Vietnam Alphabet B

B = Bike Ride

We have fully embraced the bike culture and now own seven bikes for the four of us. We use them mostly to get to and from the grocery store or bank or to ride to school when it is not too hot or pouring down rain. This morning, Lauren and I left the boys with our nanny and headed out at 7 am on a long bike ride (one I had taken with a great group of teachers the weekend before). It is amazing where you can get on a bike.

We rode through a busy part of District 7 to a small ferry, paid our 25 cents each and slowly crossed a wide section of the Saigon River with a handful of moped drivers.

Once across, we rode a short distance and were on a red dirt road that took us to a much more rural part of HCMC. The road was lined with rice paddies, canals, small houses and people going about their business (kids playing with animals, farmers herding water buffalo, men and women stripping bark from pieces of wood for fuel). As we rode, locals who must not see many foreigners, kept yelling "Hello!" from their hammocks and mopeds. One man, hanging with his buddies and eager to show off his English skills yelled "Hello!" to me, quickly followed by "I'm sorry I love you!" to Lauren.

Then, after a second ferry ride (only 5 cents) we were close to home and had only to tackle the mighty Phu My Bridge across the Saigon River. It is a rather gradual incline but it seems to go on forever and getting to the top feels like quite an accomplishment.

Hard to see in this photo, but way in the distance you can just make out the Bitexco Financial Tower. It is the tallest building in HCMC. We were thinking of saving this "B" post for later in October when Lauren and I are signed up for a vertical race to the top of this building.  Must....Keep...Training.

The journey down the other side of the bridge was a wonderful reward that ended at a car wash, where we had our bikes detailed while we had some refreshing drinks (with 100% tip the total was three dollars).

Da Tra (Iced Tea) and Ca Phe Sua Da (Iced Coffee with Milk)

It was a wonderful day and nice to break out of our neighborhood and comfort zone a bit. Seeing this area as it must have been only 10-20 years ago was also amazing. The dense jungle and marsh, the beautiful palms everywhere, the friendly, beautiful people...this is why you travel. 

We started at A and followed the yellow road, Huynh Tan Phat south to the ferry, then used the unnamed yellow road that hugs the river to head back north to Phu Huu Port, then ferried across, rode through the Cat Lai Industrial Zone, then turned left and went back along cau Phu My (The Phu My Hung Bridge road) past E for the bike wash, then back to E and turned right to head home.  It was about 17 miles.

I know this post is long enough but here are the runner-ups:

B = Bricks

These handmade red bricks are used to build everything here and Lauren and the boys got to see where they were made on a tour of the Mekong last year.

B = Bananas

The bananas here are amazing. They are smaller and so, so delicious. Directly across the street from our front gate there are some growing. You can just see them above Trevor.

B = Beach

This is Colin's "happy place". As we've said in previous posts, he is not happier than when he is on the beach and we have been fortunate to see some pretty incredible beaches while here.

Colin washing the sand off his feet in Mui Ne.