Bánh Đập in Bạc Hải Three young girls, a couple of plastic chairs, a tiny stove blazing with red-hot coals, and some great central-Vietnam recipes. And lucky for Hai and I, all within walking distance from our apartment. But last night we chose drive to Bánh Đập on our motorbike … lazy? Maybe. Some months ago [Read on …]
Quán Ốc Quang Anh Does anyone know how many different kinds of ốc ̣(snails & related shellfish) there are in the world? How about, just in Vietnam? Sorry, I don’t know either … well, except I know there’s a WHOLE LOT! Hai and my recent stop at Quán Ốc Quang Anh for dinner made that clear. A [Read on …]
NGAN HAC GIAY Volunteer Club Soon it will be Tet, the Lunar New Year in Vietnam, and still so many poor children in the Vietnam countryside will still struggle to find enough food and maintain minimal living conditions. My friend, Quang, is part of a volunteer group of Vietnamese youth, NGAN HAC GIAY, that will [Read on …]
Lawmakers want to revise law, as Vietnam faces execution dilemma As hundreds of executions have been pending since last year due to the absence of lethal injection drugs, lawmakers suggested Vietnam reinstate the firing squad. Speaking on Friday, National Assembly Vice Chairman Huynh Ngoc Son proposed the adjustment to the Law for Enforcement of Criminal Verdicts, [Read on …]
Bánh Tráng Trộn in the Alley Imagine my surprise when, during Hai and my recent Escape from Vietnam holiday travels, we were challenged by a young woman in the middle of the Aegean Sea on the Greek Island of Santorini, as to why we had not yet discussed bánh tráng trộn on Eating Saigon! “Well, Hai and [Read on …]
New Year’s Eve Eve 2013 In Vietnam, the New Year doesn’t come until sometime in late January or February . It’s called Tết, the Lunar New Year, and the celebration goes on for many days. This coming February 10,2013 (Western calendar) will usher in the Year of the Snake (Year 4710, 4711, or 4650, depending [Read on …]
No Saigon Street Food on CHRISTMAS EVE Well, it’s 92 F degrees (33 C) right now, late afternoon on Christmas Eve, 2012. I just climbed out of the Olympic-size swimming pool – enjoyed my 1000 meters of breast stroke laps. And then strolled back to my apartment, through the park in my shorts and flip-flops. [Read on …]
My Christmas Wish This holiday, my wish is that everyone will do what they can to help reduce the culture of violence in our society. Pray if you believe that will help. Talk to your children and work hard to diminish bullying in schools and to understand the harm that is done to children by [Read on …]