Going to Market in Viet Nam

[Comanche]

This trip is almost over. We're in Saigon now, and we did really touristy things this morning - I won't bore you with those photos.

Thanx to all of you for letting me hog the PJ section for the past few weeks. Though I may post a few more shots when I get home, I will only do a few. I filed up two 8 gig and two 4 gig CF cards with RAW files, so I have a lot of processing to do when I get home.

Most of the following shots were taken with my 24-105 f4 L IS lens. I only bought it last December, and I have found it to be an excellent walk-around lens. I always carried my 17-40 f4 L and 70-200 f 2.8 L IS on me during the trip. I seldom used the 70-200, but had to dig out the WA often - 24mm was not quite wide enough on my 1D Mk III. Though I use my Think Tank belt and pouches at home, I really found them handy here where I was on a motorbike most of the time. Much much better than a bag.

Anyone who travels to Asia is obligated to take the usual market photos – you know the photos - the ones with the smiling old lady and some sort of exotic foods on display.

And you can take those photos in Hûe too. In addition to the giant Dong Ba market (where these were taken) there are numerous neighborhood markets throughout the city. Of course, seeing helmets on the ladies looks a bit strange, but that is just another sign of the times. This scene is a fairly typical one each day. Refrigeration at home is getting more common as the middle class grows, but most women still go to market daily whether they have a refrigerator or not.




Of course you can find exotic foods too – these are dragon fruit. It is very common and very delicious. The inside is a white meat flecked with small black seeds. The exterior is not as formidable as it looks – the waxy skin is easily cut with a kitchen knife. Oh yeah – that’s plain ol’ watermelon in the background.





These fruits are exotic too – the navel oranges are name brand Sunkist from California and the apples are Red Delicious from Washington State. The United States is Việt Nam’s 11th largest trading partner and it is not uncommon to find American products here.




If it’s important for you to take pictures of exotic Asian market places, you’d better call your travel agency and book your flight. In the cities, markets like this are cropping up fast.




In a few more years, city dwellers will be going to the newer, more modern markets and the open farmer’s markets will exist only in the countryside where tour buses seldom go. The Thuan Thanh market is three stories high, completely air conditioned, and has scanners at the check out counters. The bottom floor has groceries, the middle floor clothing and non-food items, and the top floor furniture and home furnishings. The grocery section has a nice produce area right near the refrigerated section. The frozen foods are at the end of the aisle.



An easy ride up the escalator takes you to the section where you can buy a new food processor or electric toothbrush.







Markets like these may be new to Hûe, but huge megamarkets such as Metro or Big C have been in Saigon and Hanoi (and more recently in Danang) for years. Another large store – larger than the Thuan Thanh store – is due to open next to the traditional Dong Ba market next fall.

Its "get on the airplane" time in the morning - so until the next time, Tam Biet, Viet Nam. (Goodbye, Vietnam)

[J Eddington]

Great stories. We look forward to you getting home and posting more photos as I appreciate you sharing with us your trip and stories.
Safe journey.

[dlbdata]

I have enjoyed the series and perspective.

[ThiNguyen]

Doug,

It is a very nice series that you put on here. I can't wait to go there this summer.

Thi

[KeithnFW]

An amazing series. . . was like thumbing through a National Geographic.

[Roy]

I've enjoyed the series too Doug. You have definately covered well what you planned to do. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[heiyoulianglaohu]

That's very interesting.. Dragon Fruit is a native fruit of Thailand.. I have never been to a country in Asia that even knew what it was.. I had no idea Vietnam had it anywhere.