Sai Gon, February 24, 2001.

Mang Cau (soursop) in the far basket & Thanh Long (dragon fruit). Fruit vendors line the streets in Saigon.© 2001 Hong

After brunch with my grandmother today, I went into town to meet my friend Minh Nhu at Dong Du Cafe (my Di (aunt) 10's cafe). We took a walk to the Saigon Market where I got a few great pictures of the people selling fruit on the streets, we walked along the streets, and Minh Nhu was so happy; she said no one in VN ever wants to walk anywhere. We also browsed the embroidery shops, of which there are many, and then she drove me on her Honda to Tib for dinner. Tib is my dad's uncle's restaurant (he and his wife actually live in Montreal but come here often, and they are good friends of Di 10's). Tib is actually their daughter, my dad's cousin. Anyway, it was a good dinner, and then we went to drop off my roll of film. When I get the shots, I'll try to scan & email them soon.

There is a wonderful fruit here called Thang Long which is a fuschia colored pod about the size of a small pineapple with bright chartreuse tentacle-like "leaves" that grow out on its side. Inside it is white and peppered with small black edible seeds like kiwi. It's texture is like a soft pear, and it's flavor like bland kiwi. Very strange! It comes from some sort of cactus. I got several pictures today of fruit stands so you can see yourself.

Last week I went with my aunt to see a house/restaurant of a friend of hers. It's a little bit away from the city, and you enter on a dirt road through a jungle of palm trees to get to it. Once there, you find yourself in the midst of a lavishly landscaped garden with the restaurant to one side, another bar & restaurant area and outdoor patios that are covered with thatched bamboo leaf rooftops. The Sai Gon river runs behind it, and there is a small dock to step out on (if you are covered in insect repellent). If anyone comes to visit, it's a must see garden. While my aunt was with her friends in the restaurant area, Thanh took me to see the gardens and described all the trees for me, which included a mango tree, jackfruit tree, and a variety of others that I can't remember. When we saw the jackfruit tree, he showed me the leaves so I could see what shape they were (in reference to the quote about the eyes).