Jessica Rayborn Photography » Vietnam

A Year Ago Today…

Jessica Rayborn Photography — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 23:30:10 +0000

A year ago Ryan and I embarked on one of the most amazing trips we’ve ever taken. We left Atlanta, GA for Southeast Asia and Australia and didn’t return for 62 days. We did a lot of things and met a lot of amazing people. Below are just some highlights from our trip.

Even though we won’t be gone for 62 days, we are preparing for a new summer adventure. Where to you may ask? Make sure to keep checking the blog for hints!!!

Chau Doc, Vietnam

Jessica Rayborn Photography — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:07:03 +0000

Ryan and I took a Mekong Delta cruise as transportation to Phnom Penh. It wasn’t anything like our Halong Bay cruise, just a fun, beautiful, and easy way to get to Cambodia. While cruising the Mekong, our group made several stops to visit villages and learn about coconut candy making, puff rice, and silk weaving. It was a 2 day trip with an overnight stay on a floating hotel. The hotel wasn’t the prettiest, but it was lovely to be rocked asleep on the river. My favorite part of the trip was our visit to Chau Doc. This was a quick tour of the village that I managed to extend. Instead of keeping the brisk pace the group had set, Ryan and I leisurely walked behind them, stopping to talk with village folks and play with children. I smelled something baking just up the way on the street and I had to find out what it was. In front of me was this little old woman using two frying pans and a couple of lids over a fire to heat up something that smelled like pancakes. Through hand gestures we spoke about trying one. It was delicious. It had a semi crispy crust almost like a cookie but with a cake like center. I wish I had gestured for more. When Ryan and I finally did catch up with the rest of our group, I told our guide about our special treat and he told me it was coconut cake. I’ve been on the lookout for this coconut cake since we’ve arrived in Phnom Penh. I’ve seen it only once but was in a tuk tuk on a busy street. Unfortunately there was no way of pulling over to see if it was the same. I’m determined to find this cake again.

Saigon, Vietnam

Jessica Rayborn Photography — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:23:05 +0000

There are thousands of motorbikes in Saigon, many more than in Hanoi. The city is loud, busy and extremely crowded. Luckily our hotel was off on a side street so things were a bit subdued. While in Saigon we visited the War Remnants museum and the Reunification Palace. Ryan also had a few more business shirts made in the city.

The most memorable part of our visit in Saigon was dinner with the family we met in Nha Trang. We happened to see them on the train to Saigon. We had met the children at a pool in Nha Trang and they practiced their English with us. At the train station the father invited Ryan and I to their house in Saigon for a traditional home cooked Vietnamese meal. The boys have been studying English for many years, but over dinner the father informed us that he had never heard his sons speak English until they met us. Both boys spoke English very well, especially the older one. I thought since he spoke it so well that it must be used in his household on a normal basis. I was shocked to find out that the only time he speaks English is in school. I know that when I learned a foreign language in school I didn’t remember enough to speak very well with a French person on the street. The family was so great to us. The mother had prepared a meal fit for 20 people with all of Vietnam’s specialties. We had chicken, pork, beef, fish, shrimp, fried rice, spring rolls, noodles, etc. It was a wonderful feast!

The images below are from our adventures in Saigon. Enjoy.