Masterchef - Vietnamese style!

I awoke feeling very excited, because today we were going cooking!

The cooking class we took was run by Morning Glory restaurant. Our leader, Hung, took us to the market before hand and told us about the different food used in Vietnamese cooking. It was really interesting to see the different spices and learn some of their names and uses. She gave us some lemongrass to keep in our hands in preparation for the next section of the market - the fish market.

The fish Market, whilst being interesting, was absolutely disgusting. I have never smelled anything so bad in my life! I had that lemongrass in my face the whole time. We saw some astonishingly poor levels of hygiene on display too, so much that I certainly wouldn't buy any fish there, but the locals didn't seem to mind.

Just up from the fish market was the fruit Market, but en route we came across chickens, still alive, tied up in bunch just lying there on the floor. Other chickens were caged, ready to be sold. It was just so interesting to see the different things at the Market.

We returned to the restaurant (having quickly stopped off for another fitting) and then Hung proceeded to teach us to make fresh spring rolls, traditional Hoi An pancake, and a mango salad. I was very impressed with the way everything was set out to enable us to complete the task, including us having our own little gas stove (which both Francois and Shanty managed to create flames of fire about a metre tall above their food), all the ingredients pre-laid out, and all the utensils we'd need, but I was unimpressed by the two French women next to me who wouldn't shut up the whole time, jabbering away there in French and preventing me from hearing much of the instruction. However it was a fun experience and we got to eat our food for lunch afterwards. They also gave us the recipe and a double knife as a souvenir.

The afternoon was then ours to spend as we liked. As we still had access to the bikes, Francois and I decided to go and explore the Market further - but managed to make a wrong turn en route which lead us to a cute little village 2kms outside of Hoi An. It was fabulous, they had a Market there too but it wasn't like the one in Hoi An - this was clearly only for locals which meant that we could look without being pestered to buy anything. W also stumbled across the back streets of the town and saw the shanty houses the locals lived in, complete with family altars in the house, or family altars on a pillar outside the house like a letterbox, and small front / back yard farms. Some of the houses on the bank of the river had their own personal jetty, but this wasn't like the ones at home, these were tiny little bamboo jetties that I think would have sunk if I had tried to walk on it.

We cycled on further and came across a school where the kids yelled out to us, wanting to practice their English. Across the road from there we saw hand made mud bricks crying by the side of the road. It really was another world.

Back to the hotel to return the bikes, we then ventured next door for a massage. This cost $7 and was quite good, although in this place "Heaven" it really was a routine, not something designed to actually improve your muscle condition or something. Firstly you had a foot bath and massage. Then you went into the room, laid face down on the bed and she would randomly rub up and down your back with oil. Periodically she'd hit your back making weird cupping sounds with her hands. She didn't just do your back though, she did hands, arms, head, neck, shoulders... Everything really. It was quite relaxing.

Our dinner that evening was a party by the pool. Vaughn arranged takeaway pizza which actually was quite nice as I am getting frankly a little sick of noodles and rice!

B and Erik still had fittings so they left in the middle and then came back. It was really pleasant by the pool and a lovely evening was enjoyed.