Call your mom

There’s a saying. Before you come to Vietnam and try to cross the street, you better call your mom to say good bye. It may be the last time you talk to her. lol!

There’s truth to this, because you just pray you make it to the other side. Other rules to follow when crossing the street is: whatever you do keep moving and never ever stop. The cars and motorbikes fan around you, it’s like a stream of fish, circling forward around an object. Just keep at a constant pace, mind the cars and walk.

Street lines dividing lanes are “suggestions”. I’ve seen a bus, 2 cars, 6 motorbikes side by side in a two lane street. It’s like the Wild Wild West here. Grit and sheer will power determines who is turning when and where and who gets right of way when merging. Are you bigger and faster? Pushier? Want to do a u turn in the middle of the street with 30 motorbikes coming and 4 cars? Sure! Make that uturn(see the red car in that photo, which was actually our ride we were waiting for and was aghasted). Want to turn right when you are 3 lanes over on the left? Sure, just shoot a right and make the other 12 motor bikes and 4 cars slow down for you. Why not! It’s only Vietnam traffic! No room for the meek and weak hearted here.

It’s just incredible we haven’t seen one accident. It’s like a sea of fish and they just all know how the current flows. It’s orderly chaos.

I should also mention rush hour traffic makes our Alberta rush hour traffic seem like a race way. You literally sit in one spot forever. And when you think you are moving, the cop blocks the road and makes you go elsewhere. We made a mistake and rented a car to tour the city for an hour without thinking about the time. We booked 6-7 pm and made it 1.5 km, which equals to a 12 min walk. We payed to sit in a fancy car for an hour. Haha

I hope you enjoy these photos. There is one photo with 3 motorbikes. If you look closely there are 4 people sitting on each bike! It’s just wild.

Food and more food

It’s unbelievable how much food is everywhere here in Ho Chi Minh City. Little street stalls selling sticky rice in many different flavours and topping, pressed sugar cane juicers, small restaurants and coffee shops with anything you can imagine from banh mi( Vietnamese submarines) to boiled crabs and snails. And then you have the high end restaurants chattering to a completely different class of society from an array of world wide culinary choices. It’s a foodie’s Mecca.

No, I didn’t try the snails! Lol I actually have memories in my childhood loving snails. Get ready, this is a bit queasy, but we used to use the sharp end of a safety pin to yank the snails out of their shells, dipping them it in a sauce and popping them in our mouths. The thought now makes my stomach quiver.

This trip was very tamed. Our food choices now with google and reading reviews allowed us to scope our destination before hand. However some of the best food experience was just wandering around and crossing paths with a food stall packed with people and a curiously to try what the locals are having.

I did come with a bucket list of foods I absolutely had to eat on this trip. Foods that are available in Edmonton and Sherwood Park, but I wanted to eat it from the birth place. By people making the same dish for decades, food first cooked by the grandmother, now the mom, then eventually the daughter who is cleaning or taking orders.

Here is a photo cache of the food. It’s all been just incredible and utterly overwhelming. Truly a foodies paradise for 1/3 the cost. You can eat like a king here and not break the bank as they say.

Happy Lunar New Year!

You may find it confusing, why some Asian countries celebrate their new year on a different date. It is because their calendar follows the moon/lunar calendar while ours in North America and most of the world follows the Gregorian Solar calendar. Hence the saying Happy Lunar New Year.

New Year falls on the first new moon between Jan 21 and Feb 20, so the date changes from year to year. This year it falls on February 17. The calendar also consist of 12 zodiacs. This year of 2026 is the year of the horse and the element of Fire. It is a year full of passion, drive and momentum but can be impulsive and strong willed. It is a year to be aware of your temperament and yet to be open to your desires and dreams.

New years(also known as Tet in Vietnamese) is a time to be with family and to bring in good fortune and good health. There are special foods you eat such as the Bánh chưng, dressing in your best attire(traditionally in red, but we are seeing softer hues of pinks and blues), resting(people are off work for 1-4 weeks), cleaning and decorating the house, and listening to festive spring music.

I arrived on Feb 8th and Ho Chi Minh City was already in full swing. Streets were being blocked off to be decorated. People were practicing their choreography to dances and ceremonies holding Vietnamese flags. Thousands of flower pots lined the streets to be placed in their spot which would be later a scene or back drop of a statue. Each piece even the smallest marigold had a role in the grand play. It was all coming together like an orchestra tuning each string and reed before heaven unleashes her opus. I have never seen anything like it.

