This is most probably the billionth blog post raving about the Grounds of Alexandria located in Alexandria Sydney on 7A/2 Huntley Street. I’ve even read that this is one of the most instagramed places in Australia so I’ll admit it now -I did do a foodgram and it doesn’t even do justice to how delicious and lovely the dish was!!!


So the love story goes something like this....
Despite the overcast day, my girlfriend and I still made the journey (my first visit) to the Grounds with an empty stomach ready for some feel-good food. We actually had an outfit planned the night before (don’t judge) because 1. Alexandria being in the inner city is full of hipster, stylish people and 2. We were going to head into the city afterwards to check out the new Sephora store and for a little Chrissy shopping!

I know what you’re thinking, cut the talk and show the pictures which I totally agree! So instead of boring you with my attempts at describing how lovely the whole place was, just enjoy the pictures (cause I know we all skip the text for the photos)!
Note: I did refrain from taking too many photos because that was waaay too mainstream there :D

A little florist on site with displays just
spilling onto the walkway - so lovely!

This was the sink for the bathroom, as if
this isn't so country old fashioned I love it!

The courtyard lies beyond with a fountain
where the little kids play

Yes they have a small animal farm and yes
Kevin Bacon is the resident pig :P

Guess who!

There are a few choices for eating at the Grounds, you can choose to dine in the restaurant-style cafe or buy from the little kiosk and enjoy your munchies at the courtyard. Service was so lovely at the restaurant-cafe we ate at (including tres good looking waiters). You get a little buzzer like at the bistro that will buzz when your table (no need to reserve) is ready for you = keep exploring instead of waiting in a queue! Peerfect!

The menu was organised into Breakfast – small and substantial (til 11:30am),Brunch and Lunch (both from 12pm)! They were quite strict (in a kind/reasonable not “you die” kind of way - don’t worry) with the times so sadly one could not order a lunch at 11:30am L

But we did spend a good 10 mins having a long think about what to order because man that was a tough decision! Too many delicious choices!!! We had a look the other tables on the way in to see what dishes looked yummiest – which was all of them!!

My friend's "Petuna Salmon" order for brunch = MEH!!

Oh Lordy - behold the "Healthy Plate"
It definitely packed a punch for the sweet tooth too! I mean check out
that little shot cup of green juice! How do you say no? 

Along the main walkway there’s a wagon selling fresh fruits and homemade lemonade in yellow, pink and peachy colours! We also saw a donut wagon but it wasn't in business at the time!

Now let me put my two cents worth here – that Grounds Granola (as it was called) was actually the substance of my wildest dreams. You tip in the mini milk jug and that’s when the party at the taste buds began. It was your ordinary breakfast transformed into a breakfast of the Gods. Despite the name Healthy Plate and the appearance of assorted fruit and the granola – it was definitely filling!


So what are you waiting for, book a brunch/lunch date with your girlies or mum/grandma on your next free day. Boys take the special women of your life (girlfriends, mums and grandmas) to impress! The place is literally a little archaic, rustic world of its own in the midst of the city and my friends have been raving about this place since forever. We used to fantasize the time when we would finally make the visit (how else do you get through boring uni - you think of your food tours of course)!!!


This is just one of those places you hear so much about and need to see for yourself! There's something for everyone!
Go on a little adventure this weekend!

Until next time!
Mimi xoxo

The Summer To-Do: Suggestions to keep you sane during the long break

No one really owns these types of calendars I realised!

There's a hundred and four days of summer vacation and school comes along just to end it! But the annual problem of our generation is finding a good way to spend it! Like mayb-

Only joking two problems with the above: 1. As much as we wish we were Phineas and Ferb -we're not cool enough (duh!) and 2. Countries like Australia don't get all our holidays in one massive dump!!


So how do we spend said holidays! More like how do we spend said holidays on a budget? We don't want to be dreading how bored we will be after surviving exams! No! No one wants that because look you will be regretting that when school/uni comes back!

So I've collected a few ideas because I don't think Google does a good enough job when I search 'things to do for teenagers in Sydney'. I get the zoo, Westfield tower look out and apparently need a lot of money just to enjoy myself. Mr Google how wrong you are here!

