Haanism

This is a backdated post (originally written on paper on 27/12).

Was having lotsa thoughs in mind. Thinking to stop by the Highlands Coffee located not far from where we stay to get online and blog, but finally headed back to our accommodation, after an almost 7-hour walk.

Highlands Coffee (Pham Ngu Lao area, HCMC).. visited this shop once in Hanoi. There is free Internet service.

Last night (26/12), Andrew and Ivy started their way to Hue, by taking the 11pm night train leaving Hanoi. For Wyng and I, we left Hanoi only this morning. Arrived at HCMC (Ho Chi Minh City) during noon by flying Jetstar.

My previous plan was to arrive at Phnom Penh (capital city of Cambodia, pronounced as "Norm Pen") today. However, I was a bit worried to reach a new country at night, so finally opted to spend a day here.

Bird-eye view of HCMC from the plane. Hmm, what river is that?

HCMC is such a greenish city!!

Tomorrow, the bus ride will start from 7am, and arrive at Siem Reap at around 6pm. A bloody long journey - 11 hours!! Anyway, booked the tickets!

Over the one week in Hanoi, we have been treated and taken care too well. There was at least one Vietnamese being together with 4 of us, except when following a tour to Halong Bay (since it's a tour, everything was well-organized).


Honestly, I was feeling this was not like a backpack, due to the lack of uncertainties and challenges. Nevertheless, thinking from another perspective, we had the chance to know/experience what the locals do. The most obvious thing is cheap food. Those hawkers, they charge non-locals at least DOUBLE. We are definitely unable to learn Vietnamese language in time to pretend that we are locals.

The real adventure started only TODAY, when we are out of Hanoi...


A lot of people claimed that HCMC is boring. Today, we just simply walked around, starting from the Ben Thanh Market. Amazingly, our 7-hour walk has brought us to a lot of places, allowing me to take satisfactory photos.

The People Committee Hall at night.

The Notre Dame Cathedral.

A full view of it. Shooting a cathedral is always a challenge, coz... it's very big!!

If you are coming to HCMC, do not miss the People Committee Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office.

The Notre Dame Cathedral was built between 1877 and 1883, in a neo-Romanesque form. Its red bricks and its colored glass windows were imported from France. The cathedral was consecrated in 1962. Full services in both Vietnamese and English are held every Sunday morning.

I'm picky enough and always criticize, but when I stepped into the post office, I said "this is so beautiful... it's the nicest post office I've ever seen".

The external view of the post office. Luckily we were curious enough to walk in, coz we didn't understand Vietnamese language.

The most beautiful ever post office in my life!

The entrance.

In total, there are 2 "sets" of these public phone booths.

Saigon's French-styled post office was built between 1886 and 1891. The ochre-colored building has a glass canopy, ceiling fans and enormous wall maps of "Saigon et Ses Environs". At the far end of the arched building is a large portrait of Ho Chi Minh.

We also shopped around and bought things to spend off the remaining Vietnam Dong.

It's now raining outside. This morning, there was also long rain in Hanoi. Felt so lucky that the rain came only today in Hanoi, and another came only now, at night in HCMC.

Hope the good luck continues for my reamining days in Cambodia.

Some food we tasted at the Ben Thanh Market.

Better don't simply name it to avoid mistake :) not sure it's called Banh Beo (rice cakes), Banh Bot Loc Tom Thit (fines flour cake) or Banh Uot Thit Nuong (ravioli)...??

The familiar kind of "rat noodle" cooked in Vietnamese style. They call it Rice Spaghetti.

P/S: HCMC is not cold. I can now take cold shower and get rid of the thick clothes I've gotta wear. I always prefer hot to cold weather.

More HCMC photos are available here (48 photos) and here (41 photos).