I am more than happy to eat yellow noodles stir-fried with straw mushrooms, carrots and tofu at any time of day, but I have yet to determine the essential criteria that distinguish a breakfast dish from an evening meal. Needless to say, it was delicious and I had the good fortune to note that cà phê trứng (egg coffee), which I had been seeking, was available. This proved to be a sweet, strong and thick coffee - a little like an egg nog or coffee custard. I'm not sure it will replace an iced coffee in my affections, but it's an interesting experiment.
Our host invited us to the Southern Women's Museum of Vietnam, which was holding a special exhibition on the traditional dress of the country's 54 ethnic minority groups. It was a small exhibition featuring archaic wooden devices, such as the loom and spinning jenny, which are apparently still in contemporary use in these communities. On display were the unique ethnic patterns created by weaving the thread, the colours of which were largely informed by the natural dyes available.
The museum is owned and run by the State and its permanent collection focuses on the role of women in the first and second Indochina wars - principally the latter, American war. Heroines featured include women who fought on the side of the North Vietnamese against the Southern Dinh Diem regime as well as those mothers who protested their sons' drafting into the army of the Saigon administration. Honourable women are portrayed as capable of looking after their children with a rifle slung over their back, as in one statue entitled "Mother Gunner".
Ho Chi Minh City is replete with spas. Today we had planned to investigate one and experience a Vietnamese massage, which are renowned and very reasonably priced. Our host recommended us a place she had used, so we followed up her suggestion in an effort to avoid any more disreputable businesses that might exist offering 'additional services'.
On the way into town, we stopped at Khanh Casa Garden - a kitsch little tea house on the first floor overlooking a busy intersection (there is no garden) with prices to match its high concept. On the balcony, we sat a while watching the world go by over a refreshing iced matcha tea with ice cream.
Quynh Nhu has a large sign outside advertising "Foot Massage", which manages to hopelessly undersell itself. We booked ourselves a full-body massage, and were ushered swiftly into a dimly lit room. We were followed presently by two masseurs hurrying down the stairs, each clutching a wooden tub of warm water that they placed at the foot of the beds on which we lay.
With our feet soaking, 90 minutes of pummelling, flexing, bending and stretching ensued. Starting with a scalp massage, my face was soon dressed like a salad with strips of cucumber. The masseuse proceeded to demonstrate great skill at the advertised manipulation, working the pressure points on both feet in a way that bordered on reflexology.
There followed an exciting and unexpected application of (rather) hot stones, after which there was just enough time for the masseuse to walk up and down my back before we finished with restorative ginger tea and slices of crystallised ginger. It was the finest (and most reasonable) massage I have ever experienced.
Newly stretched and supple, we walked home. It was 6pm, dinner time, and the streets were crowded with hungry people clustered around street vendors, crouched on tiny stools, and spilling out of restaurants onto the streets. We, however, were heading back for home-cooked food.
With a little help from K, our host deftly prepared three dishes - a soup, a salad and a simmered dish - plus rice. The salad comprised sliced young bamboo, fried tofu and seaweed in a sweet-sour dressing requiring (vegetarian) fish sauce. The soup had a slightly bitter, almost parsley-like green vegetable and enoki mushrooms. These were complemented by a savoury stew of potatoes and vegan beef, which was sweetened with a sauce that used coconut water as its base. It reminded me a little of the Japanese dish nikujaga.
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