So here are some ideas that should hopefully hit the right spot for most of you (hopefully doesn’t hit the pocket too hard either)! I cry if I've made you read all this to no resolve of your boredom dilemma!!


1. For the uni student: Catch up with high school friends over a cafe lunch cause you’ll have too many stories to share about uni survival (Bear Grylls style) the last thing we want is hot food going cold and cardboard consistency! Cafe’s are great and there are plenty of healthy options which I love and which totally gets cancelled out by that milkshake you order but hey, caramel milkshakes for the win!

I just wanted to say here that QUINOA is the
BOMB!

2. Catch up over shared frozen yoghurt! The sort where you get to choose the flavours, portions and toppings! Or even ice-cream for any froyo haters who think it’s overrated and that three froyo stores on one street is overkill! Tip: go halves in pay, eat three quarters: P


3. Sand proof Picnic at the beach! There are a few beaches in Sydney or most places that have grass and shade at the back and sand and waves just a 2 minute walk in front. Get dumped a few times then come in for non sand assaulted eats. Someone also bring a ukulele and a Frisbee/rugby ball/soccer ball/volleyball or cricket set!!

Can't decide between ice-cream &
froyo are one of my first world problems

Coogee Beach date with more eating and no
swimming (I know it's a sin :P)

4. Try to discover a new eating place/cuisine with friends or family. I challenge you to order something different to Pad Thai when you go for Thai (that’s right, I went there). Visit a new food scene from an unfamiliar suburb, easily shared food works best so you get a taste for everything! It’s also a nice excuse to dress all snazzy with your girlfriends and broaden your profile picture horizons (lol).

5. Go bike riding on an old or new track! It can be hard to plan the weather for this and when its Summer it can get really hot! By biking I mean the tracks in the parklands not hardcore on the roads (that’s scary). Pack a non perishable lunch and water bottle kept overnight in the freezer to defrost over the time and grab a few friends for some exercise bonus!

If you're like me, it will take an AGE before
I get to "Level Crochembush"

6.  You know what takes time – cooking! Choose a recipe, then your weapons and get ready to whip up a storm and be proud of your baby as it’s plated. Since we don’t all have the time to plate ourselves a continental breakfast before we run out the door why not treat yourself to a feel-good (your own creation!!) and taste-good brekkie worthy of an instagram snap!!

7. Dare I say it but here goes nothing...... catch up on a TV series (or three) or discover a new series. Friends are great for giving you a quick lowdown (hopefully without spoilers) and for suggesting a gazillion shows bound to tickle your fancy! Just don’t delve too deep into the fandoms, you may find yourself a changed person...if you survive it. 

8. This may cost a smidge more buuuutttt.....Go to the cinemas or even better a DRIVE IN CINEMAS if your city has it! Sometimes in bed with a laptop and your blanket tepee = sore neck and arms + coke bottle glasses in the near future. Go for a change of scenery but seriously drive in cinemas are the bomb but there not that common and may be seasonal! Soooo worth it though! 

9. Be a tourist in your own city! Unless you know your whole city upside down (convince yourself that you don’t), recruit some keen companions, jump on a bus/ferry/train and see where it takes you! Look for every opportunity to take the scenic route and soak in the history whether it is nautical, industrial or whatsoever!

I live in Sydney but I rarely get to see the
Harbour Bridge :(

10. Sleepovers! I know how it gets and sometimes it’s inevitable but don’t let that spoil all the fun; friends ask for WIFI password, friends stay on laptop/phones, non awkward silence as you all check your social media every 10 or so minutes, non-existent pillow fights.
So here are some suggestions to keep it traditional:
- Pizza PARTAY with movie marathon
- Everyone helps cook dinner (or microwave the dinner I don’t know :P) which allows for good socialising at the same time!
- Call me boring but Twister the Game, Cards Against Humanity (exactly as the name suggests), charades, Cluedo etc.
- Just Dance PARTAY which really packs a workout

11. Hit the markets for a new wardrobe! You can literally buy some pretty neat pieces for less than $50! The store sellers are fashionable so you can be sure their legacy continues with you and there are interesting conversations all round! You can also enjoy the live music in your lunch break then finish exploring the rest of the markets! Rozelle and Glebe Markets in Sydney are my favourites!

