Country Home

We left Ho Chi Minh City around noon on Tuesday. As we road the bus south, we watched as the landscape of rural Vietnam unfold around us.

The roads got bumpier and the scenery more beautiful.

I  nudged at Bruce after spotting a beautiful rooster strutting around. It was going to be the first of many, many roosters we saw on the road that day.

After a mostly comfortable 4 hour ride, we arrived in Chợ Mới. The air smelled relatively cleaner and its always a wonderful thing to see more trees.

A small, wiry man pedaled casually by us on his rickshaw.

I turned to Bruce, “We’ve officially left the city.”We are currently staying in an old house with my mom’s cousin.

There’s a charm about it that can only be found in houses outside the city. Large concrete front yard, an equally spacious backyard shaded by fruit trees and lots of space in between. It’s old, but there’s running water and surprisingly, internet.

a true country home

We woke up today to the sound of neighbouring kids running around and the gossip of Vietnamese women whom I’m sure are related to me somehow.

We walked to town for breakfast, and 5 minutes later we were in the heart of the market. The familiar set up of stainless steel tables and plastic stools awaited us.

Breakfast was a plate of cơm tấm (broken rice) with grilled pork, pickled veggies and herbs. We washed it down with a glass of freshly pressed soy milk. Simple, delicious and for 3 platters of rice and 3 drinks, the bill is under $4 CAD.

delicious, cheap breakfast. Broken rice with grilled pork, pickled carrots and daikon, egg meatloaf

We hitched a ride back to the house on the bicycle-pulled rickshaw we saw yesterday.

“Steph,” Bruce called me as he, my mom and I hung on for dear life “I think we should just walk next time.” He laughed. He was right. It was totally uncomfortable, but at least we got to support a dying mode of transportation.

ridin’ the bicycle-pulled rickshaw

We arrived home to a whirlwind of activities.

the heart of any home- the kitchen

My relatives were busy preparing a special glutinous rice cake in honor of my grandmother’s 1 year death anniversary on Friday.

My relative gathered round and preparing traditional banh tet

Banana leaves were being cleaned, pork being marinated and glutinous rice par-cooked and prepared. It truly felt like a country home.

traditional Banh Tet being prepared

The sight of all the festivities made Bruce and I sleepy, and so we proceeded to nap on the hammocks outside.

Life is good, and for the first time in a while, I found myself relaxing completely.