Friday, May 07, 2010

VietGeo Adventure

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From Singapore to Vietnam, these trip would be the most adventurous yet from my last trip to Thailand. The weather in Vietnam is not much of a different from my hometown Singapore, however temperature could reach up to 36 degree Celsius in a day. On my previous visit to Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam in 2009, nothing around my have change, the road was busy as usual. The trip this time was not going to be a short one, i'd already had plans on going out of Ho Chi Minh City. At the mean time, an early lunch with my favorite Vietnamese traditional beef noodle that packs with deep aroma filled with the local’s exotic ingredients.

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With a slight cool still air on the next morning, it is time to rush for our first flight to adventure and beyond. Next destination, Hue. Just further up from Da Nang Vietnam, a small slow city. This city was also a former home of the Vietnamese emperor. At first impress of the slow life in Hue, it was not much equal to Ho Chi Minh City but traffic was calmer.

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Didn’t know where to visit first, just outside the hotel there is a palace which is still standing strong for tourist. As the entire compound is extremely huge, walking around in a day will be impossible. At the entrance of this majestic palace, a Vietnam flag hangs high proudly with red and yellow star to show to the world.

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Taking a trishaw like transport around for the short introduction of Hue would be a nice way to start off. Having to say to enjoy the view, sitting on these trishaws will thrill you, especially when other faster moving motorbikes and bigger vehicles runs all over from your point of view. Our first stop was at a home local eating stall, with alien like ingredients in my bowl of noodle soup, taking a bite makes thrilling experience, chicken and a chunky mince pork. Interesting but yet tasty.

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A trip to a busy market full of Vietnamese treasures should also be as fruitful as fun. With tons of items to fest your eyes and experience, like any other markets in the world, dried foods, shoes for everyday wear, shirts and pants, endless vibrant color fabrics, toys, souvenirs, watches, and many others things for us to discover. You can also buy fruits or drinks just along the roadside.

Continue strolling around Hue on the trishaw with our friendly guide. Seeing the scenery on Hue, around us we could imagine how it may look like back during the American army invasion, gigantic armored tanks and trucks that run the streets of Vietnam, war planes rules the sky and soldiers pointing their weapons in all point of their views. However those were the past of history but a relaxing vacation place to be in.

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On the following day, a paid round trip was schedule to take us for a ride in a dragon boat. In these boats along the huge riverbank, each boat is a livelihood for a family or two. These are like family business on water; they cook, sleep and do almost everything in a single boat. In the tour, lunch will be provided for that day trip along the river visit. Our first place of visit was a wushu school. As history said, the Chinese of China had a martial art competition between the Vietnamese and the Chinese of China. In order to protect themselves from the Chinese, the locals of Hue learnt wushu to compete with their revile from China.

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Our next visit was a temple. An old temple just standing along the river, a steep and high stairway to the entrance.

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In a brand new day, our guides on motorbikes were already prepared to take us for an adventure we would never forget. Our destination will be from Hue to Da Nang and Hoi An, yes all in a day. We finally reach the city Da Nang, at first glance from the back of the motorbike pillion seat, Da Nang looks and feel almost close to as no different from Ho Chi Minh City. Da Nang traffic is just as busy, just as well populated too. However, the roads in Da Nang are wider.

After an about another whole 2 hours travel from Da Nang City, we finally reach Hoi An. In this remarkably beautifully relaxing city, almost everything moves slowly. Hoi An was a major international port and trading business. Now Hoi An became a tourist attraction. My favourite time was sitting outside a sugar cane drink stall and flown away by the easy slow life style of Hoi An. Nothing in Ho An seems to be moving faster then I am, I guess that not all cities in Vietnam has the same life style culture from just a single city.

