traditional music (not quite to our tastes). All in all a wonderful day. One minor hitch – we were dropped back at a travel centre – not our hotel – in an area we didn’t know. After quite a lot of discussion with the people working there we left to find a taxi! Ended up well as we ate tea at a nice little restaurant close and then thought we’d walk home however changed our minds before very far and taxied back. Went for a wander the last day – filling in the time till our night flight. Went back to the area where we had our cooking lesson and enjoyed our best meal in Vietnamese meal at the restaurant there. Shall remember the motorbikes and scooters and traffic cutting across each other with no obvious right of ways most of the time - at least not to us. Will be back!
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Monday, January 23, 2012

Great 2nd day – aren’t holidays wonderful!! While having breakfast we saw a group setting up for the lion dance. A traditional performance that happens at Chinese New Year. So off we went to join the crowds of locals on the street to watch. Stunning! 2 people in each costume that consists of a large mask and a draping back cover. The front person holds the mask and the back person bends over to form the tail end of the lion. At stages throughout the performance the back person lifts the front person up. They also jump around on these poles some 4-6ft in the air – you might be able to make them out in the photo. Great balance and precision especially considering one is bent over following the leader. I have seen this at school in Singapore though this seemed more stunning.
Then a walk around though lots closed up due to it being a holiday. Thai food for tea – very nice and a wander down the light streets. There was a stage set up that seemed to be for young children to get and dance on – very cute. Lights just outside our hotel in the photo. Can’t believe how quiet our room is.
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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Vietnam day 1

Well great start to Vietnam – yummy lunch at 3:00ish followed by a great little explore of the local area in one direction. We’d planned to come here to avoid Chinese New Year but the Vietnamese celebrate it at the same time, only it’s called Tet. However it was wonderful wandering down the streets decorated to the max with floral displays and flax woven dragons, birds and other lovely things. Heaps of people taking photos of each other (I took a photo of a couple for them too). What a hoot though we were stopped by traffic control (pedestrian) because we were going down the street the wrong way – one way pedestrian movement!! Took a bit to work it out but then we did!!
Found a market place and a few mini supermarkets that we could stock up with snacks and water and drinks (no duty free in Vietnam!!) All made up for the ½ hour wait at immigration waiting for our visas to go through. Wonderful traveling with carry on only. Well off for another yummy meal I hope. Another blog soon.
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