Last night took us to a great noodle shop here in Duong Dong. So good in fact, that we asked about coming back today to photograph them making noodles. Finally, I get to shoot a real noodle maker. Dumpling making in Hoi An was okay, but this was looking picture perfect. We needed to be back at 4 in the afternoon. Done! I wasn't missing this.
That meant that Zoom and I were heading out early to get up to the north shore of the island. In all we put about 80km on the bike and I bet 75 of them were on pot hole laden dry dirt roads with wood bridges that had planks missing and no side rails. Just by riding I haven't been that dirty in a long time. Add the heat and humidity and I'm sure I was lookin' good! Followed the coast hugging road through the small town of Cua Can, home of the scary wooden bridge, and then on up the coast to Ganh Dau. Stopped for coffee in this cool one horse town and met the woman who owned the shop. She sat with us and of course Zoom and her hit it off. Next thing I know Zoom, this woman, her husband and I are headed down some sidewalk/trash chute through a bunch of lean to's, to look at a lot for sale for Zoom. The lot didn't pass the test and if Zoom would have thought it did, I was going to have to put an end to that one.
Next thing I know we are at the bottom of the hill in a home/restaurant that was owned by the couples parents, to check on their 7 month old son. Well the back of this place had a huge window and a table overlooking the water. In fact the house hung out over the water. Well, while looking out to the fishing boats, we noticed the next door neighbor was dumping out two or three 50, yes, 50 quart pots of steamed crabs onto his dock to cool. Can you see where this is going? Yes, an early lunch of fresh caught and just steamed crab. Just throw your shells out the window. Beer and rice completed the perfect, unexpected lunch. Oh yeah, only 180,000 dong, or about $9. Nice!
Great ride back. We were advised to go back the way we came because of construction on the mountain roads. They don't construct roads here like the US. Let's just leave it at that. Even Zoom, who rides her motorbike everywhere, vacations and all, was scared of the one bridge. I have some video of other bikes going across that that I will figure out how to post once I get back to St. Louis.
So after a coffee back in town, we headed to Van Ky's. A Chinese noodle shop that is considered the best noodles on the island, according to a few random locals. We arrived with a 9 kilogram well of flour on the back table and 40 duck eggs get mixed in. Some salt, some water and some secret water. We are off and running. This is a picture perfect back kitchen in a real Vietnamese restaurant catering to locals only. As the only foreigner, I was a bit of a novelty the night before. Anyway, with a lot of help from nieces and nephews, the noodles get kneaded, rolled and cut into three different shapes. Long flat noodles, long round noodles and 3"ish squares for wontons, homemade wontons. Loved shooting here! Loved it!!!! A few, very quick pics are below.
Not sure what tomorrow morning will bring photo wise, if anything. We checkout at 1pm for a 2:30pm flight that will take me to Saigon, where I will have to say goodbye to Zoom :-(, and then to Qatar, change planes and on to Barcelona. Hello Catalonia! Hello Jenny!
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