Hi! No blog yesterday because of a big thing........will tell that towards the end.
May 15, 2012
At the back packers' street I checked out the tour operators. Bought the Mekong delta trip from the best. It was the highest in the market...I found later when compared with others. Found that negotiations work in a cut throat competition. I did lot of talking in stupid English with the Vietnamese girls. Haggled with prices and kept asking the rates in dollars and dongs. It was nearly 11 O clock. So thought of a half day city tour for 5 dollar per person. More people means more discount.
We went to the Reunification Palace, also called as the Independence Palace. It was the house to three puppet Presidents who worked for the other nations. From here we went to the lacquer factory in the Binh Thanh district, to see the process and the things made by handicapped people. It was an amazing and interesting visit and very informative. It takes nearly 12 coatings to get the typical Vietnamese Lacquered product that is the pride of Vietnamese handicrafts. The price obviously is very high for the quality is premium and workmanship no ordinary. There is nothing worthwhile below 20 dollars.
Back to Sai Gon, we went to the Notre Dame Church. A typical French architecture is complete with Stained glass panels on either sides. You can visit but when people are praying you are not expected to click pictures like tourists. May be take a bow and pray and leave without making much noise. It is very comparable to the lovely church at Horniman Circle in Bombay. Very similar. even the stained glass.
The post office is also a place of distinct architecture. French again. It is beautifully curated and used in the modern times. Again very comparable to GPO in Bombay except that its facade is lot more impressive and taken care of. The big Clock that is in working condition is a grand feature. Vis a vis Bombay...the buildings are relatively new as the most of the Vietnam cities were destroyed in the Vietnamese War.
Then we walked back to the Cho Ben Thanh Cho means Market. Did some shopping. Had great time looking at some good stuff and bought plenty. Just stood out for the taxi on the other side when a motor biker came and snatched my daughter's gold chain and zipped. Did not know how to react. Just got so scared that hopped into the cab and came home. Once back home I cried incessantly...how foolish to not remove her chain in Vietnam. The feeling got into me so much that my mind froze and I did not write a word yesterday. Felt so silly............
(Thank you Mona...Chatting with you had some embalming effect. Love you for that. :)
Yes, snatching bags, mobile phones and valuables is a commonest thing here and then I noticed all women had bare necks and hands. Even the ear rings they wear aren't Gold. These guys can even hurt you back or stab you. So if you are planning to visit, come without any trace of valuables and jewelry. Hug your rucksack and keep looking left and right. Especially watch the bikers. Even the Vietnamese I know have stories to tell about how they get mugged in their own areas. I hated it....until the sleep eased that pain......
So that was about yesterday..... Today was a wonderful day and check my next post...No 7
Keep reading......very wonderful things to come in the next blogs...
May 15, 2012
Ho Chi Minh City Tour
The day was great. Took a bus ride to district one. Found that curio shop lady again. She did not lower her prices. She said...'Fict'...price. Aww that is how they say fixed. So be it...I calculated 15K dong in INR...37 was not much for small brass idol. And I liked it so much that I came looking for her again. So picked 9 of them.At the back packers' street I checked out the tour operators. Bought the Mekong delta trip from the best. It was the highest in the market...I found later when compared with others. Found that negotiations work in a cut throat competition. I did lot of talking in stupid English with the Vietnamese girls. Haggled with prices and kept asking the rates in dollars and dongs. It was nearly 11 O clock. So thought of a half day city tour for 5 dollar per person. More people means more discount.
We went to the Reunification Palace, also called as the Independence Palace. It was the house to three puppet Presidents who worked for the other nations. From here we went to the lacquer factory in the Binh Thanh district, to see the process and the things made by handicapped people. It was an amazing and interesting visit and very informative. It takes nearly 12 coatings to get the typical Vietnamese Lacquered product that is the pride of Vietnamese handicrafts. The price obviously is very high for the quality is premium and workmanship no ordinary. There is nothing worthwhile below 20 dollars.
Back to Sai Gon, we went to the Notre Dame Church. A typical French architecture is complete with Stained glass panels on either sides. You can visit but when people are praying you are not expected to click pictures like tourists. May be take a bow and pray and leave without making much noise. It is very comparable to the lovely church at Horniman Circle in Bombay. Very similar. even the stained glass.
The post office is also a place of distinct architecture. French again. It is beautifully curated and used in the modern times. Again very comparable to GPO in Bombay except that its facade is lot more impressive and taken care of. The big Clock that is in working condition is a grand feature. Vis a vis Bombay...the buildings are relatively new as the most of the Vietnam cities were destroyed in the Vietnamese War.
Then we walked back to the Cho Ben Thanh Cho means Market. Did some shopping. Had great time looking at some good stuff and bought plenty. Just stood out for the taxi on the other side when a motor biker came and snatched my daughter's gold chain and zipped. Did not know how to react. Just got so scared that hopped into the cab and came home. Once back home I cried incessantly...how foolish to not remove her chain in Vietnam. The feeling got into me so much that my mind froze and I did not write a word yesterday. Felt so silly............
(Thank you Mona...Chatting with you had some embalming effect. Love you for that. :)
Yes, snatching bags, mobile phones and valuables is a commonest thing here and then I noticed all women had bare necks and hands. Even the ear rings they wear aren't Gold. These guys can even hurt you back or stab you. So if you are planning to visit, come without any trace of valuables and jewelry. Hug your rucksack and keep looking left and right. Especially watch the bikers. Even the Vietnamese I know have stories to tell about how they get mugged in their own areas. I hated it....until the sleep eased that pain......
So that was about yesterday..... Today was a wonderful day and check my next post...No 7
Keep reading......very wonderful things to come in the next blogs...
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