Day 7 - Learning the ropes

Ba Le Market, the REAL fresh food people...

Local market lady prepping the betel nut for a fix

The local orange soft drink.... The name? You decide, we're not going there!

Heading back from the markets

The banana flower salad being prepared at the cooking class

Sealing the beef during the cooking class

Cua Dai Beach, it doesn't get any better than this

Mmmmmm.... snack food by the beach

Murray providing a community service by ridding Vietnam of spring rolls

Local fisherman readies his nets

The notorious 'pink runners'

Traditional Vietnamese dancing at the resort

Day Seven started with a lazy and light breakfast in the outdoor verandah of the main restaurant. Today was Cooking Class day however one could mistake the title as it is more like a cooking demonstration than a class. Inevitably there was food at the end. And we ate.

The class started at 9.30am with a leisurely stroll to the local Ba Le markets about 1 km away where we were shown the local foods and the vast variety of foodstuff on display. All the meat and fish at the market is caught and/or slaughtered that morning so that it is perfectly fresh prior to selling. After buying several items required for the class, we were treated to a local 'fruit' shake prepared from nearly every piece of fruit known to man and also tasted some local fruit delicacies known as 'long bong' that have a sweet lemony taste with the feel of a grape. Weird but tasty.

Back at the hotel, we were shown by the resorts' executive chef, Mr Khiem, how to prepare and cook several traditional Vietnamese dishes including Banana Flower with pork and shrimp, chicken and vegetable sweet and sour soup, beef and vegetables in dark soy sauce, sautéed pak choy with oyster sauce and deep fried fish with tomato sauce. All topped off with some jasmine rice and fresh fruit for dessert. All went down as easily as they were prepared and the whole deal was a bargain for A$27.50 for two which included the five hot courses plus the dessert at a private table with your own waitress and cooking instructions from the executive chef of the resort.

After lunch we headed to Cua Dai beach located about 2 km from the resort to check out the surf. We were greeted with a wonderful sea breeze that made for a pleasant afternoon just vegging out with a local beer and watching the water.

On our return, a quick dip in the pool, a couple more refreshments and it was off to Hoi An Ancient Town to collect Michelle's dresses and our shoes ordered the day before. Michelle ordered a black cocktail length embroidered man-made silk dress for A$28 and a steel grey natural silk dress for the same price from another vendor. After collecting and trying on the grey silk dress, Michelle placed an order for the same style in a blue to be picked up tomorrow afternoon. Our footwear was also ready for collection, Murray had ordered a pair of leather slip on sandals (scuffs) for $A15 and Michelle treated herself to a less than subtle pair of hot pink satin runners for the same price.

The sky's then decided to open and about an inch if rain fell in less than 10 minutes. We both made a bee line for the nearest restaurant for dinner and shelter and enjoyed Cau Tau (a local noodle dish) and some fried mackerel with fresh turmeric. From there it was back to the resort where a display of local Vietnamese dancing was held for the guests by the resort staff.

We have organised a tour to My Son tomorrow, travelling by bus to the ancient Hindu temples before heading back to Hoi An by boat. See you then eh?