D1 Shopping and Museum of War

We take it easy in the morning, as usual: coffee and a little walk ☕🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️.
We visit this amazing perfume shop called May Concept, where each perfume has its own postcard — which I find absolutely adorable 💌✨. I take a few to make some artwork at home.

Then we grab a proper bánh mì 🥖, the typical Vietnamese breakfast baguette with crispy pork belly, cucumber, herbs and pork floss — unbelievably good 🤤.
Coffee at Dolphy ☕ and then off to the metro 🚇.

We stop by the central market 🛍️, wander around, and start walking towards some of Lio’s favourite shops. Our first stop is a vintage shop where I get some pants, a t-shirt and an amazing bag 👖👕👜.

On the way to another shop Lio loves, it suddenly pours 🌧️, so we’re forced to stop and have lunch. I try snails for the first time in my life — although these are stuffed with pork and mushrooms, so I’m not sure they really count 🐌😂.

When we finally reach the shop, it’s closed, and Lio can’t reach the owner (which apparently sometimes has to be done for the shop to open). We call a taxi, but two minutes before it arrives, a shop assistant appears and opens the door for us.

Thank God because the shop is incredible — I try 12 items and buy 6 😍. It’s also surprisingly affordable for the design and quality. We spend £80 for eight items, which feels like a bargain. I’m genuinely so happy with my new acquisitions 🛍️✨.

With all our shopping, we head to the War Museum 🕊️, which I’ve wanted to visit since my first trip to Vietnam. The museum is necessary and important, but also very raw and heavy — concise information, brutal photos, nothing softened.
I leave with an uneasy feeling, reflecting on the world, humanity, and current wars. I’m sure that in 30–40 years we’ll see a similar exhibition about Ukraine or Palestine, and visitors will feel the same heaviness 😔.

We grab a quick beer at one of the best craft beer spots in the city 🍺, then head back to Thảo Điền to get ready for our CrossFit class (where we both almost die 💀🏋️‍♂️😂), and end the day with a proper dinner at Pizza 4P’s 🍕 — an Italian restaurant founded by a Japanese immigrant!Read more