Friday, 29 January 2010
An early morning flight to catch so it was an early morning start for me. Checked in bag at KL Sentral and hopped onto the train for KLIA. Managed to shop at the airport (irresistible sale!) and ran to the gate (story of my life... I must have got a workout every time I travel running after trains, to the gates, rushing off the plane for the immigration...).
Took the airport bus (bus no. 152) to Pham Ngu Lao, the backpackers’ heart of the city. The bus stop is right outside the airport, turn to your right and hey presto, it’s there - you definitely won’t miss it. It costs VND3,000 but add another VND3,000 for your luggage. The exchange rate at the airport ranged from USD1 = VND18374 to 18479. It took about 45 minutes to reach Pham Ngu Lao and that was because the driver was determined to stick to 7.4 km/hour speed limit (as was everyone else) and the bustling mid-morning traffic. As I couldn’t check in immediately, I wandered the Bui Vien street first looking at tours to Tay Binh. Half-day tours (only to Củ Chi Tunnel) and full day tours (Cao Đài temple and Củ Chi Tunnel) start from USD4 and USD6 respectively. Entrance fee for Chu Chi tunnel is not included in the tour price.
I returned back to Yellow House Hotel and checked in (I hate spiral staircase). I checked the TV and found while the volume worked perfectly clear, there was no picture. So I went down and asked to change room. The lady sent a girl who assessed the problem and changed TV for me. Better TV, better reception but alas... no Sports channels! So I went down again (I seriously hate spiral staircase) and asked to change rooms. This time, the room has Sports channels. Phew! Important consideration OK! Oh by the way, rooms in Ho Chi Minh City (I’ll call it Saigon for simplicity) are more expensive than Phnom Penh. I paid USD7 for my room in Phnom Penh and for the same facilities (private, double bed, en-suite, A/C with cable TV), this room cost me USD13 - and that’s among the lowest I could find online. But fret not. Pham Ngu Lao and Bui Vien streets are chock-full of rooms to rent. I’m not keen to share a dorm though because I don’t want people to stare at me when I perform my prayers.
After checking in (finally), I left and wandered the streets. You’ve probably heard of the crazy Saigon traffic. There are motorcycles everywhere, zipping in and out, weaving here and there, going all directions. I reckon one doesn’t need a driving licence in Vietnam. Abah would be stressed with the traffic here. Had lunch at An Lac Chay, a vegetarian resto at a small lane off Pham Ngu Lao - there are two vegetarian restos in that side street alone and there are at least six, yes six, Halal Indian restos along Bui Vien. After changing more USD to VND (I found a place which offered VND18800 for every USD1), I walked on to Bến Thành Market but I resisted the temptation and walked on to Le Loi. The shops along Le Loi sell really good stuff and some are quite irresistible. Walked on to the Tourist Information Centre at the corner of Le Loi and Nguyen Hue (there’s a lovely fountain there and behind is the statue of Uncle Ho and the lovely City Hall) to pick some maps. Oh and Internet is free at the TIC- just like in Hanoi ;)
After that, I walked on to the Opera House. At the corner, is the lovely Hotel Continental. I walked up Dong Khoi to the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office (all landmarks of Saigon). After that, I retraced my footsteps and walked around along the various streets and finally back to Cho Bến Thành. The market was closing but I went in anyway to absorb the atmosphere.
Dinner was had at An Lac Chay, the vegetarian resto where I had lunch.
Saturday, 30 January 2010
Breakfast was served at the hotel lobby. You get a banana, baguette with jam and butter, your choice of eggs (*sigh*) and jasmine tea or coffee. Not bad.
My tour shuttle van/bus came at 8.15 am and we drove off to Tay Ninh. There were 12 of us and 25 seats so it was a thankfully spacious ride. I so hate having to cramp. We drove through the mad chaotic traffic of the city to the countryside. A bumpy journey it was for most of the journey. We stopped at Handicapped Handicraft (which produces lacquerware products) for a bathroom break before continuing on. Another 1.5 hour of bumpy journey was endured before we reached the Cao Đài Holy See. We were just in time for the noon mass. There are four mass times a day: at 6 am, 12 noon, 6 pm and 12 midnight. A follower needs only attend one mass a day. There are 400 such temples in South Vietnam where all followers are concentrated. I was initially asked to remove my scarf but I declined politely explaining I’m a Muslim and they didn’t press further.
After that, we had lunch (I cook better instant noodles than that poor excuse of vegetarian noodle soup!) before proceeding to Củ Chi Tunnel. We spent about an hour at Củ Chi listening to a documentary, looking at the various tunnels and climbing into one (20 metres? 40 metres? it was quite dark down there, I wouldn’t advise anyone claustrophobic to try it).
