Day 1 of Vietnam- Ho Chi Minh

Here are pics from last night when I first arrived... Traffic was ridiculous, so far the cab driver helped me cross the street after he dropped me off. Today an old grandma held me and crossed the street with me.  I like to think that I was helping her cross the street by holding onto her! hahahahahahaha. It was actually kind of cute how she realized that I was taking forever and probably needed help.  I also managed to find some banh mi from the streets and sugar cane juice while wandering around the neighborhood last night! = )

The cost of the banh mi and the sugar cane juice together was only $1.04.  I think I can have that once a day every day for the rest of my life at that price, if I lived here!

So... Evelyn is still not here yet.   I met up with Hien, an acquaintance that is from Vietnam, that is nice enough to take me to where all the locals go.  This morning she took me to have some rice crepe with ground pork.

Sorry that the picture is so hazy, its from the condensation of my lens being so cold from the hotel and going out to the heat!

Banh Cuon, served at a  store located  on Ca Thang and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai

After that we separated and I went to the War Remnant Museum.  I just have to say, I can understand why people hold a grudge against Americans sometimes.  Although I don't think the continuation of violence is necessary, but I understand why people hate us so much. You would think that US soldiers torturing the people they hold captive would end, but most recently we have seen pictures from US soldiers once again torturing people, while under the Bush administration.  This is years after the the Vietnam War too!
I didn't really want to take pictures with any of the displays that they had at the museum.  It is not certainly something that I am proud of as an American.  But for memory sake and being a tourist I did take pictures of the aircraft and tanks.  I just don't think it's right when people take innocent people and torture them, or even if they do hold people that deserve to be held captive, I don't think there is a need to torture them.

For lunch I had some Pho, I had  Pho Tai, which means that it's the raw beef and will eventually be cooked by the hot broth.  Apparently people in Vietnam usually has pho in the morning and not for lunch or dinner.

 I also ordered some beef tripe on the side! YUM!

This is located on Nguyen Thi Dieu and Ba Huyen Thanh Quan.  

I also went to the Reunification Palace

, Backpacking district and Ben Thanh Market.  I'll save some stuff to do for when Eve gets here... that is, if she ever gets here. = 1

After walking around the Ben Thanh Market I went to search for more food! I also searched for some tailors to get some suits made, don't know if that is going to happen or not though... but I did find some food.

I found this place in the alleyway  behind Ben Thanh Market... This was the grilled meat and crab spring roll over vermicelli.

 

some summer rolls (at least thats what NYC Vietnamese restaurants call them) from Ben Thanh

 

Banh Mi again... but from a store this time. I think I enjoyed the one from the street stand more.

Two things that I realized in Asia from this trip and the last one in Singapore.

1. They like to put food in plastic bags instead of sturdy containers. (take a look at the summer rolls/sauce in the bags)

2. Food in America is a lot bigger.  Even Asian food in America! It's not just McD that supersizes the food for Americans.  Asian restaurants do the same as well.  When you look at the summer rolls, pho and sandwiches they are not as big as the ones that we usually have back in NYC.  No wonder they still manage to be skinny here in Asia. = 1