Food Glorious Food

From region to delicious region, Vietnamese food never disappointed.  Despite my pescatarianism, I was able to find a range of culinary delights--from soups, to sandwiches, to fried wonders.   Paul was particularly cautious; with his immune system weaknesses he didn't want to test out the viability of his travel insurance.  But still, we found food that was: 1. cheap, 2. delicious, 3. non-stomach-cutting-up 

Some areas were better than others and we had to do a lot of digging for the authentic, particularly in Nha Trang, but we did well.  My friends staying in Nha Trang were disappointed with the food overall and didn't have as much luck as us.  But we also braved breakfast soup stands, market stalls and the odd bahn mi stand.  

Inside Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh, the home of the world's best Pho and Bun Cha

heat, humidity and a hot bowl of pho

chopstick skills 

Bahn Mi, influenced by French colonialism but oh so Vietnamese.  The bread is lighter and crispier than a baguette and the bahn mi sidewalk vendor filled my version with a nondescript (better that way) spread, laughing cow cheese and a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables.  Paul's version included an oddly packaged sausage. Both were almost painfully spicy, though we asked for mild spice. 

Miss Sau's establishment in Hoi An, home of the 'white rose', an amazing steamed dumpling native to the central region of Vietnam 

Fried pork spring rolls and a noodle concoction to rival all noodle concoctions at our favourite little roadside place in Ho Chi Minh 

The favourite place in Ho Chi Minh, a short walk from our hotel and in the middle of district 3 

Roadside fruit vendors 

The obligatory Paul's-on-holiday-doughnut-picture 

coconuts with a straw under an umbrella moving down the street 

Fast food; a noodle stand connected to a motor bike outside the main market.  More impressively, we saw this man on the move, cooking noodles with one hand and driving with the other.  

Maybe it was the excessive sweating, but the food felt cleansing and healthy.  Ish. Maybe. It could definitely be argued though that the food alone is reason enough to trek to Vietnam.