The group has arrived

It's an undeniable truth... Vietnamese culture is interconnected with Vietnamese food. According to an old proverb, "hoc an, hoc noi", people should "learn to eat before learning to speak". So appropriatley enough, our first day in Vietnam has been dedicated to Vietnamese Cuisine!

We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City at 10:00am after an incredibly exhausting flight. As tired as we were, we knew we had to fight jetlag with a full day of activities. We took a few moments to settle in our hotel and wash up. By noon, we were on our way to a fancy restaurant for our first Vietnamese lunch. Remarkably enough, this simple meal provided us with a fun group bonding experience and a handful of great memories. We enjoyed fresh seafood, perfectly seasoned chicken and tofu, homemade noodles, delicious Vietnamese coffee, and (of course) great conversation. A few of us were particularly adventurous, ordering delicacies like crunchy pig ear and spicy jellyfish. Needless to say, we shared plenty of laughs. (And, believe it or not, the pig ear was pretty good!)

Our gastronomic adventure did not end there. After a brief sightseeing trip to the Reunification Palace, we were back on the prowl for something new to taste. We bought unfamiliar but delicious fruit from sidewalk vendors, and even checked out supermarket where a few of us stocked up on Vietnamese and western snacks. We've only been here for a few hours... but we're already impressed with the variety of delicious food we've eaten. Dinner is just around the corner, and we are already gearing up for another great meal!

We will probably turn in early tonight, because tomorrow will be a busy day. After a thorough in-country orientation, we plan on doing a lot of sight seeing... and eating. And if our meals thus far are any indication of how the rest of the trip will be, then we definitely have a lot to look forward too!

Bye for now,
Ted and Eileen