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The heat is on in Saigon

ben thanh market Saturday, October 20, 2012

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly named Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam. Under the name Saigon, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochin-china, and later of the independent republic of South Vietnam from 1955–75. (Wikipedia)

Vietnam has always been a part of my list of places to visit. I am curious about how they survived the war, what changed after the war, and how they are today. We arrived in Tan Son Nhat, Vietnam's largest international airport, on a gloomy Friday morning. Our tour guide, Mr. Tan, fetched us and then off we go to our first destination - the tunnels of Cu Chi. These connecting underground tunnels located in Cu Chi, Vietnam were used as hiding places during the Vietnam War. This was the Viet Cong's base that served as their hospital, conference room, food and weapons storage, and they lived there for years fighting for their lives. The government preserved the tunnels, and they have since then become a popular tourist destination.

We arrived back in the city after a 2-hour drive, checked in our hotel, and went out for lunch. Our tour guide joined us and brought us to a local eatery. The place looks like a "carenderia," but the food is good and can really satisfy hungry tourists.

This trip will never be complete without a visit to the famous Ben Thanh Market - a large marketplace located in District 1 where you can test your haggling expertise. During the night, we cruised the Saigon River aboard Bonsai III. Bonsai III is a stylish double decker boat, redesigned for tourist river cruise. Good food and live entertainment ended our first night in Saigon.

A whole day Mekong Delta tour awaits day 2. Located in the southern part of Vietnam, this place is known for its bounty harvest; fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Transportation in the Delta is by boat, and along the canal are floating markets. We got the chance to see the village people make coconut candy, rice noodles, rice paper, and handicrafts. After another delicious lunch, we rested awhile on hammocks, then went boating along the canal. We arrived back in the hotel with tired feet after strolling the city at night.

Day 3 is free and easy for me and Heidi. We visited the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, Post Office, Reunification Palace, and the War Remnants Museum.

I was not at all dismayed to put Vietnam in my list of places to visit. Rich in culture and history, going to Ho Chi Minh is like time travel - I got a snippet of the past while experiencing the present.

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Big Love by Yaz

arts and crafts Thursday, August 09, 2012

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Kota Kinabalu

Floating Mosque Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Kota Kinabalu, formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea.

The first time I heard the place Kota Kinabalu, I imagined the beach and the sand. Just these two, which I’m not really a fan of. That’s why KK has never been one of my top 10 destinations. Thanks to Air Asia's seat sale and a few interesting facts my friend gave that I decided to see the beauty behind the place.

A 3D/2N trip with a full-packed itinerary. We took the flight to KK from Senai International Airport JB. We arrived at Kota Kinabalu International Airport after 2.5hrs and we immediately proceeded to the car rental counter (KK Leisure) outside the airport. We rented a Proton Saga that can accommodate 5 passengers. The car cost us RM626 for 2 days: RM170/day (RM160/day for manual car), RM25/day for GPS, and RM18/day for insurance. We just had to give them a deposit of RM200 and off we go.

Our first stop was to grab a bite at Senario Café (the nearest restaurant found in the GPS) and check FB/Twitter updates with their free WiFi access. After a good and happy meal, off we go to see the Akuarium and Muzium Marin, the Tun Mustapha Tower, and the Floating City Mosque. We also dropped by One Hypermall for a yogurt/coffee treat. Late afternoon, we went to Lavender Lodge to leave our things and rest a bit. And the best way to end the day, a sumptuous seafood dinner at Welcome Seafood.

Off we go nature tripping on our second day. A 2-hr drive to Poring Hot Spring at Ranau. We rented their private bathtub for a hot spring water dip. Next stop is Desa Farm. There, we saw the milking process, tasted fresh milk, enjoyed the cool farm breeze, and be mesmerized by the view of green grass and Mt. Kinabalu.

This trip would never be complete without the beach, the sun, and the sand. From Jesselton Point, we purchased our boat and parasailing tickets from Ampuru Services. Sapi Island is just 15 minutes away from the Jetty and upon our arrival, clear blue water, white sand, and warm people welcomed us. The island is small, yet not too crowded with tourists. Around noon, we went for a boat ride with fellow tourists for our parasailing activity. Aahhhmazzing! Indeed the best way to end this short vacation.