We did a street food tour in Ho Chi Minh City with a company called XO tours and it was fabulous. They employ 100 percent female drivers, and the tour company was started by an American-born Vietnamese guy. I don't think it could have been better if you had Anthony Bourdain's fixer working it. Lasted about 6 hours. Went to three restaurants, ate a dozen dishes, drank beers, the works. This was so much fun, and all done on motorbikes. We must have been on the road for over three hours, and got to ride through most of the city's 12 numbered districts. The two young girls were our drivers but we had 2 other guys doing all kinds of stuff as well (going ahead to set things up, jumping out into traffic so we could take a left turn on busy roads, washing our lettuce in Dasani water so we didn't get sick from local water, lots more!)
The experience of riding on these bikes across the city was amazing and something we could never have done one our own. Started with a spicy beef noodle soup. Next stop a street BBQ joint. Grill at your table goat, shrimp, beef and frog (which did in fact taste just like chicken), then some special crispy pancakes wrapped in aromatic leaves. A chopstick competition which ended in a tie but which I pulled out in the tiebreaker (E was stunned in defeat) then on to the last restaurant where we had crab, shrimp, clams, octopus, scallops, quail and two desserts. Also tried the duck egg with embryo inside. An experience!
Anyway this experience is too long to post but I'll send a few pics in separate posts since I can only do two pics with each post. These people were great!!
What a cool experience! Did the drive feel safe?
ReplyDeleteWe strangely did feel safe. It is insane how the streets work here - just a madhouse! I would. Do this again but I wouldn't ever try to ride on my own! It requires 100 percent confidence in your moves especially as you try turn left into hundreds of oncoming motorbikes. Our ladies had been on motorbikes for 10 years so they were great!
DeleteSo cool! You guys have found the best activities on this trip. Someone did a lot of research!
ReplyDeleteWe wanted to do the XO food bike trip too - but just not enough time! You are brave to try the duck egg w/ embryo -- in spite of the fact that it's a delicacy, i could only try it 1x without much success LOL
ReplyDeleteI could only get the broth, then about one spoonful. John was more successful. Our tour guide said she ate one a day every morning when she was young, so after we got through 1/2, we handed over to her!
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