Don't EVER be afraid to dig right through
the crowded racks - you may discover a
great bargain!!

Warning: Your eyes may hurt from all the shops
and stuff for sale everywhere you turn
It's more busier than it looks in the snap :P

12. Read a good book. I’m sorry if I sound like Jane Austen but books can change you. Believe me, I am no fandom girl. I don’t have a separate Tumblr devoted to Finnick’s “sugar cube” from The Hunger Games or Will Herondale’s “dragon tattoo” from The Infernal Devices Series. 
It lifts your mood, keeps you thinking about the plot and characters at times during the day and most importantly aren’t all the boys in books more IDEAL AND SUPER SENSITIVE! If I haven’t won you with that I don’t know what will! (Some suggestions: Mortal Instruments series and infernal devices series by Cassandra Clare)  


13. Try (emphasis on try) to sketch something from either a photograph or the scenery in front of you! Put that shading and eye sketches into good use not just when bored in class. Let’s go that one step further and try to sketch your favourite famous figure or celebrity!  Either cry over the beauty of your final artwork or it becomes the next “nailed it” meme sensation:P.

13. Be the next James Cameron or Christopher Nolan just for the holidays IE. MAKE A FILM! This is a great way to collaborate with friends and live out your fashion styling, directing, filming and acting dreams. Or even try your luck at penetrating the YouTube/Vloggers sphere :P

14. Plan a workout day with friends either at the gym or at the park (even better if there’s public exercise equipment). Not only can you done your Lorna Jane/Lululemon headbands and your flashy Nikes, working out as a small group makes you less inclined to be viewed as the “weak one” so keep pushing yourself! 


So hopefully I've inspired a few ideas to keep you busy! Try not to lounge at home for too long and for too many as appealing as the cool air con or the heater may seem (but we do all need our solo chillouts at home) !

So stay safe, don't get sunburnt and come back invigorated, knowing you had a killer break to daydream about during those boring times in class  :P

Shake it up Breakfast

Do it right and breakfasts can be the desserts of the morning (naturally sweet of course!!). We all know breakfasts are the most important meal of the day and if I ever have the chance to sit down and enjoy it most days, it’s my favourite meal of the day! Regardless of the weather I like to choose my breakfasts and ingredients seasonally and I do like to put in that extra effort just to start the day I want. You know you’ve achieved success when the plate looks instagram worthy and you’ve used mostly natural and minimally processed ingredients! Start healthy!

So here are some ideas to spice up the morning – of course you don’t need to be Jamie Oliver to accomplish any of these:

Added some stewed fruits after draining them
from the saucepan :)

1. Porridge – Maybe save this more for cold-cool mornings like from Autumn to Spring. While the sachets from the supermarket may seem enticing with all the fruity flavours (Porridge in 90 seconds they claim!!) I would rather see all the sugar that goes into these products and add them to their utmost minimum while still keeping it nice!

Start with your basic porridge then dress it up how you want (some of my favourites are suggested below):

¼ C quick oats
½ C skim milk or water
1. All in the microwave for 1 minute to begin with then 30 seconds thereafter until the individual oats have softened (watch out for the bubbling – cleaning the microwave dish after is the biggest trek!)
OR
Combine into a pot and cook on low-medium heat until oats look softened! Keep stirring when it bubbles (we don’t want a layer of porridge at the bottom – also very hard to clean!)


Serving Suggestions (The fun part)

Pantry Ingredients Sprinkle a pinch of desiccated coconut then drizzle with honey/maple syrup Sultanas, some flax seeds stirred through and drizzle of honey/maple syrup Crushed Brazil nuts (Low in GI, full for longer!) with drizzled honey/maple syrup Light dust of cinnamon with drizzle of honey/maple syrup (simple but good :D) Dried apples sliced , sultanas and a dust of cinnamon! 1 tsp cocoa powder stirred through porridge with a drizzle of honey/maple syrup and sprinkle of desiccated coconut (just like a lamington :P)

Fresh ingredients Flaked almonds, half a banana thinly sliced with a drizzle of honey/maple syrup Top with softened apple (slice into saucepan), drizzle of honey/maple syrup and dust of cinnamon! Diced peach slightly softened in a saucepan onto the porridge with a sprinkle of desiccated coconut! Small handful of frozen mixed berries with crushed brazil nuts! Caramelised pears (slice into saucepan with some water and sugar) with halved pistachios

Of course there are many more toppings and infusions!!

