A love affair...with Vietnam

It is so easy to have a love affair with food in Vietnam. Since moving to Vietnam nearly two and a half years ago, we have had it at least five out of seven nights of the week. All your senses are on full alert from the moment you first contemplate a menu. Walk through a Vietnamese market and you will fully appreciate the feeling. The sights, sounds, scents, touch, taste..they are all there, some exhilarating..some surprising...and all of them unforgettable. Just give me a stick of lemongrass, a whiff of lime, a crunch of Vietnamese mint and I will be beside myself with joy at the possibilities.

I recently had the chance to share it all with a friend, Paula, who asked to see "my" Saigon. She was coming to Saigon for a few days, post business trip, and said she wanted to experience the "tales" that I write and speak of. It was a challenge I wholeheartedly welcomed as I knew it was going to be  easy. I had a feeling that no matter what I suggested, she would be up for it...and she was. Best memory was when we were both on the back of a Vespa, riding side by side in Saigon, grins as wide as can be as she exclaimed "Amazing! I love this!". I was on the right track...and suggested if she loved riding around Saigon...then we had to take the day tour to the Mekong. I had done it before and loved it...especially the mussels and little pipi's in the photo above. We sampled, we sipped and both exclaimed at the same time when something was delicious...always a wonderful feeling when you share the same enthusiasm for travel and food with another.

If you plan to travel to Saigon...here are a few of my favourites.

 Saigon cooking class at Hoa Tuc restaurant.

I have tried a few cooking classes around Saigon 

and this is my favourite.

Vespa tours, XO Tours and Vietnam Vespa Adventures.

I highly recommend both. We took the day trip around the city

with XO Tours and the Mekong trip with Vietnam Vespa. I have also

taken the day trip with Vietnam Vespa around Saigon and thought it was great. 

You can not go wrong with either. 

Xuan Spa at Park Hyatt Saigon

I am partial to the spa treatments at the Hyatt.

 I know I can always count on them for offering

a great experience every time. 

As for the food...there are so many great options.

 I have listed a few here.

Enjoy!