Ho Chi Minh City and The Mekong Delta

This is our second time to Vietnam in less than a year! It feels familiar and we are excited to be in a place where we feel like we know the ropes a bit. It’s officially hot AF. Several days of mid 90’s and humid and today it’s 97! This is a serious contrast to the blizzard they are having in Seattle. Sorry suckers! Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun. We try to do AM and late PM into evening excursions to avoid complete liquefication of the lower bowel and after dark is when all the action happens anyway.

We had a familiar face meet us here in HCMC! Megan’s dad Bruce made the trip out a few days before our arrival and he met us at the dock early on Thursday morning.

Tet Lunar New Year was in full swing so there were a gazillion folks out enjoying the holiday. We indoctrinated Bruce (who was totally game for the record) with a Reifield Special local street food dinner. Atticus kept his order to himself until it was his turn… “I’ll have one turtle and one frog.” We put the kibosh on the turtle and they were out of frog. Whew.

This place was actually pretty tame, but a good jumping off point. We have tempted fate with some more aggressive choices since and lived to tell the story. If it’s frequented by the locals it’s fair game. So far so good. We have had some incredible Phô, Bahn Mi and several other dishes I cannot pronounce or cannot remember the names of. The food in Vietnam has a reputation for being incredible and it is well deserved.

As he will do, Atticus found some local kids playing soccer and asked if he could join in. He played it cool for a few minutes and then scored a couple goals for his side and was soon giving and receiving high fives from his team mates. Most of them were playing in flip flops, and one in bare feet because his flip flops were being used as goal markers.

Atticus’ new soccer team, Ho Chi Minh City

We got up early and headed off for an overnight trip on the Mekong River. We traveled on a beautiful teak boat that slept about 14 people. Oddly, it felt good to be on the water after being on land for a night. This was a great way to see the Mekong Delta and life on it. Fishing, transportation, bathing, playing, and life is all happening along this muddy river.

Some of this river is so incredibly beautiful and then there are times where you consider starting a waste management service for the entire delta. One moment it’ll be pristine and the next there is a mountain of garbage spilling into the water. We saw everything from floating coconuts to a whole dead pig.

We took a jaunt into a small village and Atticus met some kids. See a theme here? We took the opportunity to have a catch here. Catch along the Mekong River? Check. Our guide’s comment was simply “Friendship, the next generation.” Kids are just kids no matter where they are.

We also saw some rice fields and tons of exotic fruit along the path. The colors were just incredible. Atty also took this opportunity to try out a local toilet.

After a lovely sunset and a lovely sunrise followed by a lovely breakfast, we headed out for several more adventures. Longboats, bikes and feet were all involved! Bee farm, mushroom farm, water market, candy factory, and of course the ubiquitous snake wine merchant. Oh yeah baby!

Since being back in town, we have been to The War Remnants museum, done a bit of shopping and you guessed it, hit some food spots. Bruce and I also had perhaps one of the most bizarre haircut experiences ever. Best just to ask one of us next time you see us.