I like this building!

This is Gaya - a beautiful Saigon store featuring a mix of lacquerware, clothing by Cambodia's Romyda Keth (of Phnom Penh's Ambre), and stylish furniture and homewares. It used to be on Ton That Thiep but moved to this location on Le Lai (not Le Loi!) a few months ago. I love the 70s building - curved, yet adorned with sharp and striking lines. The internal renovation of the building is gorgeous too, especially the top-floor atrium. Well worth a look if you're in Saigon!

P.S. The black and white checkered building in the background is Zen Plaza (on Nguyen Trai) - a department store with some particularly unique fashion on the ground floor by Vietnamese designers. And there's a Charles & Keith shoe shop a few doors down plus many other clothing and shoe stores to explore. Overall - a great little fashion district!

Sozo in Saigon

Sozo is a Saigon cafe staffed by disadvantaged locals - similar in concept to Phnom Penh's Friends and Hanoi's KOTO. It can be found in Pham Ngu Lao - the backpacker district - housed amongst cheap hotels, budget travel agencies and ubiquitous bars, cafes and shops. This was the first time we'd ventured to the area since moving to Saigon (but we're familiar with it, having stayed there a few times in the past). Being back there only reminded me how I don't miss backpacker ghettos, and that travellers who only hang around Pham Ngu Lao except for a few excursions to the tourist sites are really missing out on the rest Saigon has to offer! Anyway, rant over - back to Sozo... 

The menu featured a mix of standard 'western' fare (nowhere near as innovative as the global/gourmet offerings at Friends and KOTO) so we stuck to the more enticing looking desserts. One slice of carrot cake, one of chocolate cake and two coffees later (they do great Vietnamese iced coffees by the way - but then, it's hard to find a bad one) we were satisfied with both the sweet fix and Sozo's feel good factor.

The staff were fantastic too, really friendly and efficient. I love this type of cafe - the service is always great as the staff are making are real effort to improve themselves. As for why the cafe is named SOZO - apparently it's a Greek word meaning 'saved'. Now that's getting a bit too deep - just bring on the cake!

Sozo, 176 Bui Vien, D1, Saigon

Virtual Vietnam

I recently found out about Vietnam 720 - a cool website with virtual tours of lots of tourist attractions, streets, markets, shops, spas etc. in Saigon and elsewhere in Vietnam. Of particular interest to me are the cafes and restaurants - now I can have a sneak peek at some before checking them out, as well as find out about others I didn't know existed - great! There are some places I've blogged about featured on the site too, like a virtual tour of the mosque and new bar Amber Room - so you can get a better idea of what they look like! Apparently the site will be updated with a new virtual tour every day.

This is what US$1 buys at my local market...

• 5 tomatoes
• 2 limes
• 1 onion
• 1 green capsicum
• 1 large carrot
• a handful of green beans
• 1 bunch of coriander
• 1 bunch of shallots
• some birdseye chillis (thrown in for free!)

Cho Tan Dinh, D1, Saigon (near the big pink church on Hai Ba Trung)

Lunch at the mosque

Saigon's central mosque is an old-world outpost in the the centre of the city, and once in the grounds you feel a world away from the city's noise and traffic-clogged streets.

The mosque was built in 1935 by south Indian traders, and today the inner courtyard is home to a fantastic (and cheap!) restaurant that's not only a peaceful spot but serves up delicious fare - Southern Indian with a Malaysian twist.

The vegetarian curries in particular reminded me alot of the single-veg dishes we ate (and loved) while travelling around Sri Lanka, such as the savoury green beans cooked with curry leaves and mustard seeds. The okra curry and the potato cubes had a real Sri Lankan taste too, while the paratha (bread) was distinctly Indian. We tried a mildly-spiced beef curry in addition to all the veg, but the fried chicken was the real standout with its crispy, tangy tasting skin (providing more travel flashbacks - this time of Penang).

Great food aside, I loved the faded blue walls, old bicycles and rustic outdoor kitchen at the mosque. Very atmospheric - and highly authentic.