Take every opportunity to add seasonal  

2. Mixed Muesli and dried fruit with milk – Simpler and much more refreshing for the hotter days!
Most supermarkets sell already mixed muesli with the fruit which is such a time saver but feel free to customize your own with rolled oats, seeds and your chosen fruits and sliced nuts! Any milk will do, the sweetness of the muesli flavours it so well and I’m recently getting into having it with my soy milk – on point!

Personally I like to let my milk and muesli sit for about 3 mins before I dig in just to get the oats softened just that little bit J




3. All Natural Yoghurt with whatever the heck you want – So so so refreshing and addictive that yoghurt by the 2 kg load always stocks my fridge!

Let your kitchen become a yoghurt parlour for the morning! Load up on 4 tablespoons of yoghurt and then comes the toppings! Choose from fresh and dried cut fruits, nuts, bircher muesli, mixed berries, honey and fruit syrups (watch the sugar in these)!!

4. Brekkie smoothie on the GO – You can still enjoy a good brekkie on the run, just transition into the sippy kind with a straw! There is no one recipe for this since ingredients are seasonal! Just stick with the base ingredients – 1 cup of milk, 1.5 tablespoons of quick oats, sweet fresh fruits sliced up first (strawberries, banana, peaches, apples, apricots to name a few) all into a blender and watch it go like a kid in a candy store! I haven’t experimented with cocoa smoothies yet so I can’t advise you here!

While Up and Go’s were my best friends in my dark times of braces and early school mornings I would much prefer to mix my own in the blender before heading off! Up and Go keeps long for a reason – that’s right preservatives and emulsifiers! So how hard can it really be?

Add to the blender: 1 cup of skim milk (or any milk), 2 weetbix, 1 tablespoon of caramel syrup and a quick squeeze of honey. Optional: add 1 tsp chocolate powder and 1 tsp coffee powder for a mocha creation!

"Forever Alone" Egg Fritter with a green juice last weekend
Great meal to check your social networking to :D

5. Toast with mashed avocado- let's get one thing straight here, your avos are filled with all the good sorts of fats and are lower in carbs than a banana! From now on avocados will be your friend!

Just mash a small cut enough to spread over the whole toast (even the edges)! Crack over some salt and pepper or even a drizzle of honey/syrup and voila!







6. Egg fritter - this is one of my sisters creations (here she is) which we cook for one in this little "forever alone" (as we like to call it) saucepan we got from IKEA!

All you need:
- small portions of chopped tomato, chickpeas, diced ham (or any left over meat)
- 1 egg pre whisked in a bowl with a tbsp of milk and pinch of mixed herbs.

1. All into a small saucepan or egg template (toppings first for a little sizzle then egg mix last) with some canola oil spray!
2. Turn off heat and cover saucepan with foil to completely cook the egg.

Level up from scrambled eggs! Score!



That's all for now! Of course give these a go with your own personal spin and let me know what you think! For now I'll be working on how to master the overnight oats and incorporating tea infusions to the porridges! It all has to begin with some sort of disaster!

So stay cool for the summer and go find yourself some seasonal fruit to kick start your day! 

Home is where the jaffle is

Aren't the shapes just Art? Great if you like your
bread cut in triangles like me :P

We all have that distinct smell in our homes of a Saturday morning, when most parents are at home having a well deserved sleep in and the kids open one eye to catch the sunlight dancing on their bed, snuggling further into the recesses of their pillows and blankets. The house is serene, basking in the early sun almost like a lazing lizard on a spot of rock on this great earth. Paint begins to peel and flake on its exterior, signs of the Australian sun at work. For now the sun is modest, it rises above the trees to warm the leaves the pavement. For me, sunlight would explode into the bedroom and I would lie awake for a while watching the rays catch the dust swirling stealthily about the room. An occasional magpie would venture to perch on the window sill crooning over its shoulder into the rows of roses and pumpkins that was our garden below. The parents are already out of bed and that is when the first sounds are heard from the kitchen.

