Gates of District 2

Thursday was Hung King's Day, a national holiday.  Ancient history records show that a Chinese ruler gave Vietnam many of its customs that have shaped the culture of Vietnam.  It is a relatively quiet day without all the fanfare that accompanies other holidays.  We have never been to District 2 and so we each got a GRAB scooter and after a 30 minute ride we arrived.  There were many large international schools and what looked like a more established expat community of exclusive houses.  We started our visit at a riverside pub and enjoyed a drink while the rain passed.   It was very quiet and did not feel like we were in Ho Chi Minh anymore.  As we walked we passed many homes with massive and elaborate gates.

Among these villas there is still the cracked sidewalks and garbage that is common in most of the city.  This area is known for its French and Italian residents.  We found a main street that had some excellent bakeries and little shops.  After buying some bread and a few other items we decided on an Italian restaurant that ranked high on the Trip Advisor list - La Bettola.  I had a fantastic (I have to stop using that word) ravioli smothered in sage infused clarified butter and Frank had a tomatoe based pasta.  Dessert - of course - chocolate mousse for me  and a common Italian dessert of homemade vanilla ice cream with espresso over top for Frank.  Some beer and wine and it all came to about $60CAN.  This district did not really excite me and since it is a bit of a trek to get there, I will probably not go often.