We reached Saigon at almost 6 pm. I ventured out to Cho Bến Thành before exploring the Dong Khoi area. Dinner was again had at An Lac Chay.
Sunday, 31 January 2010
I left the hotel after breakfast and went in search of a supermarket in my effort to find coffee for Akak. I found two supermarkets alright but was not successful in finding coffee. Bahh. Walked to Vianh Fashion at Nguyen Thai Binh and bought a pair of modern baju kurung. Didn’t buy the prayer attire as had seen some at a shop near my hotel costing slightly less (plus I would only need to lug them back a shorter distance). Went back to the shop near my hotel and bought some prayer attires - enough to full my bag to maximum capacity (I felt like kicking myself for forgetting to pack an extra bag). Went back to my room to drop off my purchases and had a light meal before venturing off into the mid-day heat.It was Cho Bến Thành again and after an hour plus in there, I decided I’d had enough and left - empty-handed. I walked on to the TIC and crossed the street to DFS Galleria where *ahem* I swiped my card.
After that, I wandered around visiting the Post Office and Notre Dame cathedral area before heading back to the hotel.
Monday, 1 February 2010
Woke up to watch Arsenal host ManUre and we didn’t play well. There were glimpses of brilliance but also flashes of dreadful football. %@&*!#&)(~
Left the hotel after breakfast and walked to the bus station near Cho Bến Thành for the bus back to the airport. I just missed one as I was nearing the bus station and so had to wait another 25 minutes or so for the next one. We endured the mid-morning traffic and at one point, there was a bottleneck as one lane for both sides of road were closed off. Finally reached the airport after 40 minutes and immediately checked in. Browsed among the duty-free (I don’t know why I sometimes bother when the prices are always higher than downtown prices. And I don’t know why they call it duty-free then).
Plane took off on time and we landed at KLIA on time too. It was a breeze all the way from collecting my bag to getting the train to the bus home, so breezy in fact that I found myself contemplating a third visit to Saigon.
I miss Saigon (and no, I’m NOT Miss Saigon).
~~~~~~~~
Gosh, it’s February already. A short month and soon we’ll be in March. They say time flies when we’re having fun. They forgot to say that time flies anyway regardless.
An early morning flight to catch so it was an early morning start for me. Checked in bag at KL Sentral and hopped onto the train for KLIA. Managed to shop at the airport (irresistible sale!) and ran to the gate (story of my life... I must have got a workout every time I travel running after trains, to the gates, rushing off the plane for the immigration...).
Took the airport bus (bus no. 152) to Pham Ngu Lao, the backpackers’ heart of the city. The bus stop is right outside the airport, turn to your right and hey presto, it’s there - you definitely won’t miss it. It costs VND3,000 but add another VND3,000 for your luggage. The exchange rate at the airport ranged from USD1 = VND18374 to 18479. It took about 45 minutes to reach Pham Ngu Lao and that was because the driver was determined to stick to 7.4 km/hour speed limit (as was everyone else) and the bustling mid-morning traffic. As I couldn’t check in immediately, I wandered the Bui Vien street first looking at tours to Tay Binh. Half-day tours (only to Củ Chi Tunnel) and full day tours (Cao Đài temple and Củ Chi Tunnel) start from USD4 and USD6 respectively. Entrance fee for Chu Chi tunnel is not included in the tour price.
I returned back to Yellow House Hotel and checked in (I hate spiral staircase). I checked the TV and found while the volume worked perfectly clear, there was no picture. So I went down and asked to change room. The lady sent a girl who assessed the problem and changed TV for me. Better TV, better reception but alas... no Sports channels! So I went down again (I seriously hate spiral staircase) and asked to change rooms. This time, the room has Sports channels. Phew! Important consideration OK! Oh by the way, rooms in Ho Chi Minh City (I’ll call it Saigon for simplicity) are more expensive than Phnom Penh. I paid USD7 for my room in Phnom Penh and for the same facilities (private, double bed, en-suite, A/C with cable TV), this room cost me USD13 - and that’s among the lowest I could find online. But fret not. Pham Ngu Lao and Bui Vien streets are chock-full of rooms to rent. I’m not keen to share a dorm though because I don’t want people to stare at me when I perform my prayers.