The time had come and was marked by the sweet smell of butter instilled in the air. The ingredients in their isolation smell of nothing until layered into the jaffle hot plate to pop out as crisp, golden sandwiches that break effortlessly to form triangle slices. The machine even imprinted neat lines on each triangle and you would know when it was ready by the flick of the green light and the sizzle as the edges finally gave way to the cheese.

Its contents ooze a little though the sealed edges, cheese comes first and maybe some toasted sliced tomato. We used to make ours with ham, cheese and tomato – simple yet it endured every Saturday, a welcoming change from porridge in winter and cereal in summers before school. It transcended all seasons and my sister and I would pick them up with little fingers and nibble cautiously in case the goodness scolded our tongues (yes too much goodness can harm you :P). You simply could not leave it on the bench to cool! 

I know what you’re thinking. It’s a jaffle maker, it makes jaffles (duh) and so what? Do we not link smells to a time in the past, an exact place and location? A place that may not be present or standing anymore as in my case? How times have changed when you look back and see how our breakfasts have evolved (just an odd thought), often the first smells and sounds of the morning amidst the rush to start the day. The fact is childhood memories manifest in different ways that we often don’t realise and recognise. Little does that magpie know that it is instilled in a childhood memory, wherever it may be now.

Nowadays I make the jaffles for the household. We used to call it “Breville” after the brand of our jaffle maker. “Breville” itself sounds kind of snug and homey just like the sandwich itself. Now in our teens we promoted ourselves to adding a little salami too but the classic from the past always has a place on the hot plates. I thought it was important to put this simple memory into writing – in a few decades it may be a lasting memory to sustain us all!

I’ll leave you with some thoughts for jaffle toppings I’ve tried in the past. You may soon realise the jaffle maker is one of the best kitchen investments you’ve made (no exaggeration here :P )
No more boring sandwiches and toast!!

Just top up one slice with either (you choose the ingredient portions):
- a few spoons of canned baked beans and some cheese :P
- a few twirls of canned spaghetti
- Tomato, diced (or slice of) ham and cheese (any cheese!)
- Avocado, tomato, ham and cheese
- leftover macaroni cheese (dare I say- which some like but I still can’t warm up to after trying!)

Nothing beats the "Big Cheese" everrrrrr!!

Well I hope the above won’t be the first quirky thought you’ve encountered today but I think its nice thinking about our childhood every now and then (even though I’m not that old yet!). Some we can recall with remarkable clarity – a chain of thoughts and senses that string together – and I love the excitement as you and your friends/family can fill in the details together and remember the exact same memory as it happened J

See if you can recall something from your childhood! The trick is not to think too hard!

Toodles for now!
Mimi

What to eat when you’re getting sick with that SORE THROAT!

Can you guess what’s inspired this new post? That’s right, I’m currently feeling under the weather and I want to get back on track as fast as I can! (Who doesn’t – right now I’m on summer break with a big to-do list of unaccomplished dreams!)

You know that stealthy sore throat you get the days before that signals “You’re gonna get sick”, I am at that stage now and I don’t want to really “level up” anytime soon. Actually now i’ve reached BASE TWO – Stuffy/runny nose URGH!

So here are a few ideas TO TAKE DOWN THAT SORE THROAT IN ITS TRACKS that have seemed to cut my “sick time” in the past! I can’t guarantee they’ll work for you but they did me! What that means is there are plenty more foods to avoid than per usual that may aggravate your throat etc etc (sad times ahead I’m afraid).

Breakfast – try to keep the dairy to a minimum? (some say it aggravates the throat more and some say it doesn’t – you call the shots)

Go for Oatmeal/porridge with some chopped banana and a drizzle of honey = soothing and easy to eat and digest!

Scrambled eggs without too much added spices is easy to down maybe with some steamed asparagus on the side

Yoghurt with honey because it is cool and bland (in a good way) since it won’t serrate your throat on the way down J (isn't that always a plus!!)

Lunch & Dinner – SOUP SOUP SOUP! No overly  oily foods (and I don’t just mean dripping oil/deep fried but foods that have a high fat content like your steaks) as these can be hard to digest!

