Vietnam

Women sell fruits out of baskets like these near the sidewalk vendors.

A fruit stand in Cho Ben Thanh in Saigon.

Robes in Cho Ben Thanh.

Com Tam Bi Suong.
My lunch of broken rice (intentionally)

Mom's Che Thap Cam. You can get desserts like these anywhere and practically everywhere here.

This precocious little fellow was selling lottery tickets to nearby customers. For a few pocket candy and money, he let me take his picture.

Tau Ben Nghe floating on a river of Song Bach Dang. This is the site of our dinner cruise.

Onboard Tau Ben Nghe. Not long after this was taken, tourists filled the dining tables awaiting for the ship to set sail.

Mom and I outside Tau Ben Nghe.

A few of the dishes we ate onboard. There's shrimp marinated in fresh coconut juice, fried bass, and DEER (no, not beef).

Front row seats: Along with the live band and numerous singers, the cruise show featured a fire dancing extraordinaire, who ate, touched, and blew fire to upbeat techno music (haha). I have it recorded in small clips, if anyone's interested.

Seafood fried rice. Self-explanatory. Really Good.

Mmm Soi Ga. Fried Sweet Rice cakes with chicken!

After dinner palette cleanser.

Shopping for treats under Cho Cau Muoi, a row of shops on the lower side of a bridge.

I'm packaging the treats for the kids at the orphanage.

These are for the kids. Hope they've got a sweet tooth.

One of my favorite fruits! Trai thanh long tastes like a mix between a kiwi and a watermelon.

Cut into wedges, peel back, and eat.

PHO 24. The cleanest pho place I have ever seen in my entire life.

The well-known PHO 24. Pricier than the usual, but still underpriced for what it's worth. Mmmm...

The entrance to Chua Dieu Giac, temple and orphanage.

Pagoda at Dieu Giac

Quang The Am Bo Tat.

The Orphanage courtyard at Dieu Giac.

They greeted us with a song.

This one refused to tell me his name, but insisted that I take his picture. Dapper little fella, isn't he?

This one just wanted the bag. Haha, CUTIE.

The boys were having a bet about what treats were in the goody bags we gave them.

Well-behaved and polite little girls. Many are responsible and mature beyond their years.

My mom is making conversation as she hands out the gifts to the eager children.

Four months old. This precious bundle was left outside the gate of the temple a few days ago and found crying by a monk.

Brian and Hien, who is enjoying her jello cup.

Passing out gifts.

The boys were intrigued with my camera. Here they are playing on the bunk beds. No mattresses and very little sleeping space.

My mom and our new friend (far left, who is a reporter in Saigon) with the caretakers of the younger children.

"Mother" and child.

A back room of the temple where visitors can come to purchase handiwork like this.

One of the most energetic little girls I've come across.

This is Hien, age 6. She made sure that I knew she loved jello and that my earrings were bigger than my head. She even shared that headband with me.

Definitely an unforgettable 2 days with lots more to come!