mornings in Saigon

07.06.2011

Day 7 

Second to the last day of my first solo backpacking.

Left the guesthouse as early as 630am. Hurriedly went to Sinh tourist office and book for a half-day tour to Cu chi tunnel, for 130,000 vnd. You may also opt to do a whole day tour which includes a visit to Cao dai temple.

Tour leaves Saigon at 8am, so still have an ample time to fill my stomach and walk around the city.

One of the famous landmarks in Saigon is the Crazy Buffalo. This place is hard to miss especially to those who love the nightlife - it's very near backpacker's area so expect to see one or two of you housemates to be here during wee hours.


It's easy to fill an empty stomach around the blocks of Pham Ngu Lao, De Tham or Bou VIen, even on a shoestring budget, because you will see food carts everywhere, competing the hustle and bustle streets of Saigon.


Expect to see numbers of sidewalk vendors cum mini-restaurants in every side of Saigon.  Tried it, and I had the cheapest decent breakfast ever, for 22,000 VND.

more ice, please..

Also, when in Saigon, never miss to taste their coffee. Hot or cold, name it, they have it handy. Forget Starbucks, and try the one bein sold in the sidewalk, for only 10, 000 - 20, 000 vnd. It has a different distinct taste, kasi matapang yung kape. So I always ask for more ice.

Moving to the other side of Pham Ngu Lao, I saw how mornings in Saigon really looked like.

       

It's just amazing to see local folks of different ages in one park, doin different form of exercise. I think, if I'll stay in Vietnam, for a month or two, I will definitely get at least Katie Holmes' body. Ahaha. (very wishful thinking).

 

 

*next: The tunnels of Cu Chi

Goodbye, Cambodia..

07.04.2011
Day 5

I promised myself I will have my own version of Gen. Douglas McArthur set in Siem Reap. I have yet to explore the town and discover more temples.

I also regretted that I wasn't able to claim my free dinner at Bou Savy GH. Tsk.Tsk. Keeping the coupon for future use? Haha.

As early as 7am, I went downstairs, all geared up for another 12-14 hour bus-ride back to Saigon. The staff handed the menu for my complimentary breakfast but since, I’m already leaving, he just have it packed for me as my baon. Sweet.

Bus pick-up schedule was at 730 am. Just after I paid all my bills, the bus came. Bade my goodbyes to the staff attending my breakfast. I missed to take pictures inside the guest house compound. For reference, check their website.



Nothing much happened during my butt-aching journey. I felt so useless during the trip, as I was asleep the whole time.

Crossing the border was again, hassle-free. I think, bein the only Asian passanger,  the bus attendant who collected our passports for immigration check, just signaled me to pass through the immigration even if the officer’s still checking my passport. He just handed it back to me when we were inside the bus.  

I arrived around 9pm in Saigon. The bus alighted just near the alley heading to my guest house, Tam Anh Guesthouse.

This was the only air conditioned room I have in my eight-full-day Vietbodia trip. I didn’t checked any fan rooms, coz I know Saigon can be very noisy. I needed something I can actually rest. So I settled for a single bedroom, with AC, private bath and most importantly, free wifi. No breakfast.

I see no problem even if my room is at the top floor, seventh floor to be exact. But no elevator? That's really tiring. Nakakahilong umakyat, promise! 

I stayed three nights in this guesthouse and I never had a chance to take one single photo of it... Grrhh.

And just when I thought everything was doing great in this homey place, it was too late when I realized that – Facebook is blocked!

J and I settled for a chat through YM.  He even tried to send me several links to unblocked FB yet to no success - I just accepted this very sad part of my trip that there are few areas in Vietnam where you can’t access FB easily.