Day 50 - day 6 in Ho Chi Minh: the long walk to Chinatown - Trial by fire: new bike, first tour, first time in Asia

December 14, 2024

Day 50 - day 6 in Ho Chi Minh: the long walk to Chinatown

Today was one for mopping up but I at least made it to Chinatown and visited the famed Binh Tay market, where hundreds spend their time in tiny shops most often selling one class of goods.

The rain held off so I walked the 5 km in each direction, with disappointment on the return leg, when I made my way to Tram microbrewery and found it closed.

What have I got to show for my time? Many photos! When you're in a relatively new place and travel slowly and look this is what happens.

I peered over a fence to make this photograph. It clearly relates to a war and, I guess, the American War.

This median-strip garden goes for at least a km

Women are well represented in art from the fight for independence.

Fallen frangipani flowers rest on a hedge.

The 2025 Honda Cub Cross. It's made in China, looks reasonably heavy duty and costs 61,000,000 dong, about A$3,800.

Later in the day I saw a fellow restoring a much older one that was certainly not made in China.

On my walk I had the fortune of stumbling across one of Ho Chi Minh's coffee shops that not only serves Trung Nguyen coffee using the classic filters but they also sell the beans. I bought about 250 g each of three differing qualities. They're pretty serious about their product.

THE ENERGY COFFEE THAT CHANGES LIFE

“Ready to leave no stones unturned to create the world’s best masterpieces of coffee for creativity and success”

It's an interesting place. There were people my age reading newspapers - real paper ones. Younger people may not know about these things. You can Google them.

The coffee is served is served sitting in a cup of hot water, which keeps it hot as it filters. A cup of tea comes with it.

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Excellent grinders but I wanted whole beans.

I'm getting closer to the market.

And then I spotted something I didn't expect - a rather orange Roman Catholic Church that dates to 1855.

One of the bicycles of the day: all of the bananas you can see are loaded onto the bicycle.

A dozen of these spring rolls solved my hunger.

The view of the roof from the market's second floor.

You can stiffen the suspension by welding a plate to each side of the swingarm and adding a shock- absorber to each.

After getting back, I took a few clothes to a nearby laundry. I paid a premium for the paltry amount. Laundry No. 1 was in a rather interesting spot.

After a short rest, I headed off again on the number 11's to spend my last night in the centre of Ho Chi Minh. The route took me through the park with the large trees, sculptures, garden beds and exercise machines and much more.

I noticed Tungs, a vegetarian-friendly restaurant and thought I would try it. I wasn't disappointed. I had several dishes including a banana flower salad to start and some fresh rice-paper rolls for dessert. I finished with a delicious coconut-cream coffee.

Rice paper rolls and a coconut-cream coffee.

I stopped on the way back for a beer at Pasteur Street microbrewery and watched a young fellow on the adjacent footpath blowing enormous flames. I gave him a handful of my remaining small notes.

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