DAY 9 of SDARL CLASS X LEADERSHIP TRIP to VIETNAM and CAMBODIA

Day was primarily a travel day back to Ho Chi MInh City to get ready for the final leg of our journey to Cambodia.  A flight changed delayed our departure from Da Lat but the mornings in Da Lat are beautiful and many members took advantage of a walk to sight see the area and enjoy the very pleasant morning. 

 

After departing Da Lat and returning to Ho Chi Minh City for the final day in Vietnam our first stop was lunch at Al Fresco’s. 

Pizza, steak, nachos, ribs were enjoyed along with a chocolate milk shake.  We all like our own cooking and it was a welcome treat! 

Simple pleasures with friends

After lunch we were able to go to a local super market. It was great to see and be able to compare to the US style supermarkets. It really was pretty similar with fresh produce, a fresh meat and seafood counter and fresh dairy products isle. I spotted some USA corn feed beef supported by the beef check off. The cost comparison for beef tenderloin equated out to around $7.50 per pound, which is considerably cheaper here than the US. Also, the different taste palates were evident as a pound of chicken feet was almost the same cost as a pound of chicken breast. 

Tyler finds USDA labeled meat

Heidi at the dairy case.  She’ll use the comparisons for her upcoming dairy tours 

Krysti checks out the produce 

Apples from Washington State 

 Heather and Lorrin compare clothing prices

Garrett and Scott look over pre-packaged foods while Jen, Scott andDon convert the prices

Traditional Vietnam markets now compete with mainstream retail chains

Vietnam stores may be on a smaller scale than the American standard but the shopping carts were just as full and the store just as busy.  While products were primarily Vietnamese as may be expected, dairy products from New Zealand and the USA were also on the shelves.

 Ryan looks for US products

 Jen compares egg prices to back home

Grant finds the US raisins

And as mentioned in yesterday’s blog, many items in the store had phone numbers and a bit about the company that provided the product.   

Upon returning the hotel we had a free evening to explore Ho Chi Minh City for the final time. Members went out to explore different food options and some headed to a local market to finish buying some souvenirs. 

All in all, our time in Vietnam has been great!!!  We have observed examples of using the resources available to keep Ag related businesses going, even something as old and out of our realm as the tradition of the floating market. We have seen examples of how they expanded on what they had to adapt as they move forward, such as the many Eco tourism focused ventures.  We have seen the passion in the eyes and heard the dedication in the voice as the next generation of Vietnamese shape their world.   

Tomorrow morning we depart the hotel at 5 am to continue our trip to Cambodia. 

Tyler Urban - reporter
Jackson Waage, ReEtta Seigh and Garret Maset - photographer