Day 2 HCMC

We started out Day 2 at this amazing Pho spot:
Pho Minh
It was down an alley; near Song Fashion accessories store, 75 Pasteur, district 1. (Follow alley to the left of store.  It opens at 7:00am.)

I've been in love with Pho since the first time I went to Vietnam back in 2001 (Hanoi).  Eating it everyday in HCMC was delightful.  I'm such a soup person and I love all the fresh ingredients in the pho.  Yum!  The french egg croissant things in the first photo were delicious too.

From the pho place we jumped back in with Lan's driver and he took us over to another district to meet up with our bus and guide for a day tour:

Our tour guides name was Ro and she was amazing!  Really amazing! She runs tours called Saigon Treasure Hunt.  She can be reached at: saigontreasurehunt@gmail.com

We hit about 20 places on our all day tour.  My favorite places were:

JUNK SHOP 2 (D4)
Pham Hoang Kich
131/5 Nguyen Khoai street , Ward 1, District 4

This junk shop has the most beautiful furniture you have ever seen; collected from all over Vietnam. The prices are amazing!  I would've loved some. :)

It's the kinda place you sort through and then the shop will restore it beautifully for the purchaser in custom colors.  So fun.


BUTTON MARKET
206 Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street
(Lanterns, bags and wedding boxes, etc.)

Unfortunately we only had about 15-20 min. here.  It is a crafters DREAM market!

Another cool "JUNK" store on "wood street"

We stopped here at Quan Bui for a delicious lunch.

QUAN BUI 

17a Ngo Van Nan Street

District 8 Design

One of our stops was at this beautiful factory where we got to see them making these beautiful foosball tables and shuffle board tables for export to the U.S.A.

DISTRICT 8
343-345 Ben Binh Dong, Ward 11, D8 

Chair legs being made in the Dist. 8 Factory

I love blue doors!  Cool one at this "junk store."

 LEVANAU

Mr. Aws Junk Shop - the blue door
Opposite Saigon Centre

My favorite almost purchase!  I love blue and white pottery and this was a favorite.  However, it was very pricy so I was nervous to spend so much and take it home to Singapore in my suitcase.  It's the cutest dragonfly bowl ever!
This store was called Den Luyen Hang
It's mostly a lamp store in Binh Thanh District (by the northern gate of Ben Thanh market)

THE SAIGON HOUSE
The Khoi Hean Street (near Binh Thanh Market)
Homewares, bedding and cushions
This was a beautiful store.  I got a cool sugar container here that smells so yummy of cinnamon.  Fun store! 

This little girl was playing with a lighter in the street - burning paper.  Vietnam just finished the ghost festival - where they burn fake items for their dead ancestors - so I think there was some "copycat" burning going on here.  She didn't like me taking her photo.  She was about Skylar's age (4).

More pho - this time for room service in my hotel room while Mike was at Mickey's Magic Show.  The chocolate shake was surprisingly good too...chocolate milk really.
Wonderful end to a wonderful day!