The budget hotel we stayed in
It was a pleasant and quiet morning, and the weather was rather good. The old caretaker in the hotel greeted us, although I couldn't understand a single word.
A small lane with budget hotels on both sides
Seeing ladies outside the hotel with baskets of fruits for sale reminded me of Philippines. :)
We walked out to the main road to have our breakfast - the popular bread and egg meal. Vietnam was once under the French colonial rule, hence explains the choice of baguettes for breakfast.
Small stools and tables for big kids
World peace?
Yes, the bread and egg
It was rather interesting to have breakfast on the roadside, because you will see many interesting things that you won't be able to see when you are enclosed within four walls. That's what travelling should be, to experience the differences in cultures. :)
After breakfast, we went back to the General Post Office to send some postcards back to Singapore. And of course, to take some day shots of the building as well. Talking about the postcard, I have received it yesterday! :D
The General Post Office
And since the Notre Dame Cathedral is just right beside the Post Office, of course we had to take some photos as well. Somehow the sky looks very blue, a very pleasing sight. :)
Beautiful, isn't it? :)
Then we ventured on a 2-hour ride to the Cu Chi tunnels. Along the way, we had a lot of experiences with 'han sup' guys and flying helmets. And again, I miss riding the bike back in Bago City, and I don't have the problem of flying helmets (because you don't need to wear a helmet there). :)
Giao, my driver cum tour-guide
I decided to be a dare devil, by taking out my toy and start shooting while the bike went on high speed. Risky, but I like that kind of feeling. woohoo~!
When we reached the Cu Chi tunnels' site, I got a souvenir from Vietnam. A kiss from the motorcycle's exhaust pipe, which slowly puffed up into a huge blister. Painful~
The Cu Chi (pronounced as Ku Chi) tunnels' site has been turned into a war memorial park, which is divided into two parts, one being the representation of the rural village back in those days, and the other being the actual site of the underground tunnels.
We first toured the village area, that welcomed us with various bamboo traps, bomb craters and firing range.
The tour guide in the army uniform back during war days brought us around the place. We were like exploring a museum, just that everything were outdoors. Everything was a representation of the lifestyles the Vietnamese led in the past.
The Vietnamese rice paper
We even got to try making the rice paper used to wrap the Vietnamese rolls.
My rice paper got a hole!
Hai wanted to join the Vietnamese army
And milling the rice is no easy task. I swear.
The Cu Chi tunnels remain site was something that will amaze you, by its immense network of connecting underground tunnels. These tunnels were dug by the Vietnamese during the Vietnam war, and were used as hiding spots as well as living quarters during the war.
Before venturing into the tunnels, we were being shown a black-white film introducing the tunnels and the lives of the Vietnamese during the war. We were not so interested into the film, but more of the weird music that was being played.
A model of the underground tunnels
The tour guide then led us into various tunnels. All the tunnels have different uses, some being the living quarters, military conference rooms, health bunkers and many others.
The entrance of one of the tunnels
Crawling through the tunnels was tiring. Seriously exhausting. The tunnels are rather narrow and low, it's impossible to walk through them standing up straight. The tunnels are not well-lit too, so it can get completely dark at some parts of the tunnels.
At some points we had to waddle like a duck in order to get through. At one point inside the tunnels, the tour guide asked if we wanted to get out, or to continue crawling for another 50 metres or so. We chose to give up. We were so much relieved when we could get out of the tunnels.
We even got to try eating tapioca in one of the tunnels. Though I don't think it was nice. oops.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience indeed.
Giao, Huiyan, Hai
I was so exhausted that I only drank my coke for lunch. I just needed my coke.
Beside the Cu Chi tunnels' site, there's the Ben Douc Temple that was built in memory of the war matyrs who died during the war.
The interior of the temple was quite grand, with a huge statue of Ho Chi Minh and many huge structures of gold storks standing on gold turtles. Names of the war matyrs are on the walls, and go a few metres high. A pity that no photography was allowed within the temple.
It was time to travel back to the city. Another 2 hours on the bike. Ouch.
Before I got back to the hotel, it started raining. Giao had to stop the bike somewhere so that both of us could put on the poncho for 'couples'. My toy cannot afford to get wet!
This clearly indicates the main mode of transport in Vietnam
We had dinner with many of Huiyan's friends from the cultural forum she attended months ago. It was a get-together for them, while I just enjoyed wrapping my own Vietnamese rolls, and adding lots of fried onions and shallots to it. :)
Huiyan and her friends
After dinner, it was a karaoke session. I was wondering initially, why would they invite us to a karaoke session, when I suppose the songs should be in Vietnamese. Then I was told that they have Mandarin songs in there as well.
Only to find out the songs are all from the 80's and 90's. -_-""
But I guess Huiyan was the happiest person that night. Not only she got to meet up with her Vietnamese friends, she got a present from them. A personalised tee with messages on it.
At the end of the karaoke session, I did another daring decision, by requesting to roam around the city myself. I asked Hai to just drop me off somewhere near the hotel, and I would walk around myself.
I'm glad I did. :)
Wanna buy fruits?
Not only because I got to see many interesting things, it was also because that was the only time throughout my whole trip that I got to do some shopping for souvenirs. haha..
Thirsty? Take your pick!
Stories of Day 3 in Ho Chi Minh City shall continue in the next post.
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