Vietnam's National Day - Off to Can Tho (Written by Ho)

It took three hours by bus from Ho Chi Minh City to arrive at the largest city in the Mekong Delta, in southern Vietnam. It's a bigger city than I expected. Compared to Ho Chi Minh City, there are fewer people, motorbikes, and cars, giving it a more relaxed feel — though that might just be because it's a public holiday... There aren't that many foreign tourists here either; instead, most of the visitors seem to be Vietnamese people on domestic trips. The place is bustling with families and groups of friends.

At the hotel, we offer a welcome drink (passion fruit juice) and a delightful assortment of tea sweets! Coconut inner husk (kopyor), ginger, dried banana, sweet nuts, and coconut candy — enjoy them all!

We enjoy it with a straw made from water spinach stems. Being by the river, it's not too hot, and we cool off at the hotel's front desk, where the ceiling fan turns slowly.

This handmade coconut candy has a simple, rustic sweetness and is really delicious, so it brought back memories of how surprised I was when an acquaintance gave me some before~. They seem to come in coffee, durian, ginger, and jackfruit flavors, but honestly, there isn't that much difference between them~. The coconut flavor is just so strong! Once I drop off my luggage, I'll head out to explore the town a bit.

We're walking through back alleys where you can catch a glimpse of everyday Vietnamese life. Since it's a public holiday, national flags are fluttering everywhere. In the old days, Japan also used to decorate the entrances of homes with flags on holidays, but that custom has completely disappeared now. It's a somewhat nostalgic scene. And yet, no matter what, there are cafes everywhere. Here's our usual local cafe. And then there was a sign that felt a bit different from the rest.

This sign is fashioned from the fishing net-like fabric familiar from their aquatic plant bags. Hand-drawn letters give it a rustic, simple charm. Unfortunately, the shop was closed. While strolling through the back alleys, a sudden shower caught me. I ducked into a detached-house café I happened to come across right then.

It's a two-story building with a bit of a Chinese atmosphere. Inside, it's full of antique items. The teapot displayed on the wall (though it's being used as a vase) is Sonbe ware.

The vessels, pots, ceramics, bags... so many items packed inside the shop, and I can't help but be curious about all of them. Take this one, for example. A basket woven from polyethylene nylon. It was covered in dust, but it's woven tightly and sturdy.

There was pottery from Sonbe, Bat Trang, and lots of Chinese-looking pieces too — I was so curious about it all. I was keeping a sharp eye all the way to the back, pulling things out to look at them, so...

My husband Sei was probably worried, thinking "she's going to buy something again... the stuff is going to pile up even more." There were some cute Sonbe-yaki pieces that I almost reached out for, but they weren't something I wanted so badly that I was trembling, so this time I decided to just enjoy looking at them. I've become an adult who can enjoy tea while appreciating things like this.

Take a moment to relax with a delicious yogurt drink. And if you look outside, you'll also spot the charming cement tile flooring.

Just as the rain started pouring down heavily, a cool breeze drifts in through the window. The colors of the plants and window frame become even more vivid. Every travel scene is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. And tomorrow morning, it's off to the floating market!

I was so excited watching the moored boats, wondering which one it would be~! To be continued in "Vietnam's National Day: Can Tho 2 - Life on the River"... Ranking of life abroad