The central mosque, 66 Dong Du Street, D1, Saigon

In search of weasel poo coffee...and other culinary adventures

On the weekend we had friends visiting from Phnom Penh, so spent alot of time wandering from place to place eating and drinking. Here's where we went and what we tasted:

First stop: Trung Nguyen, Vietnam's best-known coffee chain - think a local version of Starbucks. We went to the huge branch across the road from Diamond Plaza, which has mostly outdoor seating. Some of the tables are actually shaped like Vietnamese coffee drippers! Trung Nguyen coffee comes in various arabica and robusta blends but the type we were seeking out was that made from weasel poo! Rumour has it that weasels (or civets) digest the beans, which produce a really smooth tasting coffee, among the best in the world. Whenever we've gone to Trung Nguyen and tried to order it they've said they don't have it. So we tried again, and they still said it wasn't available but pointed to the Legendee coffee (my favourite) instead. So we stuck with the Legendee and I've since discovered that it's made using the animal's digestive enzymes without the coffee actually passing through a living creature. So - I guess we kind of had weasel poo coffee, in a much more palatable way.

We then headed next-door to Bamizon for their banh mi (sandwiches). I had the chicken baguette which comes with salad, coriander and chilli (my favourite Vietnamese sandwich) but unfortunately it also had a thick layer of sweet tasting butter. Will forego the butter next time and just have a drier (but healthier!) sandwich.

For lunch (the banh mi was just a snack!) we went to Annam Gourmet Foods on Hai Ba Trung. A gorgeous, gourmet supermarket packed with imported goods and beautifully packaged Vietnamese spices, teas and coffees, it has an upstairs cafe where you can help yourself to a Belgian beer from the fridge and order cheeses and meats at the deli counter. It's one of my favourite places in Saigon and it never fails to impress visitors! With some Chilean wine and Belgian and Kiwi beers we shared some cheese and meat platters, featuring proscuitto, Serrano ham, salami, parmesan, brie and more. This is the best place for a charcuterie fix, and you can pick up interesting things to take home afterwards.

Our delicious lunch at Annam

Post-lunch dessert - time for chocolate nemesis cake at Au Parc, my favourite dessert to date in Saigon. So rich it's hard to finish one by yourself (but I usually manage!).

Dinner - Vietnamese fare at Quan An Ngon, one of Saigon's best-loved restaurants where stations are set up around a courtyard (with a French colonial building on the grounds) dishing up the best of Vietnam's street snacks. We had chilli salt beef, prawns on skewers, banh xeo (pancakes with pork, prawns and bean sprouts), lemongrass clams and much, much more. A feast for the princely sum of around US$7 per person.

And somewhere in the midst of all this eating and drinking was a trip to La Fenetre Soleil, one of my favourite Saigon cafes for it's decor, ambience and great ginger juice (read my blog post about it here). And there was also a trip to Wrap & Roll (how could I forget?) for more delicious Vietnamese snacks (the highlight - sundried beef in fresh spring rolls).

Next time out and about -will perhaps check out new dumpling bar Steam, have a drink at favourite wine bar Qing (its new location that I haven't been to yet) and try a curry at the mosque, another thing on my to do list!

Coffee photo courtesy vncoffeeinc.com

A French spa experience in Saigon

Inside the shop at L'Apothiquaire, where they sell their range of spa products. Such a beautiful fitout.

One of the best things about living in (or travelling in) Asia is the abundance and affordability of massages and spa treatments (and really, who doesn't love this about Asia?!) On a mission to find a favourite foot massage place in Saigon I recently tried one at L'Apothiquaire - the District 1 branch that is (their other branch in District 3 looks and sounds amazing - set in a French villa complete with a swimming pool - I aim to go there sometime as well).

Describing itself as a traditional French day spa, it is indeed tres chic and a very glamourous (note: girly) place for some pampering. It's set in a restored colonial building in the heart of Saigon, with old patterned floor tiles that remind me of those in the French colonial buildings in Phnom Penh.

After the obligatory cup of tea (chamomile rather than green - being French-style and all) I was led to the foot massage room, complete with piped classical music and hot pink suede armchairs. The massage to follow was fantastically soothing with a medium amount of pressure applied - not too soft, not too hard. A lavender-scented oil was used, and I also wore a fragrant, herb and flower filled eye mask that was presented.

I loved the massage and the spa itself, but the experience got me thinking about spas that reflect a certain nationality or culture. In Thailand and Cambodia I particularly love spas that have a real Southeast Asian/Buddhist vibe, with the scents of jasmine and lemongrass in the air, green tea, Buddha statues, calming music, gongs, the sounds of monks chanting - that kind of thing (ok maybe I'm getting a little carried away with the monks chanting bit). If truth be told I think I prefer this slightly more than a European-style experience. I still haven't figured out if there's a real spa culture in Vietnam aside from the more Chinese-style acupressure massage places (plus the other kind of ill-repute!). I've had foot massages at the more local-style places and while some are good, they can also be quite hard and I really hate those sticks they sometimes use on your pressure points - ouch!

