Snap, Crackle, Pop!


A lovely 24 degree day, perfect to cycle through the local rice paddies and shrimp farming ponds. Vietnam is the second largest exporter of rice in the world. And the seventh largest consumer of rice. There are well over 1500 varieties grown in the country. It's often eaten at all three meals of the day. Meals consist of "rice and something else." There are hectares and hectares of paddies just across the river from me. It is grown everywhere.


Even on resort properties....



People rent out their geese to rice farmers. The geese eat the larvae of insects that are harmful to the crop. 


Some old school farmers still use water buffalo who are revered and treated as family pets. 


Riding the narrow pathways today I had to beware not of road apples, but rather road pumpkins. 😖

And family gardens are grown on any available land, like these mounds...


 Or in graveyards, even between the markers!



Shrimp farmers are only busy at certain stages of the crop. The floating paddles which oxygenate the water are either pulled by hand, or attached to small motors. 



When home, I figured "when in Rome...." so I made a pho of Toulouse sausage I bought from Justin the French butcher who learned his craft south of Paris, noodles and a mixture of rice/grains/beans and quinoa. It is the absolute tastiest, tenderest pork sausage I have ever had! A great soup. My first homemade meal since arriving. Eating out is so inexpensive. 


Justin is typical of Hoi An ex-pats. He met his Vietnamese wife in Paris while she was there studying French. He came here to visit her, fell in love with the area and moved his boucherie across the world and they have a thriving business here. They are a lovely couple. I dropped in on my ride to say hi today. He gave me some of his fresh batch of sour pickles. Every time I have been there, there are French speaking customers.

Ex-pats stories seem to follow a theme - wander, happen upon Hoi An and settle here. Georgianne grew up in Melville Sask, moved with her parents to the US, became an American citizen, passed through here, and now has been here 3 years. Mark who lives above me is S African born, lived in first England, then Australia, and found this place. He has a wine bar close by. A couple from NZ run The Happy Buffalo Bar and Restaurant and Desireé... well I haven't heard her story yet, but she is from North America. Very warm welcoming people. I am not a bar person, but I sure will visit these places to hear more stories of wanderlust interruptus. 


Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 22, 2025 at 12:26 PM

    Such an interesting tour of the rice paddies and shrimp farms Jamie. Thanks for sharing! Happy to hear that you have groceries and supplies and are feeling more settled in your abode. 🙂

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 22, 2025 at 4:40 PM

    Louise here…..testing, testing.

    ReplyDelete

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