Caffeine Buzzing in Vietnam

(These photos are John’s photo handiwork.  I’m trying not to be such a photo control freak and let him have a turn at documenting our trip!)

It doesn’t take long for the heart-palpitations to start.  Vietnamese coffee is sweet, rich and incredibly strong.  I think John (who has an incredibly low tolerance for caffeine) was getting a contact high just from watching me drink this coffee.

Coffee plays an important role in Vietnamese culture.  There are little sidewalk cafes with short plastic stools and tables on every corner, and people hang out for hours chatting and playing games over a cup of coffee.  It’s a Vietnamese version of French cafe culture, learned from the French when they colonized this part of world.  We have the French to thank for the delicious baguettes here, too.

The coffee itself is a finely ground and strongly brewed dark roast.  You can order it black or white – white meaning it comes with a layer of sweetened condensed milk on the bottom of the glass with the coffee poured on top of it.  You stir it up with a spoon to create the milky colored coffee I’m holding above.  I think it’s best served iced and enjoyed over a long span of time.  It’s so delicious I could drink three of these in a day, but I had to limit myself to one every few days.  Can’t have caffeine withdrawal kicking in when we get to Laos and these little cafes aren’t everywhere…