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03/01/2007 Trah Lin and Ho Chi Mihn City
We woke up to get the 08:00 bus to HCMC today. After muddling around the bus center for 30 minutes, we were ushered onto a bus and left for HCMC. After 3.5 hours, we were back in the chaos of Ho Chi Mihn. After making our way back to our hotel and storing our gear, we decided that we would spend the day going to the Presidential Palace and the War Remnants museum.
The Presidential Palace is nothing special. It isn’t much to look at either. Looks like the defacto communist office building. The building was used for meetings with dignitaries and the president and his family used to live there. Worth seeing if you are ever in HCM with an hour or two to kill.
Continue reading ‘Vietnam Review (Part 3)’
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31/12/2006 Phu Quoc / Ho Chi Mihn / Can Tho
Woke up this morning and went for an early ocean swim. Nothing like it at 6 in the morning. I was suprised by the amount of old euro women on the beach doing Tai Chi and a few doing Yoga.
Anyways, we found out that our boat had once again been canceled. After deciding that we cannot spend another day here we decided that heading to the airport and trying to catch a flight would be the best action. So off we went. Luckily we made it to the airport at about 08:10 and there were 5 seats open on the 08:30 to HCMC. $45 dollars and 15 minutes later I was sitting on a seat of a turbo prop taxiing for take off.
Back in HCMC, we took a taxi to the local bus terminal and managed to get four tickets on a limosine bus to Can Tho. 1 ticket runs about $4USD. I forget the name of the company, but it was definately the best. Their buses are air conditioned and no smoking. Anways, around 11:00 we were on the road. The buses weren’t made with tall people in mind. Luckily I was able to manage an aisle seat and could strecht my legs out.
About 4 hours later we were crossing the Mekong getting ready to find out hotel in Can Tho. Can Tho is one of the larger (if not the largest) city in the MeKong. We found a hotel in the old downtown area and booked our rooms. The hotel is above a restaurant called Restaurant 31, hence the hotel is named Hotel 31. The rooms were really large, yet really cheap. Again about $7 a person. There were 4 large aquariums in the lobby, 1 containing snakes, 1 containing fish, 1 containing frogs and the final containing crabs and turtles. It turns out these are the main cuisine of the restaurant, nothing like fresh meat!
After we settled in, we decided dinner was the mission at hand. But first we had a detour. While venturing through the urbanized riverfront, we came across a Thai massage parlour. Now, if you have never had a Thai massage, you’re missing out! Bad thing is, outside of SE Asia they are expensive. In Thailand you can get a 1 hour massage for maybe $5. Anyways, after a 4 hour cramped bus ride, an hour massage for $4 sounded good.
Continue reading ‘Vietnam Review (Part 2)’
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Well I am back from ‘Nam. It was an interesting trip. Nice to be in a warm place and escape the cold of Japan and some people.
I went with one of my Aikido Senseis, a student from the high school aikido club and on of my Sensei’s friends from his home island. We were in Vietnam for 10 days. Here is a rough breakdown of where we went.
Day 1: Ho Chi Mihn
Day 2,3,4 : Phu Quoc Island
Day 4,5,6 : Can Tho
Day 6,7,8 : Tran Lin
Day 8,9,10 : Ho Chi Mihn and the surrounding area.
Day 1- 27/12/2006
After landing and waiting about 1 hour to get through customs and immigration, we met up with my Sensei’s friend and headed into the City.
The first day, more really the first night, we spent in Ho Chi Mihn City (HCMC.) We stayed in a decent hotel in Phaum Lan district. This is the main area for backpackers and budget travellers. Our hotel was $7 a person. We had a good dinner at a little restaurant, not quite traditional Vietnamese fair, but really good not the less. Saigon Red beer is really good.
Sitting in the open restaurant, we were harassed by street peddlers. Mainly selling books and sunglasses, but one in particular was selling Vietnam Zippos.. and marijuana, opium and cocaine. Interesting. Since our flight came in late and we had a 06:40 flight to Phu Quoc, we didn’t do a whole lot besides eat and walk around the area.
Day 2 - 28/12/2006
Continue reading ‘Vietnam Review (Part 1)’
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Sitting at my hotel in Ho Chi Mihn right now.. using a slow ass dsl connection. Wanted to drop a post and say Happy New Year’s to everyone reading this. Welcome to 2007! Wooo.
Vietnam is interesting. Cheaper and safer then the Philipenes, similar to Thailand and nothing like Myanmar. Phu Quoc is a fabulous island with great beaches. The Mekong isn’t so fabulous, and vietnamese food is the bomb.
More to come when I get back home.
take care!
e6