Instead opt for a traditional chicken or vegetable soup (or any stock) with some chopped veggies and maybe some rice or pasta too!
Of course no one of a teenage year likes to sit around waiting for their soup to cook so here’s where the grandma or mum (or even dad) can make an appearance!

Also add a serving of steamed vegetables on the side to keep up the fiber!

Don’t just live on the soup of course you need your proteins! Choose chicken, turkey or fish over steak and beef which are higher in fat and tougher to digest!
Have it in a sandwich (preferably fresh as toasted can be too dry) with lettuce, beetroot and tomato to freshen it up!

Snacks – ditch the processed sugars and go for your fruits!

For sore throats having one sliced orange (or two) worked a wonder. It’s so refreshing my throat could sing (but no one wants to hear that :P)
Chew your fruit well before swallowing (we don’t want a stray corner of apple making matters worst for our throat!)

Melons are a definite favourite! Soft and has a higher juice/liquid content that most fruits!

Cucumber and Carrots are pretty sweet for snacking! If you must dip try yoghurt, beetroot or tsaziki (which is a cucumber dip lol)

Add some variety and colour in a fruit salad
plus bonus sense of self accomplishment :)

Drinks – again avoid your processed juices!! Why? Because HELLO SUGARS!

Sadly water may have to be THE CHOSEN ONE for the time being!
Alternatively if the weather isn’t too hot make a cuppa! Get some boiled water, a small squeeze of honey and small squeeze of lemon juice (optional)!

Even put a piece of ginger and leave it to infuse your hot water! Add some honey and voila!
Wait for it to cool and you can have it as iced tea!

Good teas to use are ones with cinnamon and honey (and also chamomile to soothe). I use the one from Twinnings which combines all three of these flavours!

Juice yourself some lemon juice and sweeten to a minimum with honey! Dilute with water if you need to but this one can be tough to down!

Honey and Lemon - what I like to call the BRANGELINA
of cold and flu :P (what a power couple they are!!)

Some ginger in tea just gives that
uplifting feeling ya feel??

Foods to avoid (which you can still have if you can’t resist – the stakes aren’t that high :P):

Nuts – this really killed me but the nuts won’t be doing your throat any favours when you’re sick!

Baked Goods (your cakes and cookies) – give these a rest for the time being because these have flour and processed sugars!

PIZZA!!! – I don’t know about you but pizza leaves me tres thirsty afterwards!

Tachos, nachos and potato chips – The sole perpetrators are the CHIPS! They’ll be very dry for a sore throat

So now I bid you good luck. This may only be the “calm before the storm” but this isn’t a reason to stay cooped up in your room! If you get out for some fresh air, a meet up with friends or the beach, your body forgets it is feeling down (just for the while – but hey you shouldn’t miss out on a good time)!!!

Mimi xx

Week 4: To the Mekong!

"Bell Apple" fruit in one of the farms
pronounced in Vietnamese as Mận

We really got to see the agriculture and produce of the land in this last leg of the journey, exploring villages around the Mekong River that thrived on their production of coconut products. They had coconut everything, not a crack of the shell wasted. Coconut flesh = sweets and the shell = wind chimes, bowls and much more! The confectionery production line was definitely not something out of a monster factories episode! Nothing like a camera taking pictures of the bottom of every Coca Cola bottle to make sure it was perfect!! There's one person in the corner heating the mix in a large pot and spooning it into a basin that tilts to let the hot lolly run into template of a very long strip. Someone is waiting at the end to chop the long strip into identical squares like a sushi master. The squares fly across the table where some women flip them onto square sheets of paper and wrap them faster than you can say "my bum still hurts from the boat ride here!". I challenge you to give it a shot! The ladies were happy to teach us and watch us fail!


Coconuts are only  sweet around here. Nothing to deceive from the outside like some fresh food grocers!  With some other relos, we bought a whole branch with about 20 coconuts because 1. We can't do this in Australia and 2. We didn't want to waste the chance to indulge on some of the best coconuts ever!

As part of our tour we got to walk around a traditional Vietnamese fruit farm. No stone fruits and berries here - these were the real deal; fruit flies circled around bursting jack fruits and 'milk fruit' (as it is translated from the language and before you ask does not taste like milk but has a milk-looking juice) hung above our heads. Of course we took photos of us brandishing the jack fruit as though it were Simba on Pride rock and even played catch with one that had already fallen off the branch! Our flip flops were right on point with safety! :P

Got to keep up with the hot weather by
investing in the traditional hat!

