One Last Visit to the Lunch Lady...

My time on Phu Quoc was delightful.  I read and swam and relaxed on what was basically my own private beach. I ate some of the freshest food around.  The salad with squid, papaya, chilis, peanut and fish sauce is something I will think about again (and again) when I am back home.  I also had a pedicure and a massage while listening to the soft waves out on the Gulf of Thailand.

I went to Phu Quoc with a small backpack, which was very liberating.  Just a toothbrush, bathing suit, laptop and a book (everyone kept asking me "where is your luggage?").  I took an 8:45am flight back to Saigon today (Monday).  When I got in about an hour later, I went to the area near the airport where the moto bikes gather, found a driver and asked him to take me to Hoang Sa for another visit to the Lunch Lady.

The last time I visited the Lunch Lady it was good but I was underwhelmed compared to all the hype-talk about her soup, and she was not there.  Today, when I arrived at about 10:30am, the Lunch Lady was there.  You sit down at the little plastic table and chairs and they just bring you whatever they have.  They brought me two fresh spring rolls with shrimp and pork and an unbelievable bowl of soup - one or two unidentifiable items, but otherwise it had shrimp, beef on the bone, slices of pork, ground pork, two boiled quail eggs, a generous portion of rice noodles, fried onions, scallions and bean sprouts.  The bowl of soup was just the fortification I need as I head into my long journey home (and it cost me less than $1.50).

I can't believe how fast this trip went - I leave later today and arrive home (NYC) early Tuesday morning.  I managed to wrangle everything plus all my gifts and souvenirs into my suitcase; I am sure it is over the airline's weight limit.  I shed a few books and toiletries, hopefully that will help.  Now I just have to teach one more, shortened class this afternoon; then I head out.

Goodbye, Saigon.