Everybody does their bit in Vietnam. Even Granny. She sells sorbet.
My weekend wanderings had me in market vicinities again. Amongst the chicken legs sticking up like pokers, greenery in bamboo and squirming bloody eels comes Granny, pushing her rickety pink wheely cart. A wily entrepreneur, she pulls it to a stop 50 metres down from the local secondary school, where the kids are streaming out after 11.30 knock-off. Trade is brisk but she's hardly laughing all the way to the bank, collecting a mere 500 dong a pop!
The trolley's antiquated - probably came off the Ark - but functional. In need of a paint-job like much of Hanoi, it contains some kind of insulating cavity chock-a-block with ice in which the old ice-cream tin sits. Granny does a gentle marketing job on the school kids, scoops the icy mix into cones and cups, collects her pittance, all while mindfully wondering what my caper is.
I'm across the street itching to see the contents of her can. Another wave of navy and white uniforms bail her up and I sneak over. Moments later, the kids bugger off and it's me and her. She's not worth rolling for her money nor her wheels so there's nothing else to do except order me a scoop of the stuff. Granny is toothless but she smiles and scrapes out a coneful of lemony sorbet for me. It's yellow ice with tiny shavings of lime zest, juice of same and sugar.
It's refreshing and simple, the kids love it, their parents and grandparents probably did too, and I'll certainly be giving Granny a few more fivers to chip in to the family coffers.
Loose Change
A cup or a cone - 500VND (USD3c, AUD4c)
Granny's Lemon Sorbet,
cnr. Hang Chieu and Nguyen Thien Thuat, school knock-off times
You're a very, very nice man!
Posted by: sparrow'sfart | 07 November 2005 at 11:11 PM
Not always!
Posted by: Sticky | 08 November 2005 at 07:52 AM
That sorbet looks so good. On my last trip to Vietnam, I was so worried about getting sick from the ice that I skipped all of this good stuff. On my next trip, I am going to go for it and rely on my stock of Cipro.
Posted by: layered | 08 November 2005 at 08:43 AM
Wise move! If you're too cautious with such things, you leave the country not having experienced anything authentic about the cuisine or eating culture. In four years, I don't reckon the ice has made me toilet bound once. This climate needs its ice. I even have it in bloody beer!
Posted by: Sticky | 08 November 2005 at 05:11 PM
This is a great site. Nice job!
We are going to Vietnam next week, for one month!, and will look for Granny first thing.
Yes, to ice or not to ice, eh?
Loperamide is also a good supply to tote along...
Posted by: Gail | 14 November 2005 at 03:29 AM
Gail - thanks. We love it. And you now get the chance. Hope it lives up to your expectations. I'm not making a call re: the ice. You do what you think is right. You should be pretty right in the big places. Have a great trip!
Posted by: Sticky | 14 November 2005 at 07:44 PM