So that was the 3rd and last tour we embarked on while in Vietnam. We returned to Saigon after to soak in the last what Vietnam had to offer especially coming into the Vietnamese New Year. We continued to feast on what Vietnam had to offer like giant Banh Xeo (Vietnamese pancakes) and cafe sua da since the days were still hot. But what's traveling without a few regrets! I regret not trying all the different Xoi (colored rice) that the ladies would sell by the streets, that I didn't get to catch another Saigon bus to a new district and definitely that one time I ordered spaghetti in a restaurant!

Travelling for that long deprives you of some things you used to do everyday back at home, so for me it was only natural to run straight out of the taxi and into the kitchen to whip up (as sad as it sounds) a bowl of porridge with good ol’ Australian honey (it gets sadder) and for lunch at that! 

Thanks for keeping up!
Mimi xx

This was a local School my mum attended before leaving Vietnam.
Note the "Lollipop BOY" taking one for the team and holding up the sign!

Forgot to share earlier in the first entry about Sapa but these
furry pups were playing on the village doorsteps = too cute to forget!!!

[above] Just a snap from Sapa in the more touristy region
and [adjacent] some Sapa locals heaving the firewood up
the windy paths up and down the mountain walking trails!

Week 3: The Middle Country

We were caught in a whirlwind journey the moment we waited in Saigon with the countless other tourists ready to embark our coach to explore the mysterious 'Middle' we knew little about. We explored caves, sculpture museums (where they carved stone right in front of you!!!), traditional confectionery factories and large Buddhist temples perched on the high hills and caressed by the cool air and clouds above. To be honest breakfasts were as western as you could get for the whole day and even that was rather feeble in comparison to home! But what's an adventure in another country if you confine yourself to the eggs on toast when you can have the congee, Pho, or sticky rice for a power brekkie? Energy was what we needed as we encountered many stairways and inclines to get to the checkpoints of our tour!

Lunch and dinner was traditionally rice with many accompaniments! Although it was a little too familiar by day 2 this was part of the Vietnam experience so we had to power on!

The more considered tourist-y spots were of course the mains: Hue, Da Nang and Hoi Nai which were always teeming with foreigners. My highlight was The Hue markets were we walked the night markets and observed the famous bridges from afar. For the sweet tooth like me, Che dessert in Hue was definitely the best. Take a regular store back at home with little bowls for you to choose your toppings and times that by 10. That is everything was in a large pot - sweet potato, taro, countless beans and jelly assortments. Ice and coconut milk were ready at the back to complete your customized creation and it was dirt cheap! More to feel less guilty about and something to sip while you explore all the knick knacks of the markets!

A typical Hoi Nai night - this photo is harder to take than it
looks with the intense bridge traffic so keep trying!!

Hoi Nai at night was kind of like that scene from Rapunzel (which I assume all of you have watched because it's just like Frozen right?) By night the restaurants were lit up with laughter and conversation, streets and stores framed the walkway with lanterns and flames that throbbed behind their colorful shades. It definitely felt like the village out of Rapunzel complete with boats releasing lanterns into the water. The lake was pitch black so the lanterns appeared to float lazily in a void! Buses taking tourists out were a mess so be prepared to wait! Don't get too hopeful because that may not be YOUR tour bus which caught me a few times! Three point turns and U-turns level 1000 seen here :)

When we were 'in between' places we visited a Buddhist temple which we could see all the way up the hill as we approached. The weather was cool but the place felt chillier. Maybe because the large (and  I mean large) courtyard was paved in a grayish white appeared smaller but for all the potted bonsai's and pond displays that stood orderly like soldiers awaiting command. A monstrous paved staircase led to a lovely lookout (so the height challenged can truly see how high up they are). It was like the home or play thing of a giant out of Jack and the Beanstalk. Located very high above the ground level - check. Eerily silent (but in a peaceful way) - check. Large temple/abode looming in the background of every tourist photo - check. You couldn't help but feel the air here was cleaner and that you stepped lighter as you explored the vast courtyards. 