After checking in (finally), I left and wandered the streets. You’ve probably heard of the crazy Saigon traffic. There are motorcycles everywhere, zipping in and out, weaving here and there, going all directions. I reckon one doesn’t need a driving licence in Vietnam. Abah would be stressed with the traffic here. Had lunch at An Lac Chay, a vegetarian resto at a small lane off Pham Ngu Lao - there are two vegetarian restos in that side street alone and there are at least six, yes six, Halal Indian restos along Bui Vien. After changing more USD to VND (I found a place which offered VND18800 for every USD1), I walked on to Bến Thành Market but I resisted the temptation and walked on to Le Loi. The shops along Le Loi sell really good stuff and some are quite irresistible. Walked on to the Tourist Information Centre at the corner of Le Loi and Nguyen Hue (there’s a lovely fountain there and behind is the statue of Uncle Ho and the lovely City Hall) to pick some maps. Oh and Internet is free at the TIC- just like in Hanoi ;)
After that, I walked on to the Opera House. At the corner, is the lovely Hotel Continental. I walked up Dong Khoi to the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office (all landmarks of Saigon). After that, I retraced my footsteps and walked around along the various streets and finally back to Cho Bến Thành. The market was closing but I went in anyway to absorb the atmosphere.
Dinner was had at An Lac Chay, the vegetarian resto where I had lunch.
Saturday, 30 January 2010
Breakfast was served at the hotel lobby. You get a banana, baguette with jam and butter, your choice of eggs (*sigh*) and jasmine tea or coffee. Not bad.
My tour shuttle van/bus came at 8.15 am and we drove off to Tay Ninh. There were 12 of us and 25 seats so it was a thankfully spacious ride. I so hate having to cramp. We drove through the mad chaotic traffic of the city to the countryside. A bumpy journey it was for most of the journey. We stopped at Handicapped Handicraft (which produces lacquerware products) for a bathroom break before continuing on. Another 1.5 hour of bumpy journey was endured before we reached the Cao Đài Holy See. We were just in time for the noon mass. There are four mass times a day: at 6 am, 12 noon, 6 pm and 12 midnight. A follower needs only attend one mass a day. There are 400 such temples in South Vietnam where all followers are concentrated. I was initially asked to remove my scarf but I declined politely explaining I’m a Muslim and they didn’t press further.
After that, we had lunch (I cook better instant noodles than that poor excuse of vegetarian noodle soup!) before proceeding to Củ Chi Tunnel. We spent about an hour at Củ Chi listening to a documentary, looking at the various tunnels and climbing into one (20 metres? 40 metres? it was quite dark down there, I wouldn’t advise anyone claustrophobic to try it).
We reached Saigon at almost 6 pm. I ventured out to Cho Bến Thành before exploring the Dong Khoi area. Dinner was again had at An Lac Chay.
Sunday, 31 January 2010
I left the hotel after breakfast and went in search of a supermarket in my effort to find coffee for Akak. I found two supermarkets alright but was not successful in finding coffee. Bahh. Walked to Vianh Fashion at Nguyen Thai Binh and bought a pair of modern baju kurung. Didn’t buy the prayer attire as had seen some at a shop near my hotel costing slightly less (plus I would only need to lug them back a shorter distance). Went back to the shop near my hotel and bought some prayer attires - enough to full my bag to maximum capacity (I felt like kicking myself for forgetting to pack an extra bag). Went back to my room to drop off my purchases and had a light meal before venturing off into the mid-day heat.It was Cho Bến Thành again and after an hour plus in there, I decided I’d had enough and left - empty-handed. I walked on to the TIC and crossed the street to DFS Galleria where *ahem* I swiped my card.
After that, I wandered around visiting the Post Office and Notre Dame cathedral area before heading back to the hotel.
Monday, 1 February 2010
Woke up to watch Arsenal host ManUre and we didn’t play well. There were glimpses of brilliance but also flashes of dreadful football. %@&*!#&)(~
Left the hotel after breakfast and walked to the bus station near Cho Bến Thành for the bus back to the airport. I just missed one as I was nearing the bus station and so had to wait another 25 minutes or so for the next one. We endured the mid-morning traffic and at one point, there was a bottleneck as one lane for both sides of road were closed off. Finally reached the airport after 40 minutes and immediately checked in. Browsed among the duty-free (I don’t know why I sometimes bother when the prices are always higher than downtown prices. And I don’t know why they call it duty-free then).
Plane took off on time and we landed at KLIA on time too. It was a breeze all the way from collecting my bag to getting the train to the bus home, so breezy in fact that I found myself contemplating a third visit to Saigon.
I miss Saigon (and no, I’m NOT Miss Saigon).
~~~~~~~~
Gosh, it’s February already. A short month and soon we’ll be in March. They say time flies when we’re having fun. They forgot to say that time flies anyway regardless.
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