Travel: Ho Chi Minh: Vietnamese Coffee on a rainy morning

Day 2 of my Saigon adventure.  It was raining when we woke up very early the  next day.   We plan to hit Ben Tanh market for some pho and spring rolls and do a bit of shopping.  I also planned to walk along Pasteur street for more street food, but we can’t do that because of the rain.

When we went down to the lobby, hotel breakfast wasn’t ready yet.  I wanted coffee from the nearby “Starbucks” – manned by a kindly Manang Vietnamese.  The store in front was still close and Saigon was still waking up from its slumber.  

Manang Vi (that’s what I call her) had set up some small monoblock chairs, stools and tables in front of the store (which she would later dismantle when the clothing/bags store opens).  I ordered coffee with milk for me and black coffee for  Lenz.  Lenz decided to wait inside the hotel. While I, wanted to savor the cool rain, watching as people go about their morning rituals. Taking photos from where I sat on a stool as Manang Vi prepared our cups of coffee.

My Vietnamese coffee with milk.  Take note of the condensed milk at the bottom of the glass.

Later, two local men sat beside me and ordered coffee.  For the next several minutes, we all just sat there enjoying our coffee and the rain. It was all so laid back. So relaxing. So far away from the stress of work, the pressure to earn a living and deadlines.  

image taken with my iphone.

I won’t forget this one particular Saigon morning…. raining (oh how I love rainy days)… sipping a cup of sweet, milky Vietnamese coffee.  I wish I could do this everyday.

PS

I wanted to bring a piece of Saigon with me back home. Later, at Ben Tanh Market, I bought 2 kilos of weasel coffee… to share with my Mom and Sir B and my friend R.

Here’s a funny exchange with my friend R after telling him that the coffee beans are gathered from the poops of weasels.  Weasels are fed coffee beans and the undigested beans are excreted, then gathered for processing.

R:  Sigurado ka hinugasan nila yung beans?

Me: HINDI! Hahaha…. Kaya pakuluan mo yung tubig mo ng mabuti…

Of course, we were just joking.

This morning, I got a message from R…. “masarap yung coffee.”

:)