Hmm...looks like I'll need to do some more, ahem, 'research' into spas with a more Vietnamese flavour, or failing that, seek out a beloved Thai-style place. If you have any spas in Saigon (or Hanoi) that you recommend, be sure to let me know!

Living in Asia: What's it really like?

During the almost three years I've called Asia home, many friends, family members, acquaintances and well-meaning strangers have asked me lots and lots of questions about what life here is like. They range from the really general and sometimes hard to answer "so, what's it like?" to the just-don't-get-it "but what do you EAT there?!". Then there are the sceptical questions like "you had a baby in Bangkok, what was THAT like?!" (with nose screwed up). I'll do my best to clear up some of the myths and misconceptions about life in Asia (as an expat), though this is by no means an exhaustive list of the questions I get asked (or other expats) get asked:

Q: Are there many other expats there? (By the way, these qs pertain to life in both Phnom Penh and Saigon)

A: Yes - thousands and thousands, from all over the world! So many no-one ever seems to know the exact number (and of course, it's ever-changing). Phnom Penh has many, many foreigners working for NGO's (from outrageously high paid staff at the UN etc. through to volunteers at grassroots organisations). Then there are embassy workers, English teachers, bar owners, and a growing corporate/business community involved in all sorts of industries from hospitality and tourism to banking. In Saigon there's a huge, diverse mix too, though the expat community seems to be more business oriented than Phnom Penh's. So basically, no, I'm not a lone western female eliciting curious stares and I'm not considered special or unique - there are many of us!

Q: So, what do you EAT there?! (one of my favourite questions - hilarious don't you think?)

A: Um, what don't I eat?! It's Asia - not another planet! For starters, I still cook at home alot and make similar things I used to make at home (but take advantage of the great local produce so lots of things using coriander, lime, lemongrass, mint etc.). In both PP and Saigon there are restaurants of every (well, almost) cuisine under the sun, plus an abundance of local eateries from cheap street eats through to classy, high-end restaurants showcasing the best of Khmer or Vietnamese cuisine. There are western-style cafes, French restaurants, pizzerias, kebab shops - you name it! And no, it's not all food poisoning and tummy troubles (the once or twice we've ever been sick living in Asia was from western restaurants, not local! And never from street food!). Which brings me to my next point...

Q: You can't drink the water there, can you?

A: Well, I don't drink the tap water but I've heard of a few brave souls who insist the water in PP and Saigon is absolutely fine to drink and don't seem to be any worse for wear for it! Most people (myself included) have a water cooler at home - the kind you find in offices - and get refills delivered. Others just boil and cool the tap water and this is fine too. You just get used to it and when you go to a western country it actually feels strange pouring a glass of water out of the tap! Oh and as for the ice question - that you should be wary of ice in restaurants is rubbish - ice is made in factories in Asia from purified water, it's totally fine! Trust me!

Q: What about going to the doctor? Is it safe?

A: It depends where you go. There are western standard (and trained) doctors in Phnom Penh and Saigon and it's just like going to the doctor at home. Then there are some dodgy local clinics that are rife with misdiagnosis and shoddy hygiene etc. but only the stingiest of expats would put their health at risk by going somewhere unreliable for health matters.

Q: You had a baby in Bangkok - what was THAT like?!

A: Yes, I did and it was great! Well the childbirth part was no picnic but the medical facilities, great staff and level of care were amazing! I had my baby in Samitivej Hospital, Bangkok, which not only has hotel room-like recovery suites but shops and cafes in the lobby - you can even ring and order Starbucks and dim sum (and more) and have it delivered to your room. If it wasn't for the having a baby part, it would have been like a holiday. Oh and the other question relating to this I get asked is, "So is your baby Thai now?" No - while it'd be cool if she got dual citizenship she was only eligible for Australian citizenship (the rules!).

Q: So what's it like there? (the ultimate question!)
A: How to sum up?! It's fun, it's interesting, it's enjoyable, it's sometimes frustrating and challenging, it's sometimes cheap, it's sometimes expensive, it's chaotic, it's peaceful, it's close to lots of other great places to travel, it's an adventure some of the time and it's mundane and 'normal' at others. It's also what you make of it and often about the people you meet and spend time with (one of the absolute best parts). It can be addictive, and it's something I'm really glad I'm doing - I totally recommend it to anyone considering a move to this diverse, crazy, amazing continent called Asia!

Do you (as an expat or long-term traveller) have any questions about your life you're always answering? And for non-Asia dwellers, is there something you've always wondered about what life in Asia is really like?