Overall you could feel the difference in the landscape - the countryside flashed past in ochre, a blur of grinding stone fashioned into intertwined figures worshiping the skies and the stillness and unobserved murmuring of everyday life that surprised those like us familiar with the bustle of Hanoi and Saigon.

A trip to Bana Hills via the longest cable car trip - 5 km
Tip: buy popcorn at the bottom to have on board while waiting :)

Week 2: The North – Sapa Crepes and Sunrise

Children "snugged up" as they
watch passing tourists

A plane took us to Hanoi but to get to Sapa we had to brave an overnight train to Lao Cai. For those who have no idea where Sapa - all I know is that is is very close China and you may have seen pictures of it in calendars and what not :)

So much for "mind the gap" on Vietnam trains, there are no platforms and people just leap onto trains both while they are stationary and when they start to move!
The race to the trains are REAL!!!! Women ran through the closing doors with their rods and hanging baskets of produce as though they spontaneously leapt from their place by the street mind bent to catching the departing train home - and I thought I did well timing myself to catch the trains at home!

I was the only one who had a rather uneasy sleep, lurching slightly in my bunk as the train made its stopped and dragged itself from station to station. You may enjoy the train trip more than I did but if you are slightly tall like me, your legs were screaming by the end for a good ol' stretch!!

In my random bouts of consciousness I would hear voices right outside our window belonging to locals walking home along the tracks. Who knows how long they had been walking!! We had come prepared with our train snacks bought from Hanoi- grapefruit, cashews mandarins and sweet breads after a filling ourselves with the “Hanoi take” on traditional Pho soup (very different to the Southern style we were accustomed to).  The mist that swirled beyond the window reminded us that the weather of the North was not as welcoming to the shirt and shorts clad tourist.

Despite being geographically within Vietnam, Sapa felt different – the faraway mountains gave it an serene sense of isolation, the people looked ethically different and the streets themselves appeared a blend of European cobble stone dotted with women and children lying in wait of a tourist. The scenery was a nice change from the Vietnam streets making me feel like I had visited another country in bonus to Vietnam. We didn't manage to catch Sapa at its prime of flourishing, green rice fields but the sun still shone nicely when we walked the circuits that lead around the villages and hills.
Children were often nudged towards tourists in a bid to sell crafts. We witnessed a a group of women chattering to themselves before erupting in remarkably good English as they tail a unsuspecting tourist waving their goods. As we walked up and down the landscape, locals heaved passed us with baskets of wood (it was as heavy as it looked) and little furry pups played at the thresholds of their homes. The local children would pluck the long grasses along the way and fashion them into miniature llama shaped to gift to the tourists. One even stole an ice cream right from the grasp of our tour guide (half eaten!!). 

View of the greenery (or yellow-ry) from the village walking tract

 We weren’t very adventurous on the food front. Although the marketplace exhibited jars of insect-infused liquors/wines we opted for some banana fritters cooked by a local lady on the stairs leading from souvenir tables. Even for breakfast they made the best banana crepes with hot chocolate which I couldn’t pass. Lunch and dinner were an array of dishes served with rice just like we had in Saigon and Hanoi. 

So here are a few tips for Sapa:
1. Wake up early to catch the Sapa sunrise
2. Try said crepes and hot chocolate (delicious and available at most eateries)
3. Spend a few hours with a leisurely stroll of the village circuits (may not be as leisurely when constantly tailed by locals forcing their crafts on you)
4. Don’t give money directly to the children and women selling on the streets (apparently it creates a culture where tourists may get pushed into buying the offered goods- eeep)
5. Get a fire built in your lodging (and – if your back can manage it – try heaving the basket on your back so you can feel a little for the locals you see in the village)
5. Have a walk around the marketplace (avoiding the dog meat section...)
6. Buy a traditional dyed scarf straight from the shop of a local seller in the village (your friends back home will love you for it :P)
7. Pack/buy a warm beanie and gloves for walking  and exploring (we didn't catch Sapa when it snowed though)
8. Don’t try and have a hot bath because the cold air cools the water again right away *sigh*
9. See the traditional dancing at the small theatre room near the waterfall
10.Stock up on snacks for the train trip and a good book (for those who don’t have motion sickness J)

Some close animal encounters as we walked the track