Next day, I decided to explore markets. I had visited the famous Bến Thành Market on my previous visits decades earlier, but a few friends urged me to check it out again.
I thoroughly recommend a visit if you are the sort of person who likes being hassled by hundreds of people trying to sell you over-priced (no matter how hard you bargain) tourist tat, while being simultaneously harassed by people wanting to clean your shoes, sell you over-priced iced chilled coconuts and drive you on their motor cycles the long way round to some other tourist trap. I hated the place with a vengeance. 99% of what's being offered is garbage you can buy much cheaper anywhere else. Only 1%, shoved into a corner is what remains of the larger food market I remember. Here are a few of the rather sad stalls.
Er. that's it.
Nearby is this:
It may be authentic, and it didn't look bad but again was a lot more expensive than you can get just yards away.
Instead, I headed back to my hotel area and explored a couple of the local markets far from tourist land. I say markets, but some are just a couple of street side vendors, some have hole-in-the-wall premises and some are more organised into markets. They all sell food, clothing household items etc. I didn't see a food only market although most had a lot more than the 1% in Bến Thành.
In random order as I strolled around.
Rice, grains etc.
Dried Fish and Vegetables
More Seafood
Who needs a stall? Use your motorcycle.
Flower Girls
Even More Seafood
Baskets
Girls selling Girl Stuff and having fun.
The Beef Butchers
I do like those tiny white Vietnamese eggplants/aubergines
Hoping to catch passing trade. She is selling green mangos.
Another green mango stall. Mắm Ruốc is Vietnamese fish sauce which is also on her cart in the red topped jars.
Another rice place.
I also took some time to visit the local supermarkets and a very special luxury food store. Coming soon, once I get time to sort out the pictures.