Was I still in Vietnam? This question was asked repeatedly by myself and my sisters? To answer that I will save for the last blog post and I will have an answer, but let’s get back to the grand play of Lunar New Year. Here are some photos, which does not capture the noise, the smells, the heat, the people, the buzzing atmosphere in the air. I really have no words, it feels like a surreal dream.

If you look closely, there is a photo of a horse in what appears to be tall grass. My sister Tu said it’s rice, that it was a rice paddy. I named my blog Rice Paddy because it was how I envisioned Vietnam with the rolling country sides and miles and miles of green rice paddies. The source of our nourishments. I was really captivated when I saw actual rice.

New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve in Vietnam also known as Giao Thừa is a time to celebrate the coming of the new year and bidding farewell to the previous year. It consist of many rituals and is very significant for bringing prosperity and good health to the family, work and friends. Altars are set up with offerings to the ancestors filled with fruit, flowers, candy, candles, incense, and red envelopes. The city becomes alive like a buzzing hive full of people. You can feel the festivities in the air. It’s electric.

As a child, I do not have much memory of this very special time. However my sisters do and New Year’s Eve is the most sacred day in the entire year. Just imagine Christmas, ancestral worship, and New Years all rolled up in one. You spend the entire day cleaning the house to sweep away the bad luck. If you sweep on New Year’s Day or a few days after you are sweeping away your good luck and bringing bad luck.

My sisters decided to return to our birth home to experience these rituals. We arrived around 11 pm and the neighborhood was alive. People were in the streets chatting and setting up their altars in front of their homes with little metal tables. Loud music was played from the houses. Lights were strung up and flowers adored the steps to their doors. It was very nostalgic for my sisters and an eye opener for me seeing it with Canadian eyes.

Nearing midnight, you begin to see people praying and burning incense and paper money for their ancestors. They were praying facing their front entrance of their homes while others were facing outwards and in different directions. Some had large fires in metal tins while others were setting off fireworks and had huge bonfires of offerings. My uncle had a little metal table he mounted on his second floor balcony and was more discreet.

My sisters chatted with some neighborhood friends from the past while I wandered around completely culture shocked and took photos.

I hope you enjoy these pictures. It was like going back 40 years for us to experience a tradition that stay rooted and frozen in time. The one stark tradition we didn’t see and perhaps because it’s banned was the little red firecrackers. I remember the sulphur smell and the loud noise, still hidden in my subconscious. If you look at one of the photos, there is a man holding a large string of firecrackers. It’s electric and requires no lighting, but makes the exact piercing popping sound. There’s a little boy plugging his ear because it was deafening. So cute lol.

On the dock, under the boat

"TRÊN BẾN DƯỜI THUYỀN is translate to On the dock, under the boat. To celebrate Lunar New Years there is this special flower market in Ho Chi Minh City. Sellers from the country side would ship all their flowers and plants on boats, dock it and walk using planks to the street to sell. The street was a sea of red, yellow and orange. Just brimming with bougainvilleas, marigolds, and the New Years yellow apricot blossoms also called Hoa Mai or Mai Vàng.

Tu and Tina were in heaven, they grew up seeing these flowers for New Years. We were very poor then growing up in Vietnam in the post war 1970’s and couldn’t afford many celebratory plants. Tina joked and said she used to ride her bicycle to buy a mai flower plant on New Year’s Eve because then the plants would be half price and that’s when we could afford it. Well wouldn’t you know, it was New Year’s Eve today and here she is buying a half price plant. Lol

Also some photos of how they strap the plants on the motorbikes or hold on to them as they ride. I think we spent more time gawking at how they balanced everything on the bikes than plant gazing. It was pretty wild!

Only in Vietnam

Only in Vietnam would you see this…

Markets filled with tightly packed stalls selling everything you need plus things you had no idea you needed.

Did you know Vietnam is the largest exporter of cashews in the world? When my mom went to Vietnam for her yearly visits, cashews was the only thing I looked forward to eating when she returned from her trip. Vietnam cashews have a rich complex flavour. They are huge and sooo good! Then there is their weasel coffee. It’s coffee harvested from weasel excrements. Apparently the flavour is very special. We didn’t buy that. lol

Their famous red plastic stools you sit on to eat street food. This was at a well known noodle soup destination called Bún Riêu Gánh Chợ Bến Thành which served a crab and pork patty in really clean and delicious broth. My sisters said this place has been around for decades and has never changed their recipe.

