MangoVine - Mini Vietnamese Altar on Dessert Market Stall

19 March, 2009
Thursday

Conveniently just around the corner from where we stayed in District 5 of Ho Chi Minh, is a local market selling typical produce such as fruit, fresh meat, packaged foods, a few cafés etc. This old woman is selling her home-made desserts that Linh was keen on trying out.

The desserts are hot so I think there are some hot coals in the tins underneath each pan. For taking away, the most basic of packaging, small plastic bags, are used to transport the desserts, but you can also have them served in bowls and eaten there and then sitting on the red plastic, tiny stools.

Alongside her cauldrons of desserts is a tiny altar with two statuettes and three small cups of (I'm assuming) tea or rice wine. I think that may be a small dish of some of her dessert as well.

The set-up for the stall seems no-frills, using only the equpment needed to sell. However, I thought the mini altar was a nice, cultural touch and it shows the importance that the woman (and I suppose alot of people in Vietnam) place on superstition. I'd love to see this in the UK, but I guess the hygiene agencies would have something to say about that.

More photos from the market on Flickr

This entry posted in : Culture. Vietnam.

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Mini Vietnamese Altar on Dessert Market Stall

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