Oh yeah...

Here is a dumb little video of the Bahn Mi place.

Perhaps the best sandwich in the world

Roadside food shops are everywhere throughout Asia. But with a little help from our pal Anthony Bourdain, we found the best one of all on the streets of Hoi An. A Bahn Mi is a fusion of French and Vietnamese flavors. So what you see in the of the following: a crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside baguette filled with pâté, pork, tomato, cucumber, onion, cilantro, green onion, chili sauce, mayonnaise AND a fried egg! Goodness! It is a symphony in a sandwich! All that for a dollar each. I wish we could transport all of you here to try one.

I miss milk

Just eating some Oreos and thinking that cold skim milk sounds soooooo good!

Hue

Pronounced "hway." That's where we are now. So nice to move to a fun new location! We just visited the Imperial City. An interesting mix of beautifully restored royal palaces and bombed (non-restored) buildings.

Here are a few photos :)

Old Town

Hoi An is a world heritage site and was a major international port during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Know what that means? Lots of old buildings and old pottery that came from traders all over the globe.

We stopped in several protected buildings during the day. Many of which double as museums or community centers. Many thanks to Rick and Randi, and Lee Ann for an educational and fun day!

Bike ride around Hoi An

Yesterday afternoon we had a wonderful ride around the rice patties that surround the town of Hoi An. It was hot at humid (as it always is) but it was relaxing and peaceful to be away from traffic and people. Bikes and motorbikes are the main modes of transport and it feels nice to be out in the world instead of in a car. And look! A water buffalo! Our thanks to Kristi and Jennifer for the experience.

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who gave us such nice honeymoon contributions for food on the road and snacks for our overnight train journeys! You have kept us well fed and quite content! Coffee, croissants, sticky rice, fresh fruit, soup, pork buns, sandwiches, beer, spring rolls, pancakes! Oh my goodness! I don't think I will fit in my wedding dress anymore!

Thank you Marissa S., Jan M., Molly M., Pat M., Judy B., Paul R., Kristi S., Mary L., Ali & Lars B., Kim N., Dalen T., Lindsey P., Gail J.!!!!!!!

Cooking class!

We spent this morning having a blast in Hoi An! We met a local woman/chef who led us through a local market explaining as she went. We learned all about various herbs and vegetables and how to know when they are at their peak ripeness. We made a few purchases, then followed her back to her kitchen where we made five different dishes.
1) sweet and sour chicken soup
2) green papaya salad
3) pork spring rolls
4) fish grilled in banana leaf
5) eggplant cooked in a clay pot

Everything was amazing - one of our best meals. Thanks to Michelle and Tim for contributing to this wonderful experience.

Hoi An!

For the next few days and nights we'll be in the town of Hoi An. It mostly escaped any major damage during the war and was recently named a World Heritage site. It has a lot of great old architecture, good restaurants, shops, and an energetic central market. We just had a fancy dinner (thanks Dalen!!) and strolled he through the quiet streets. It's tough capture in a picture how nice the walk was, but here is one anyway.

Dancing with pottery

Blogspot is blocked in certain regions

Did a little Googling and found out many blog services are blocked here. Oh well.

Heading out for date night dinner! Oooooooooh.....

And a photo of me with "tousled beach hair". Ha ha very difficult to achieve :)

Motorbike Video

Having a bit of trouble viewing our blog

We can post, but we can't see the posts after to see if they were successful. Was anyone able to watch the motorbike or dancing videos?

Motorbike tour of Nha Trang

Oh my we had fun today! Our motor bike drivers picked us up at nine. We went to an 800 year old Hindu temple and a newer Buddhist pagoda. We visited a weaving facility and then went for a mud bath! It was so wet and muddy that we had to leave cameras in a locker--sorry we don't have a photo for you. Just one in front of the sign. My skin feels great! Thanks Nick and Susannah!!!! We have another train trip overnight tonight. Headed to Danang and Hoi An. Nha Trang has been a joy. Less traffic, fewer tourists, lots of fun and sunshine!

Breakfast spot

Nothing special here, just a little video of where we had breakfast this morning. Mango pancakes and Vietnamese coffee, strong and sweet.

Ooh we had a fun dinner

We got to cook several kinds of meat in our own charcoal BBQ. Chicken, pork, beef, goat, fish, frog, prawns, squid and some veggies. All that plus rice and beer for about 8 dollars per person. To add more excitement, a man came into the restaurant to fight another man who was having dinner with his wife. I think he broke a bottle on his head. So weird. All the waitresses were upset.. We didn't know what was gong on until afterwards. Not a common occurrence don't worry. Goodnight everyone!

Fun Self-BBQ Dinner

A little baseball in the morning

This is Christian listening to the Twins game on his phone. At the same time as you guys back home! Only difference is that it is 7:36 a.m. for us. We are now in Nha Trang on the south china sea. We had a delightful overnight train last night (some pics of that below too).

Today we take a boat trip to do some snorkeling etc. should be fun!

Crossing the street

Just wanted to say that every day we get a little better at crossing the street. The traffic is crazy and there are no "walk" lights for pedestrians. So you just wait until there is somewhat of a gap between cars. And then, even if there are motorbikes coming, you just start walking at a normal pace. They adjust to you and go around. Whew. I don't like it but if you want to go see something you just have to go for it! Today we went to the Fine Arts Museum in HCMC and spent some time in an air conditioned coffee shop.

Hello!

Had a great time during our homestay. It was luxurious compared to Cambodia. We got the "honeymoon suite". Which was a separate room with a bigger bed and bigger mosquito net. Very sweet. We helped the family with dinner by making some spring rolls. The rest of dinner was fried catfish, pumpkin soup, tofu and dragon fruit.

Don't you love Christian's hat???? Tonight we take an overnight train to Nha Trang!

Fun in Ho Chi Minh

Here are a few random snaps...
-Stacking a couple of beer crates on a motorcycle.
-Fitting our group in a little elevator.
-Burning some incense at a local temple.

We have a new guide for our time in Vietnam and tomorrow we head to the Mekong Delta. We have a homestay tomorrow night and will be off the air for a day or two. There is a lot of history around us, both old and recent. It is both intriguing and troubling. It is an interesting experience to learn a different perspective on events from history and how they vary from what we have been taught. How 'flexible' history can be depending on who tells the story and what they want remembered (or not remembered).

On a lighter note, we had our first bowls of Pho today. It is a Vietnamese culinary staple; broth with noodles, fresh veggies, bean sprouts and chicken. Amazing!!