There are many ways to visit a place. This time, for our trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, we went with the lens of street food. Though we spent most of our trip exploring this deliciousness (stopping for the occasional temple, and to gawk, open mouthed, at what the Vietnamese can balance on a moped), we return knowing we tasted and tried only a small sample of what these countries have to offer. Let’s just say that street food infrastructure we witnessed puts New York to shame.

After a bit of a trip shuffle, we ended up in Vietnam in the weeks and days leading up to Tet, or the Lunar New Year, and then in Bangkok for the actual celebration. Tet is the most important holiday in the Vietnamese calendar, and even two days before its start some of the places we wished to try in Hanoi had already closed for the holiday. Experiencing the build up, however, is magical: the streets fill with flower markets, and kumquat tree vendors (which are like Western Christmas Trees) pop up on every corner. Beautifully wrapped packages of Bánh chưng appear at the markets, along side coconut candy and peanut brittle. There’s an excitement, a sense of anticipation that even we could feel, as visitors. And then to experience Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown, for Chinese New Year is not to be missed.

It’s hard to capture the texture of these incredible places, but here is a small recap of things eaten and experienced.

Siem Reap and Angkor Wat (Cambodia)

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Studies in time. (At Angkor Wat.)

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Baby Monkeys: 1 :: Ancient Temples : 0 (At Angkor Wat.)

Mornings at the market.

Green mango salad.

Roasted fermented fish + pork in banana leaves.

Post BBQ feast.

Siem Reap.

Ho Chi Minh City (Vietman)

Mopeds for days.

Tet preparations in full force.

Tet preparations in full force.

Tet preparations in full force.

Uber-moped.

Phở for breakfast.

Tet preparations in full force.

Moped and chill.

Evening on the street.

Mornings at the market.

Mornings at the market.

Mornings at the market.

Mornings at the market.

Mornings at the market.

Waiting. (At the Reunification Palace.)

Banh Xeo master.

Banh Xeo.

Seafood grilling at Oc Loan (District 3.)

So diep nuong mo hanh: grilled scallops with peanuts.

Banh mi for breakfast. {At Hòa Mã on Cao Thắng Street.}

Breakfast!

Hoi An (Vietman)

Biking the rice paddies of Hoi An.

Biking the rice paddies of Hoi An.

Biking the rice paddies of Hoi An.

Biking the rice paddies of Hoi An.

Cau Lao at the Vegetable Village.

Woodworking on Cam Kim Island.

Biking Cam Kim Island.

Biking Cam Kim Island.

Biking Cam Kim Island.

Tet.

Preparing new lanterns for Tet.

Respect.

At Com ga Xi – the com ga master of Hoi An.

Hanoi (Vietman)

Respect: no. 4.

Streetside vegetable garden.

Kumquat trees : Tet :: Evergreens : Christmas.

Respect: no. 3

Mopeds for days.

Respect: no. 2

Respect: no. 1

Still life with moped and rooster.

This lady: the snail soup boss of #Hanoi. {halfway down Tạ Hiện,”the land of lunch.”}

Snail soup.

Hoan Kiem Lake, from the temple pagoda.

A corner of the Old Quarter.

Nem cua biển from Quán Nem

A corner of the Old Quarter.

Phở for breakfast.

Doors of Hanoi.

Chè!

Afternoon vendor.

Studies in time.

Bangkok (Thailand)

Wat Arun from the Chao Phraya Riverboat

Walking in Bangkok

Street art eating street food.

#plantgoals

Epic dinner at Soei Restaurant.

Classic.

#plantgoals

Still life with Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Detail shot of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha

The Golden Mount.

The Golden Mount.

View from the Golden Mount.

Jerky drying in the sun.

Market baskets

Roses at the flower market.