I died and went to.... Co-Op Mart

Now while I do plan to do more shopping in the markets, especially for fresh vegetables and fish (it is actually still alive when you buy it), I have to say that I have fallen in love with Co-Op Mart.

Co-Op Mart is an oasis of neat, clean isles stocked with familiar things like cheese and bread and cereal. They have isles of beauty products, household items, pastas, snacks, etc., all things you would find in a typical western supermarket, but made all the more luxurious by their location in the middle of Vietnam. You can buy vegetables and fruit without having to barter for the price. You simply hand the fruit to the woman who weighs the fruits and vegetables and she slaps on the price. You can load up on cheese and yogurt and other things you can't find in the market. You can even buy clothes! And you can do all this while still feeling like a part of Veitnamese culture. In my three trips to different Co-Op marts, I have only seen one other non-Vietnamese.