Thursday, 8 Dec 06: Day 5

We worked out a game plan. Knowing that the heat, noise and pollution were worst in the middle of the day, we would gallivant before and after that. By 8 in the morning, we were already at Ben Thanh Market. It was time to do some serious shopping.


Vietnamese coffee and tea


wooden bead bracelets, for US$8 (SGD $13.60)


the quintessential Vietnamese drip coffee makers, at 20000 dong each (SGD $2.15)


1.6 kg of candied fruit for 115000 dong (SGD $12.30)


dainty embroidered bags, for US$16 (SGD $27.20) in total

At noon, HM took off for the Duxton and her massage. I had something adventurous to do: eat at the hawker stalls in Ben Thanh. I picked the busiest-looking stall with a menu in English. The aunties working at the stall were more than happy to help me out, in a smattering of English. I had prawn noodles with a lemongrass-ey stock and ca phe da for 20000 dong ($2.15). And then I waited for something bad to happen to my stomach. I was happy to report to HM, hours later, that all was quiet on the tummy front.

Meanwhile, I had our first and only unpleasant encounter with a bad hat Vietnamese cabbie. As was my custom, I asked the cab driver how much the ride had been. I could see that the meter read 12000 dong but just in case there was any kind of surcharge, I thought it polite to ask. He said, in English, "120000 dong". From experience, the fare from Ben Thanh Market back to the Grand Hotel could vary between 12000 to 24000 dong depending on time of day and the cab company, but ten times more was ridiculous. I shook my head and asked again, "How much?" He pretended to have problems with his English, taking out a note pad and writing "120000". I shook my head again, took out exactly 12000 dong and offered it to him. He continued with his "my English no good" act, until the tourist police normally stationed just outside our hotel approached us. He had no choice but to acquiesce. Now, what kind of idiot did he think we were?

Anyway, as per plan, we hung around the hotel till sunset. HM reported that the massage package had been good but very functional, not the kind of total aesthetic experience that we had come to expect at other Southeast Asian spas. Then while I napped, HM took advantage of the hotel pool.


the colonial experience

Six o'clock - time for us vampires to emerge. Unfortunately, our dinner venue, La Fourchette's, would only be open at 7 p.m. We were turned away and had to do a little shopping before dinner, no real hardship except that I was hungry!

At 7 p.m. sharp, we were outside the door waiting again. This time we were let in.


fill this plate, please!


can't get enough of the bread


pumpkin soup


cassolet of snails in white wine (escargot au vin blanc), served with a green salad


duck fillet with bilberries


cassolet of pork, with bacon, potatoes, carrots


creme brulee

The food had its strengths but also its weaknesses.

• Pumpkin soup – strangely powdery (65000 dong/SGD $6.95)
• Cassolet of escargot au vin blanc – mmm (70000 dong/SGD $7.50)
• Cassolet for pork, with bacon, potatoes, carrots – wonderfully robust, with ample red wine, hic (120000 dong/SGD $12.80)
• Duck fillet with bilberries – also very “country” (130000 dong/SGD $13.90)
• Crème brulee – not bad although we've had better elsewhere (60000 dong/SGD $6.40)
• 2 perriers
• 1 glass of house red
• 1 cappucino

At 580000 dong (SGD $62.00) for the whole meal, La Fourchette's prices were similar to Augustin's. What it had going for it was the robust country vibe, but all in all, I would say Augustin's was better. The latter's service was certainly more friendly and attentive, perhaps as a result of Madame's influence.

We wandered around after dinner, ending up at Authentique, a fashion cum home decor boutique, just across from the hotel. There, HM found a lovely embroidered blouse for US$20.80 (SGD $35.40).


pretty?