Blogs from Ho Chi Minh City, Southeast, Vietnam, Asia - page 218

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Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City February 19th 2007

Robert here. I arrived home safe on Friday evening and have been recuperating from the long plane ride all weekend. Ilene starts heading back tomorrow night our time and arrives Thursday evening. Thanks to everyone who helped make this trip possible, watering my plants, picking me up at the airport and so on. The final verdict: It was amazing and wonderful and eye opening. I look forward to boring everyone with stories when I see you in person. In the meantime, I've posted more photos than you could want to see on Tabblo, a photo sharing site. You should be able to view them by going to this address: http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/view/211516/ See you soon.... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City February 18th 2007

Thế là mình đã về Tết được hơn một tuần, cảm giác thời gian trôi nhanh hơn bình thường, vậy khái niệm thời gian phải chăng cũng là tương đối. Thời gian đợi, thời gian trông ngóng, những lúc khó khăn, vất vả, những lúc bực mình... lúc đấy thời gian nó cứ rì rì như con tàu cũ kỹ lăn bánh, chậm đến sốt ruột. Còn đối với mình bi giờ thời gian như mỗi đêm trôi qua trong giấc ngủ để mỗi sáng thức dậy còn luyến tiếc, như những buổi tiệc đang vui mà đã khuya lắm rồi đành phải kết thúc... Về tết đêm 23 tháng chạp, ngày đưa ông Táo về trời. Ngày 24 nằm tịt ở nhà chơi với bố mẹ, hưởng hơi mát của cái máy lạnh vừa lắp. ... read more
Nâng ly đón giao thừa
Thờ ông bà tổ tiên
Gói bánh chưng ngày tết

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City February 18th 2007

Bianca: Today we went on a day trip to the Cao Dai temple and the Cu Chi Tunnels. We were picked up from our hotel at 8:15 by the snazziest mini-bus we've seen the whole time we've been away. After picking up everyone else we set off to the Cao Dai Temple. We arrived at about 11:30, which gave us enough time to look around the temple before the ceremony started at 12. Cao Dai is a religion which is unique to Vietnam...its a combination of all religions so their beliefs are quite interesting and tolerant. The temple its self is weird...its so modern! The religion only started in the mid 1900's so everything was really new in comparison to the other temple's we've visited. After taking photos of the empty temple, we headed up stairs ... read more
Outside of the Cao Dai temple
Inside the Cao Dai temple
Cao Dai temple

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City February 17th 2007

The morning after the night before, not feeling the best we woke up to bright sunlight and a boiling hot room, not great when hungover, realised we had about 10 mins to get ready to meet our Motorbike drivers we had hired the day before to take us to the tunnels. Quickly bought some water and went to meet them, to be honest I thought the tunnels werent that far, they probably weren’t but on the back of a loons bike (why do I always get the loon) slaloming through lots of bank holiday traffic we hit the roads, must have been going for a good 30 minutes, feeling sick from booze and heat and my psycho driver and now with a numb bum from not the best seat he finally stopped at a little roadside ... read more
Elton John
Peaky Bo
Midgets

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City February 17th 2007

On the 15th febuary we set off for Vietnam and where expecting a 7-hour journey, so we were happy when we arrived at the border crossing within three hours. Little did we know the people working at passport control were only interested in making a few cheeky dollars? The smallest of tasks each had a price, after being stood waiting in the queue for well over an hour due to the locals sorting the local "push ins" before even acknowledging us (very frustrating) we headed for Saigon in search of somewhere to stay. And were surprised at the guest house prices (high) but eventually found a reasonable one for $8 a night 4 each with TV fridge two double beds three fans balcony. God now I think of it we have ourselves a bargain. Even if ... read more
god did i say room with a view
oh what became of the likely lads
loonatics

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City February 16th 2007

Pa je koncno prisel petek, ko se znebim tegale Saigona. Saj ne, da bi bilo kaj narobe z njim (ali pac?), ampak po tednu dni tukaj RES nimam vec kaj poceti. Pretaknila sem ze vsako ulico v dostojni razdalji od nasega hostla, preverila vsako trgovino in vcasih podlegla azijskim carom (zgolj v materialni obliki, nic bat!), mango-shakes in sticky rice with coconut mi tudi ze gleda skozi usesa ... Se nekaj pobasem za s seboj, potem pa na letalisce. In v Hanoi. Bomo videli, kako bo business class. Upam, da bo v njem se kdo z razcapanimi cunjami in napol strganim nahrbtnikom in nasmeskom do uses.... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City February 16th 2007

Last night was Tet (Lunar New Year) and we were invited to a party in our hotel lobby. At 10pm we made our way down (about a million flights of stairs) to the lobby for a huge dinner. Dinner was really nice...we shared it with an American (and his Thai fiance...about 40 years his junior...he was 73), a German commercial pilot and his girlfriend and a lot of other hotel guests who sat at different tables. Unfortunately the hotel staff didn't eat with us, which was quite a shame. I think they were still in staff looking after guests mode. It would have been nicer if they had joined in on the fun too. At midnight we all went up to the roof top and watched the fireworks. The had some cool ones...but nothing compared to ... read more
Hotel room view
Light reading?
Everybody trying to buy flowers for Tet

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City February 15th 2007

Ho chi min city. What a place. And there I was thinking that phnom penh was busy! At first I was terrified because it was like nothing I have experienced before. But now I absolutely love it! Our hotel is really nice. Very up market. I would say the Vietnam equivalent of the Hilton. Well nearly. We have arrived in the middle of the New Year here. Basically it’s the same as our Christmas, the run up is absolutely mad and then everything is dead. Today is New Years Eve. And it is absolutely crazy! People doing their last minute shopping etc. we are expecting a few problems over the next few weeks as everything just shuts down. The poor people normally celebrate for about 3 days and the people that can afford to celebrate. Celebrate ... read more
thank god thats over!
enjoying the food atthe market
me with two officers!

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City February 15th 2007

How lucky can we get, 2 New Year's to celebrate in the space of 2 months! The city was gearing up for a big party, everything was decorated in red and gold and people were calling "Chuc mung na moi" all over the place. We spent the day walking in the city visiting some attractions. First stop was the Reunification Palace that the President had built in the early 1960s as his former residence was bombed. It's a terrific 60s Art Noveau (in my untrained opinion) building. The president saw himself alright with his personal casino and cinema as well as many other sumptious rooms including the roof terrace with bar, stage and dancefloor. Most of the building has been kept as it was, although it is no longer lived in it is still used for ... read more
Moe New Year Fireworks!
Happy New Year!
Front view from the Reunification Palace

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City February 14th 2007

Danes se sploh ne bi prevec vznemirjala, da je valentinovo, ce ne bi bila radovedna, kako se do tega osredotocajo v kvazisocialisticni drzavi. Odgovor: dokaj komercialno, ceprav niti slucajno ne do take mere kot pri nas. Ali pa mi morda ni bilo dovolj ocitno. Kakor koli, ze takoj zjutraj mi je receptorka zazgolela, da je dobila valentinovo cestitko od nekega Angleza, ki je pri njih ostal te dni. Njeno veselje je bilo nepopisno, kljub temu, da je cestitka pihala na duso celemu osebju hotela in ne samo njej. Ampak ni vazno. Sama sebi pa sem za valentinovo privoscila bolj na easy dan, zacinjen s sopingom. Najprej sem se za zajtrk sprehodila skozi bliznji market in zadnja stvar, ki bi mi prisla na pamet, je komad Sam po parku se sprehajam. Guzva je bila nepopisna in spet ... read more
Pimp my cyclo
Roze so zakon




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