My Food Adventures in Vietnam - Part 3 - Soc Trang and Can Tho

(clockwise: small apples, sugar cane drinks, Rambutans) 

Hi everyone,

Its been a long while again since I last posted.

The journey continues down south where we headed to Soc Trang, a small city way down south of Vietnam (about 6 hours drive from Saigon). My home town. My grandma's house is another hours drive from Soc Trang to another small town that probably doesn't exist on the map of Vietnam hehe. It is as far away from modern city as you can get, dirt roads, rice fields, and plenty of banana trees hehe yet there is one familiar sight...plenty of motorcycles.

It was definitely different to Saigon and Nha Trang, but in its own way my home town was just as beautiful.

While staying at my grandma's house we had plenty of fresh fruit, drinks and delicious home made food cooked by my uncles and aunties.

clockwise: Vietnamese jelly, Banh Gio with sweet coconut fillings, coconut icecream, and jackfruits!

This a specialty noodle dish of my home town, Bun Nuoc Leo Soc Trang, its made of a salty fish broth, served with rice noodles, bbq pork, fish, and shrimp and a whole heap of herbs and bean sprout! mmmm

Congee with salted eggs and pork floss....mmmmm delicious, very homey!!!

This was our last meal in Vietnam while on our ride to the airport hehe not Vietnamese at all hehe

We were lucky enough to be in Vietnam at that time as my cousins were holding their wedding at the same time we were there. I've have always been told that weddings in Vietnam are huge....I only believed in when I saw it through my own eyes, the wedding spanned over 2 days, with church ceremony, tea ceremony and many other Vietnamese traditions! There were over 700 guests but heres the crazy part, there was no reception or restaurant...it was all held at my grandma's house, all 700 guests!!! There was over 70 banquet table (serving 10 people each) all spread out in my grandma's front yard, backyard and side of the house...any place possible! It was a truly amazing effort and to be honest...alot of fun!

There was plenty of food and drinks! The wedding banquet consist of Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab, A PorkTerrine of some kind, Roast Chicken with special sticky rice filling, Seafood Hot Pot, Prawns in Vietnamese style caramel sauce, and Ice-cream for desserts. Overall, the food was delicious...though I must say I prefer the home cooked meals and local street food over the fancy banquets, it just feels more satisfying and comforting to eat!!! hehe

Not to our surprise, there was lots of food left over so we had to eat the same thing for lunch the next day hehe

On the last day in Vietnam, we drove 2 hours to a city called Can Tho, in 2 mini buses with over 40 of my family and cousins. It was a nice city, very modern after having spent 3 days in the country side hehe we were lucky enough to be able to book all 40 people onto a massive floating restaurant that served food and live entertainment while their restaurant sailed the river for a few hours!

It was so much fun getting to know all my cousins in Vietnam better, how different your life is to theirs and what it would be like if my parents never came to Australia. There are not much opportunities in Vietnam for my younger cousins. We take for granted everything we have here in Australia, from fresh clean water to the quality of life and opportunities and options that we are presented with everyday.

Being back to Vietnam the second time has truly changed my opinion about it...I love it.

When it was time to say goodbye, it was a sad time. Everyone asked when we will return to see them again...who knows when that will be...

Good bye Vietnam, I hope to return some day soon!

Lots of Love,

Fat Pom Pom