Blogs from Ho Chi Minh City, Southeast, Vietnam, Asia - page 222

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Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City January 27th 2007

Darn Saigon is hot today - must be in the upper 30's. Not really into being back so soon but have to burn a day to catch our flight tommorow. Took Cyclo to Jade Pagoda. So many incense that our eyes burned. Then stopped at a park where the boys had some carnival rides and we snacked on some chinese pastries. Folowed by a visit to the Muslim mosque where we had a rather expensive and mediocre Indian food lunch. Nan bread was so stringy that I didn't even finish it. While the boys slept I went to a boutique and bra shopped :) A very nice comfy one for 269 000 d. Then had supper at a Bo 7 restaurant and had Vietnamese wrap where we cooked our own meat in a hot pot and ... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City January 27th 2007

Hi All, it's Ilene writing from HCMC-- One brand of Vietnamese coffee a friend introduced me to on my previous trip was Trung Nguyen. So I was delighted to see a shiny new Trung Nguyen Cafe a few blocks from the hotel. I sat down there to do some writing yesterday. I ordered a cup of the "Thinking" blend ice coffee. Out it came--water dripping through fresh grounds in the filter, a glass of ice at the ready for when it finished (see figure A). Looking up, I saw a woman selling fruit on the street outside the window. Feeling all smart, I pull out the camera and do a series of pictures, tightly focused so you just see her, then pulling back to make it obvious I'm looking at her through glass, in the comfort ... read more
Figure B
Figure C
Figure D

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City January 26th 2007

my title has absolutely nothing to do with my blog, I just thought it was wity. I want to start, not at the beginning, but at the part that is most present in my mind. Today I went to the War Remnants Museum and it made me cry. I won't go into too much detail, but there are many many photos and I remember thinking "who would want to photograph this?" and then I teared up. Of all the things I have seen on this trip I think this is the thing I saw that made me feel the most, so maybe this is why there are photos, to keep us from forgetting and not even let us have the option of pretending it never happened. Heavy does not even begin to describe the exhibit. well, ... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City January 25th 2007

Couldn't think of decent title for this one. This one has an explanation, but I will need to bought a couple of beers first before I am more forthcoming. First things first. Saigon has a bit of a name problem. Ho Chi Minh City is the official title for the capital of Southern Vietnam, but the Communists named it after their Great Leader and "Bringer of Light". Saigon has resonance as steamy city of sin. HCM City falls pretty flat on the tougue and on the ear. The Communist concession is to call the centre of Ho Chi Minh - Districts 1 and 3 - Central Saigon. (Why Central if Ho Chi Minh is the greater city?). Unlike Phnom Penh, Saigon has a backpacker street, Pham Ngu Lao. Saigon's answer to Bangkok's Khao San Road. Vultures ... read more
Military Hardware
Wedding Photos
Agent Orange Deforestation Pictures

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City January 25th 2007

Hi, it's Ilene writing from HCMC-- Highlights so far. . . My mouth felt tired after my first round of pronunciation practice. I'm getting the hang of the difference between, say, the "e" with the hat on it and the one without. All of the food is good. I'll get some more pictures taken of me to post. More soon. . . ... read more
Quoc ngu
Self Portrait
I'm eating meat

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City January 24th 2007

So, I'm now in Saigon. We arrived from Cantho via the bus (a last minute decision to pile on the bus 15 minutes before it left). We arrived in Phau Ngu Lao, Saigon's Khao Sahn Road. A decision was taken to grab a beer after the trip, and 5 hours later we were still there, having met a german man called Wolfgan, some Kiwi's, a german girl, a Scot and a girl from Dorset who is emigrating to New Zealand. It was a great night, particularly due to the fact that one of the Kiwi's was also 6' 6". This caused us to immediately bond over the experience of being a tall guy in South East Asia. The next day, we wandered throughout Saigon to get to what was once called the War Crimes Museum, or ... read more
Rush Hour
The War Crimes Museum
Saigon Nightlife

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City January 23rd 2007

Day one...tackling Saigon & the astronomical number of motobikes speeding around the city. Talk about a serious rushhour! Adam & I hit up the War Memorial Museum, which I found rather hard to swallow. Filled with realities of the US/Vietnam War. Not very pleasant to experience from either point of view. The whole time I kept wondering what the hell we were doing & how incredibly difficult it would be to come back & see this as a vet. A very sobering afternoon for me. The afternoon/evening we walked the streets of Saigon, grabbed a drink at a rooftop bar & grabbed some fabulous Dalat wine & cheese from a street vendor. Two buck chuck has some serious competition! Day two was a relaxing morning of dress tailoring and followed by a motorbike trip to the ... read more
Cu Chi Tunnels
The Scottish Lad...Adam
Charcoal Heaven

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City January 23rd 2007

We had a good flight here arriving at about 10pm and everyone felt pretty good. The next day we did some walking through the market and to the War Reminants Museum. Pretty graphic photos and history from "The American War", a real eye opener for the kids to see the cruelty of that war. We were definetly tired because we got back to our hotel room and fell asleep and missed going out for supper.... read more
Palace

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City January 22nd 2007

Our journey to Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) was one I'd rather forget! The look of sheer horror on the Cabin Crew's face when 30 minutes into the flight, the thick grey clouds outside continued to throw the plane in every direction except, it felt, the way we wanted to go! Thankfully, however, we arrived in Saigon in one piece ready to embrace life on the road, Vietnam style.... ..."Thank you for travelling Tiger Airways, we hope to welcome you on board again soon...." Not a chance! I am struggling to put down in words what greeted us as we exited the sanctuary of the airport and headed into the city by taxi. The Lonely Planet has Saigon down as a city which "fumes, ferments, bubbles and churns." They aren't far wrong - motorbikes, mopeds, ... read more
The view from my cyclo
The Streets of Saigon
The Traffic

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City January 22nd 2007

Water park day! Took the local bus to the Dam Sen water park. We were told that Saigon water park is closed for unknown reasons. Entry to Dam Sen was 70 000 d (about $4.30 each) and they let Ty and Reegan in free. Great water park with crazy slides, river float, kids park with their own water slides, wave pool and slides I am too chicken to go down. Tourist check-in area is on the 3rd level with free lockers and security, sunbathe area, washroom and shower area. The park is large with quite a few slides and was almost deserted this monday morning. We didn't have to wait to go down any of the slides. I went down the water tobagan one with Kyle and it scared the living daylights out of me - ... read more




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