Scenes from a Local Market in Ho Chi Minh City

Scenes from a Local Market in Ho Chi Minh City

Hello to all you adventure lovers out there!

As I wrap up my nearly 2-year stay here in Vietnam, tomorrow I'll finally fly back to the USA. It's my first time returning home since originally leaving for what was meant to be a quick trip overseas.

Today, as a last Vietnamese adventure before my flight, a friend and I wandered through a bustling local market in Ho Chi Minh City searching for some last minute gifts to bring my family. Unlike the more tourist-focused markets, this one catered mostly to locals. That meant an even more vibrant and authentic experience!

We squeezed through tight aisles past vendors selling plucked chickens, seasonal fruits and vegetables, bold printed fabrics, and more. The energy was palpable as buyers and sellers haggled over prices or chatted in fast Vietnamese. Unfortunately, amidst the woven grass hats and bamboo wares, I didn't spot any perfect trinkets for my folks back home.

But I did manage to capture some fantastic photos documenting scenes from this wholly local slice of Ho Chi Minh life that tourists rarely glimpse. I'll be sure to share impressions of my long international flight tomorrow too once I'm rested up on US soil again!

For now, I hope you enjoy this little window into the culinary and cultural delights on display at a non-tourist market here. The Vietnam I’m soon departing has come to feel like a second home and I'll miss immersing myself in experiences like this. But onto the next chapter and a chance to finally embrace friends and family after years away!

Cheers for now and talk again soon from the other side of the world!