Woah!! This has been a very belated post. I'm so sorry for my absence these past few months. Been thinking of swtiching my blog to a very Twitter/Tumblog style but haven't got the time to do it. Okay, enough of my ramblings.
During the March school holidays, I got the opportunity to travel with my Mum to Saigon or currently known as Ho Chi Minh City. Actually, Vietnam is not one of my "must-visit" destinations but since my Mum wanted me to accompany her to this trip, well, I just jumped at the chance. Thank God that eventhough my budget is tight and currently living from paycheck to paycheck, I managed to save just enough to cover my expenses and Thank God Mum belanja me the tickets!!
So, enough words...let the pictures tell you my adventures in Vietnam..
Arrived safely at our hotel. If you ever wanted to visit Saigon, try looking for a hotel around District 1. It's so far the best place to stay because food and shops are within walking distance from your hotel.
Motorbikes and scooters are everywhere here...cars are a rarity in Saigon.
Me camwhoring at Ben Thanh Night Market. The stuffs here are over-priced but it's good to test your bargaining skills. I did, but I think I'm quite a softie when it comes to bargaining!
That's Pho, a Vietnamese cuisine.
Me and mum inside the bus.
Street peddlars are everywhere, selling cheap sunglasses and knick-knacks.
At Chu Ci tunnel, one of the historical places in Saigon.
Beware of the booby-traps!
Our guide showing us one of the tunnels that the people used to hide during the war. If I were the one getting in that miniscule tunnel, I don't think I'll be alive then.
The black&white checker scarf is the sign of the rebels during the war.
Now you know how to say "No SMoking" in Vietnamese.
Getting into the tunnel which according to our guide, it was made for the tourists to try out.
It was kinda freaky down there...I kept thinking of the soldiers who died in the same tunnel I was sitting in.
Ubi rebus and green tea!
Picture with Uncle Ho is a must!
Lacquer art is one of the souvenirs you can get when you're in Vietnam. I wanted to buy one TinTin lacquer poster but didn't have enough dollars to get it.
My fave part of the visit...War Remnants Museum!
The pictures above and below are the ones that strikes me the most. It nearly made me cry.
At night, we went on the Saigon Boat cruise for dinner and a tour along the Saigon River at night.
Third Day: A visit to Mekong Delta...I finally can see and feel it first hand. Yalah, dulu baca di textbook saja kan.
Ginger tea...
Relax dulu..
In front of an Uncle's house. He looks quite unwelcoming :-/
Folk singers entertaining us at the Mekong Delta. We have to use the boats to visit one island after another. The islands surrounding the delta has different purposes, here its specialty is the traditional boat ride.
These are the boats that I was talking about. Luckily we don't have to pedal it on our own.
The Mekong Delta. The water's a bit murky because of the fertilizers according to our tour guide.
Rice papers. One of the traditional cuisines in Vietnam.
And of course, the kelapa madu!
After the visit at Mekong, we went to a nearby temple.
My selipar putus di tengah jalan, so luckily the Ben Thanh Night Market is just a walking distance away and I bought myself a new pair of sandals!
4th Day - Me at the pitstop that sells a delicious bowl of Pho.
Coffee filters for the aromatic Vietnamese coffee!
Christ the Redeemer statue. It really looks like the one in Brazil.
Why stairs? We have to climb up the 800 stairs to get to the peak of the hill where the statue is. If I do this every day, for sure sia akan slim.
I like this picture above. Why? Just when I was about to give up, my Mum took a grumbling photo of me. Sekali di belakang ja tu statue, just another 50 stairs up. So, jangan kamu give up. Manatau mau sampai suda :-)
Angels are everywhere!
I just have to photograph this cute puppy!!
The Christ the Redeemer statue is situated at Vun Thau Province. It is a place about 3 hours from Ho Chi Minh, and as you can see, it is a coastal place.
Me at the Summer Palace. It was used by the royalty( I think) and the President during the summer. The breeze is so cooling and it's no wonder that they choose this place as a summer retreat.
At the Whale Temple. Whales bring good luck.
Vietnamese cuties eager to pose for my camera!
Vietnamese bread. You must try this wonderful bread. If you ever watched Ratatouille and do you remember when Igor was tasting the ratatouille? That was exactly how I felt when I sunk my teeth into this delectable cuisine. It's a multitude of different flavours - the serunding ayam, the slices of bacon, vegetables and a secret sauce - works its magic in oh-so-awesome-it's-so-undescribable way!
Nah, kamu tingulah tu inti2 dia.
After bread, mesti makan ice-cream. Yes, I was a glutton there. Sue me.
Time to go back. Final day...the 5th day in Saigon.
Truth be told, I have followed so many tours but none can be compared with this one. We began as strangers and somehow, after 5 days of travelling together, we ended up as close friends. There were emotional goodbyes, something that is quite out of the ordinary when it comes to tour groups. Perhaps, it was one of the magical mysteries in Saigon or perhaps it's just happened that we all clicked.
All in all, this is the best trip ever. We had the best hotel, the best guide, best bus driver, and I think the Vietnamese people are so warm and friendly. The food is so good and damn, the coffee was better! The stuffs are a bit pricey though because they use US Dollars and dongs. Or maybe it was just me. Hehehe...
I said a prayer at the Notre Dame church (too bad the pictures did not turn out nicely) and at the Christ statue and I told God that if my prayer is answered, I would return to Ho Chi Minh and visit again.
Who knows kan? I have a positive feeling that I might be back :-)