When we sat down, we just had coffee and was waiting for the lunch restaurant to open so we only ordered one bowl to share. The lady took our order and yelled “one bowl, 3 people!!!!” to the cook. She wasn’t impressed we took up space and only ordered one bowl, you can hear it in her voice. It was just hilarious. So after seeing how amazing it was we ordered each a bowl, she yelled our order to the cook. And she was a lot happier with us after. Haha

Egg coffee. I didn’t know it was a thing, but it’s very popular. We went to a Vietnamese coffee chain called Legend. Very high end. It even had 2 grand pianos and a stage. Vietnamese people consume so much coffee here. It’s part of their culture and there are so many different ways to consume coffee.

Boiled chicken in a bag. It’s for ancestor worshipping on New Years. You put the chicken on the altar for prosperity and happiness for the new year. Tu and I both freaked out when we saw this. lol It’s just bags and bags of chicken dangling from a motorbike.

Dogs on a scooter. So adorable. The bottom dog was dancing in circles all around while completely balanced in that small space. I really miss Bobbi when I saw this.

Morning meditations around a tree and group massage. So very normal activities that you would never see in Canada.

Complimentary breakfast buffet

The street chaos(I will post a future post just for this! It’s insanity), the bustling scenes of everyday hustle of the people(also a future post) hits you hardest being in Vietnam. However there is one thing I totally forgot about from my last trip which was their breakfast. It’s not the complimentary breakfast you see in North American hotels, which provided the usual toast, cereals, pastries. If you are lucky they have bacon and eggs.

In Vietnam hotels, you come downstairs to their complimentary breakfast, usually served in their main restaurant and it’s a sprawling spread. I faced timed my dad just to show him the spread going through all the dishes, and it was a 5 minute FaceTime lol. Of course I got to talk to Bobbi real quick. She’s so unbelievably special, wagging her tail and looking into the camera. Such a precious soul.

So here are some photos of the complimentary breakfast at Pullman in Vung Tau. I didn’t show the salad bar section, cold cuts and pate area, nor the dim sum, congee station, western cereals, nor juice and coffee bar! So you can see how elaborate this was.

Vung Tau

Vung Tau is 2 hours west of Ho Chi Minh City with a population of roughly 500 000 million people. It is known for the Front and Back Beaches, the tallest Christ Statue in Asia and their famous Banh Knot food dish(see photo of the small crepe with shrimps, very yummy!).

My sister Tam has moved here from Canada in May 2025. She now runs a coffee shop and teaches English to students. She loves the heat, the people and freedom in Vietnam. Of course we all thought she was a bit crazy to leave Canada(lol) but seeing how happy she is here, going to the market, working in her coffee shop and darting around on her motorbike, it’s clear she’s found her new home.

Here are some photos of Vung Tau. The first set is the hotel Pullman where we stayed then the beaches( Front and Back beaches) then the Chon Khong Monastery. Lastly is the famous Vung Tau dish Banh Khot and Tam on her motorbike.

The Chon Khong Monastery was another world to enter. It was very sacred and the grounds were immaculate and well cared for. The deep serene sounds of the wind chimes could be heard as we approached the main building. There were many people dressed in traditional outfits celebrating Chinese New Years having their photos taken.

We spend 3 days in Vung Tau and headed back to Ho Chi Minh City where we will celebrate Chinese New Year.

Vinhomes Central Park

Vinhomes Central Park spans 14 hectares in Ho Chi Minh City and was built in 2014. The park was incredible! We saw many different biodiversity animals (giant catfish and koi, many smaller fish varieties, turtles, massive toads, an eel sunbathing!) living in the ponds and nearby marina. The park was alive with people exercising and gathering to take photos dressed in their tradition outfits. The park covers over 1 kilometre of the Saigon Riverfront and has next to it the tallest building in Ho Chi Minh City, the 81 story Landmark 81.

My sister Tu walks here daily for her exercise and to rejuvenate (she works remotely and spend long hours on the computer for the Alberta Government). Her rental property is across the street from this park. She showed me many of the plants and flowers and their stories relating to the family. For example, there was a little plant which looked identical to the “shy plant” that if you touched it, it would close. I tried touching it, but she said it was not the shy plant but a plant as little kids, they would harvest for my sister Tina for her malaria! She showed me the tiny eggs under the leaves. My mind was blown. It was a lovely walk and a blessing to be in such a beautiful park with her.

If you showed me photos of this park before this trip, I would not believe it was in Ho Chi Minh City. So much has changed, time has moved forward and the Vietnamese people too have evolved.

I hope you enjoy my early morning walk with my sister Tu. ❤️

93D

93D is the address of the home I was raised in. It’s currently my uncle’s residence. My auntie on my mom’s side recently passed in December of 2025. My whole entire family used to live in there. There was 9 of us (7 kids, my mom and dad), plus my sister Tina’s husband at the time and their daughter Vanessa. That’s a total of 11 people.

