The Scientist

Vietnam.

Day One.

We touched down at Tan Son Nhat Airport,Ho Chih Minh City, at about 7.00pm, local time. I was bloated from the air travel & full from the yummy chicken ham sandwich. We (Mum,Aunt Kaye,Aunt Nuri & I ) took a shuttle to our hotel, Thanh Long Tan , in the heart of the city.

Please let me stress, the minute you're in HCM City, the first thing you'll see is,

Motorcycles.

And LOTS, I mean LOADS of 'em.

You see, cars are terribly expensive in Vietnam. Even if its a family of five or six, the cheaper, or more reasonable mode of transportation is the bike. And four to five lanes will be taken up by 100 motorcycles each time. Its wild madness, I tell you. Makes me appreciate the roads and our national cars here back home.

Our hotel is a two-star low budget, which you can find abundantly around the city. They are much cheaper , less than US$ 50 per night. Normally, these hotels would be sandwiched between blocks of offices or buildings.

So, we unloaded our bags, and went down to see the night market. HCM City is a shopping haven, but I'd say Bangkok/Phuket is much better. Alot of imitations and handicrafts. The currency used is 'Dong' or VND. For our local currency, RM 1 is 5,000 Dong. So, much of the things needed to be bargained, and these people definitely don't give in easily.

Streets of Vietnam at night.

We were so beat, had a good long bath in the tub and slept off.
Well, sorta.

Day Two

Breakfast was at the hotel, bread & eggs. They don't have the usual breakfast buffets, mind you its a two star hotel. Since Vietnam used to be under the French, they serve baguettes :) Tasted absolutely good.

First stop -Ben Thanh Market, the shopping district. The stuff they sell is repetitive, as in one long roa of stalls, selling the same things. Difference is, whether you can get your bargain. It was pretty early in the morning, and they believe in morning luck, which means, if we're the first customers and we buy alot of stuff, it also means luck to them for good sales throughout the day.

So, with that, these traders (mostly women) do all they can to get you to their shop.

Including pulling and dragging your hand to their shop, slapping your butt and even offering kisses?

We were utterly uncomfortable with their antics, seriously. Aunt Kaye is from NZ and she's a plus size, so these people don't really know how to address her with hospitality, and kept on calling her Biglady.

I felt so abd for her. How can these people be so unwelcoming. In return, Aunt Kaye never visited their shops. Good for her! :)

After walking a few rounds, we headed out for coffee. Mmm, Vietnamese coffee is undoubtly popular and theirs is usually flavoured. Mum and I bought the ready made packs to bring home, Hazelnut & Irish Cream. Have yet to try them.

We were wiped out a lil, so we went back to the hotel to rest.

After lunch, we went to Dong Khoi street, mainly flooded with art galleries & lacquer shops. These two things are found widely in Vietnam only, so of course, you have to get a good bargain.

Art galleries usually have paintings of Vietnamese cultures, their epitome of what makes a true Vietnamese. Straw hats, ladies in their gorgeous au dais (their traditional wear), walking with their bicycles in the paddy fields. Lacquer shops sell jewellery boxes with intricate designs, table settings, handcrafted chopsticks & bowls.

We walked and walked to every single shop, until we got a view of the monument of Ho Chih Minh himself, whose name became the replacement of Saigon. It was in front of the Opera House, enar the Revolutionary Musuem. I was abit eager to see the musuem, but hopes were crushed as it was just shopping the entire day. Mum was a lil upset as well, but we couldn't do much.

Towards mid afternoon, Mum and I went for our much awaited authentic Vietnamese food while the two ladies went for a massage. I made a mental note to taste their Spring Rolls & Pho' Bo (Beef noodles). I was very satisfied indeed. Their broth is made with no Ajinomoto, purely beef broth with tons of meat in. We were at the French part of the city, so there were lil bakeries there. We tried thei madeleines which tasted just as good. Happy tummys indeed :)

At night, we went bar-hunting. We went to a hotel which had all the ingredients for a cocktail, but no skill or knowledge on how to make them. We walked out, and went for ice-cream. Soon after, we found a French Coffee Cafe which serves beer & wine, so we settled there instead.

Came back, had a super long bath and konked out.
Well, sorta.

Why?

MyGod, motorcycles & taxis are still moving and onking even pas midnight. But by 3 am, its quiet, and at 5 am, the noise comes back, and its daylight already by 5.30am!
Needless to say, we didn't get good sleep while we're there.

Ben Thanh Market.

The Opera House.
Ho Chih Minh's monument behind.

Where Mum & I had our much anticipated meal.

Day three.

Our last day. Mum & I went to the market again to buy purchases for the family. Got some workshirts for Dad (which became his birthday present), sunnies for Cheh, and some lil magnets for myself & loved ones. Mum couldn't stand the thought of not buying anything authentic from Vietnam, so she bought the lacquer trays after a good half-an-hour bargain. I was so tempted to buy their handicrafts, ones I've been eyeing on for so long! But, come to think of it, I would never make use of 'em, so I decided not to.

We went walking again in search of the MAS headquarters to see the manager (Mum's friend). It was simply too hard to find it, and after a good hour of walking up and down due to mixed directions , we finally hauled a cab. Mum found the address of a restaurant she was dying to see.

Be Ban Restaurant.

Specialty : Breaking Rice pots.

One waiter breaks the claypots, and flings the rice to the next waiter while he catches it with the plate.

We went all the way there for that, could you believe it?
We checked out at 4pm and took a night flight back home.

The many churches you see, built during
the French Colony.
I'd thought I'll see more temples.

But Vietnam is still considered a communist country.
Certainly didn't know that until I came home.

Spot the Flying Rice ;)

I'd say, it was an adventure just crossing the roads here. I mean, talk about 100 bikes that do not follow traffic rules, its simply crazy. But, I wouldn't miss the traders at the market with their cheeky antics. I would miss the mouth watering food, and the crazy taxi rides on the road.

But, Vietnam was something different I guess :) I did enjoy it.

muchlove