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Traveling long distance to these cities was an enjoyment for anyone, however with a souring bottom and aching back that has to be endure. Breathe taking view of sensory after another, the warm breeze on your skin going against the rough air, the blazing sun light that color up the green mountains.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Saigon

My window seat
My window seat

It was a quick weekend adventure get away trip. Formerly known as Saigon till the 70s and now is rename as Ho Chi Minh City. My adventure started at the airport entrance, greeted by dozens of taxi drivers approching my travel companion and myself for sharing the ride with other just arrrived locals and tourists. It is my first time in Veitnam HCMC and coming for a world of different and somewhat a world in my own universe, a little culture shock at first but was quickly subsided to the fear of traveling to another planet alike. However, my entire objective was to visit and celebrate my girl-friend's birthday and also a short holiday.

As we wanted a cheaper transport to our hotel, bus is the best choice, however as we took the evening flight and reached the city rather late and we could have missed the last bus. Leaving us with no choice but to hire a taxi. The taxi business in HCMC was rather interesting and yet an eye opener, you must burgain you way out of the price they give if not when they reach your distination they would vomite out a high price.

Madam Cuc
Madam Cuc

We stayed in a cossy hotel name "Madam Cuc 127". Upon at the reach of their entrance, we were treated this time with a warm and welcome hospitalty smile. My travel companion had preversily stay in this hotel, so i did not have much to worry about when during my stay. Oh did I mention, "Madam Cuc" hotel provides both breakfast and dinner when you check into their warm welcome hotel.

The morning moment
The morning movement

My neighbour
My neighbour

Fruit seller
Fruit seller

Taxi?
taxi?

Street cafe
Road side drink stall

A new morning, as excited as a child getting his new toy. From our room balcony, I just couldn't wait to get out of the hotel to snap pictures. When ever I am traveling to another country, i would always look out of my hotel and see how the place looks like and behave. My first impression was, Vietnam has lots of motorcycles and rather clean along the road side. After breakfast, our personal HCMC tour guide arrives, also my only beloved girl-friend. One of the best way traveling in HCMC is not just the public transport but the motorcycle. I had a fun but also a memorable ride with her. We only have little chance to see each other.

My favorite ride
My favorite ride

We were going to the "Chi Qui tunnel", we have stop by the bus interchange to get to our destination. Why not on the bike? The ride to the tunnel took almost about close to 2 hours, yes I felt asleep on the bus. The bus ride is also always crowded when going there. But before the sleepy eyes closes, I managed to snap some joy ride photos along the way. The traffic in HCMC especially in the morning till the mid day, the road will always be jam pack with vehicles dashing from all sorts of direction. During the yesterday war time, all they could able to find as food source was tapioca, a kind of potato like food. All they did was steam them up and dip them with fine grinds of peanuts and sugar. I would image how was it like during those war time.

Saigon traffic
Saigon traffic

The round about
The round about

The local bikers
The locals bikers

Bus stop
The bus stop

The morning locals
The morning locals

Motorcycle cushion shop
Motorcycle cushion shop

Some place
some place

After a long and slow trip on the road to the tunnel, we finally embark at the "Chi Qui tunnel". The place is know for how the Vietnamese pull through during the American occupation. A lot of history and knowledge I had learn in this place, however what surprises me the most was their will to carry on with their life even though how hard the war was.

Chi Qu tunnel tour guide
The tour guide

THe trap
The trap

Our personal guide
Our personal guide

Tunnel?
tunnel

Hut
hut

Watch house
Alerter

Incoming!
Watch house

Polishing rice
rice polisher

Hut builder
The workers

Constructing a new home
Building a new home

The intelligent department
The intelligent department

Recycling war canons
Recycling the war canon

Grave site
grave site

Tapioca food
Tapioca for food

My bus ride
My bus ride

The bus ticket collector
The bus ticker collector

The end of my quick weekend get away is almost up, we had only a few hours to spare before boarding out plane home again. A last minute shopping for cloths and stuff at the "Saigon Square" was and interesting one, lots of nice looking appearal but do remember to do your bargaining if not the price may not suite your wallet of treasures. Before catching our flight home, we had to slow down our feet with our host, and quickly head back to the hotel to check ourselves out, but along the way my travel companion and I had to have an ice-coffee drink by the street, it is sure does not taste anything like Starbucks but better, just like real coffee should taste like.

After shopping
After shopping

My hosts
My love one & friends

Great ice-coffee
Great ice coffee