It’s hard to imagine we used to sleep all on the floor like sardines when you enter a space that’s only a few meters long. There was a little burner for cooking and a bathroom in the back. I do not have many memories but I do remember being terrified of the bathroom. There was this bucket you scoop water out to shower and a hole for the toilet. No wonder I dreaded showering as a child! Lol

The house has been completely renovated over the years, with a second floor added. You can see my Auntie’s altar and my grandparents altar on my mom’s side as well. We had a nice visit with my uncle who was cooking his lunch and listening to New Years music. He seemed to be in good spirits.

I always feel mixed emotions returning home and seeing the space where it all began. A bit of heaviness and a great deal of gratitude. From this house to the present moment with life in Canada has been a journey we are grateful because of my parents. They had the courage to leave post war communist Vietnam and start a whole new life in Edmonton.

I made a keychain celebrating the year of the Fire horse with the 3 countries that has connected my family: Vietnam Canada and Mexico, with the heart of 93D that started it. ❤️

Glamour shots

The iconic Vietnamese traditional dress for females is the Áo Dài, a graceful, form-fitting tunic with long, flowing panels split at the sides, worn over wide silk trousers, symbolizing Vietnamese culture, elegance, and femininity through its simple yet sophisticated design, often made from luxurious fabrics like silk for special occasions. While the Áo Dài is the most recognized, other regional styles like the simple Áo bà ba (South) and the multi-layered Áo tứ thân (North) also exist, reflecting Vietnam's diverse ethnic group (Courtesy of google).

My sister Tam’s wish for the trip is that we wore the tradition Áo Dài. Yes, I have a sister named Tam too! So when in Rome….

The city

I took some videos of the traffic but unfortunately the app only allows photo uploads and not videos. When I return home and have my laptop hopefully there will be more options for video uploads and I’ll upload then.

Some interesting facts.

Ho Chi Minh City(2095 km2) is 3 times the area of Edmonton(684 km2). Yet it has 9 times the population at 9-10 million people versus Edmonton with 1.2 million.

42 years later

This is the first time my sisters and I are all back together since we left Vietnam in 1984.

So much has changed, it’s unrecognizable. It used to be filled with small roads with a sea of motorbikes, now it feels like a modern city with cars and skyscrapers. There are still remnants of the old city nestled in pockets of the suburban landscape but that too that has evolved.

Today’s event was very full. We started with an unbelievable breakfast buffet at The Reverie Saigon. It left me speechless seeing a completely different side of Vietnam. I’m so grateful for my sisters for this experience.

This is Tina standing in front of the entrance to The Reverie Saigon.

Airports

Something you don’t realize is how little Edmonton/Alberta is. Culturally we are very young, technologically and architecturally we are in our own little North American bubble. When you travel to other countries the cultural diversity and how advance other societies are, become very apparent. It hits you hardest immediately with airports.

Here was Seoul Korea. I was only there an hour but it was surreal. It had this very light, calming and open feel, unlike any other airports I’ve experienced.

Vietnam

I left Vietnam when I was 7. I had very little memory other than some memories of the home I was raised in Ho Chi Minh City. We will visit the home hopefully this trip. My uncle currently lives there now. The last time I was in Vietnam was 18 years ago. This will be my third visit, and I’m so grateful to share it with my sisters.

Here are 10 facts about Vietnam:

1. S-Shaped Country: Vietnam is geographically shaped like the letter 'S', stretching along the eastern coast of the Indochinese Peninsula.

2. Communist State: It is one of the few remaining communist countries in the world, governed by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

3. Motorbike Capital: Motorcycles dominate transportation, with roughly 10 million in daily use, accounting for most road traffic.

4. Coffee Powerhouse: Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer, contributing roughly 16% of the global supply.

5. World's Largest Cave: Son Doong Cave, located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, is the world's largest natural cave.

6. Common Surname: Approximately 40% of the population shares the surname Nguyen.

7. Coffee Culture: Coffee is integral to daily life, often served with condensed milk, in a culture known for strong, rich flavors.

8. Ancient History: The region has been inhabited for around 500,000 years, with a history of Chinese occupation for over 1,000 years prior to independence.

9. UNESCO Heritage Sites: Vietnam is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the famous Ha Long Bay, known for its limestone karsts.

10. Rich Biodiversity: Vietnam is a biodiversity hotspot, containing roughly 16% of the world's flora and fauna species

From snow to beach…

Bye Edmonton! Hope to see you again when you are warmer. ❤️

Flying home

Departing Edmonton to Vancouver, then to Seoul, Korea( 11 hour flight). Then to Ho Chi Minh City (5 hour flight).