Our Tale Of The Second City: Beep Beep Bop Bop Ho Chi Minh

*Wow~~*... it's been some time since the last entry on Angkor Wat. I was and am still busy with a project on hand but I don't want to procrastinate further - it's time to post Our Tale Of The Second City - Beep Beep Bop Bop Ho Chi Minh (HCM); before I forget what it was like immersing perpetually in an audio sea of motorbikes' beeping.

At HCM, motobikes and scooters rule and jam pack the road and traffic lights are non-existent. The 2 tyres steel-stallions weaved in and out from everywhere-anywhere-everytime-anytime. The beep beep bop bop start very early at the crack of dawn till way past midnight. You can imagine the beepings are so part of everyday's life, the locals are literally "deaf" to it. Bring ear plugs to HCM if:

1) You are a light sleeper
2) Your hotel room is facing the main road
3) Your hotel is one of the many those undergoing extensive renovations

No joke man. HCM is one noisy city all right. Hehehe...

But I must say the traffic anarchy in HCM was quite a memorable travelling experience for us. On our first day there, we were really at a loss and so desperate on the big streets that we took to shadow the locals closely while crossing the streets. By the 2.5 day there, we had learned that the trick is to just cross, the vehicles look out for pedestrains and not the other way round in HCM. By then, we could just shut our eyes and cross with the utmost ease and we were quite proud of our new road pluckiness.

*Beep! Beep! Bop! Bop!*

The streets at District 1 (HCM's City / Tourist Area) are always so abuzz and chokeful with bikes and people

The 1 Day City Tour

The first thing we did after we dumped our luggages at our hotel upon arrival was to locate Sinh Cafe - a popular local tour agency in HCM. Despite the explicit cafe name tag, Sinh Cafe's main business activity is far from serving coffee to the tourists - most who depended on their daily group tours to HCM's most popular but remote tourist destinations like Cu Chi Tunnel and Mekong Delta. This agency is highly recommended and clearly enjoys a sound reputation. We saw alot of similar agencies dotting District 1... but none as packed with tourists as Sinh Cafe. And make sure you get to the right Sinh Cafe, we also heard there were alot of counterfeit agencies using their name - even for websites!

We had only wanted to book a half day trip to Cu Chi Tunnel with Sinh Cafe initially but eventually ended up booking another one day trip around HCM's main city for ourselves. We were probably physically tired from the temple visits in Siem Reap and we deemed it safer to sit on a tour coach than exploring HCM on foot, what with HCM's chaotic traffic. Either way, the rates was most attractive to give us an excuse to be lazy - it was only US$6 per person anyway.

Thien Hau Temple

Chinese temples look the same everywhere

At HCM's War Crime Museum - There were a lot of graphic photos and war weapons used during the Vietnam war on display. Mr. Gecko and I felt for those civilians who had to go through these cruel wars. Often, those who waged wars always remain safe and sound at the expenses of innocent civilians and brave men at the frontlines.

And you find the war didn't and couldn't end even when peace is made and weapons ceased. The people had to deal with war-torn poverty, physical disabilities; and for generations to come, babies were born deformed - and if survived, they had to deal with the psychological implications of chemical and biological war weapons - even if they didn't go through the war. Sad huh.

Reunification Hall - Essentially the President's Palace during Saigon's past democratic era

Trivia: When we took this picture, the tourists around us were so amused with our toys that they even took their pictures with our toys in it.

We also stopped by the HCM's General Post Office - An old but grand remnant of HCM's French colonial past

At the Notre Dame Cathedral just diagonally opposite the General Post Office

Going to Ben Tranh Market - Bargain is the word there

Cu Chi Tunnel

No decent tourist in HCM will give this famous network of narrow tunnels, lauded for contributing big time to Vietnam War's victory, a miss. We booked a half day trip over there and took almost 2 hours from the city to reach the remote underground fortress.

History lesson before the trek in the jungle

Very, very small entrance to the depths of the tunnel. Clearly built for Asian body size only.

Ok lah, unless you count in Kate Moss.

Also need a bit of arm strength for support as one immersed the whole body vertically into the narrow depth

Booby traps everywhere in the jungle. Most were man-made and primitive but just as deadly as modern metal weapons

These days, the jungle is packed with friendly tourists instead

Mr. Gecko gunning for a weasel experience. That Mr. Gecko actually took his time to bask himself in the dark and dankness of the tunnel - even took pictures of himself without using the flash.

Trivia: Lotsa ang mohs retreated halfway into the tunnel because they were afraid they would either get stuck or lose their way in the dark. Everybody made a concerted effort to headcount within their group after they climbed out even though it was just 15 mins of tunneling.

One of the many bomb craters scattered around

Miscellaneous Stuffs In HCM

Our "suite" at Indochine Hotel for only US$45.00 per night. Nothing exciting about it but at least all essentials were available. Worth a stay because it's affordable and clean. Most of the French colonial-style hotels in HCM were undergoing extensive renovations the time we were there.

Vietnamese coffee is an acquired taste. One enjoys it only if you learned to put in the right proportions of sugar and milk. I felt like I was drinking the vilest traditional chinese herbal concoction the first time I tried it. Of course, the coffee addict me soon learns how best to enjoy the Viet coffee - lotsa milk needed!

Mr. Gecko artistically manifested HCM in ink while writing his thoughts on a postcard for me

We couldn't help snooping a shot at this ang moh guy trying to chat up with the Viet woman on duty in the War Musuem repeatedly; while she try to reciprocate his friendliness by nodding her head endlessly with enthusiatic smiles. Hahaha~~... I am not implying anything huh!!

We were waiting for our coach to Cu Chi Tunnel early in the morning at Sinh Cafe when we saw this old couple waiting too. I rarely see old couple opting for free and easy package while travelling. So adventurous and so sweet huh. I want to go on adventurous trips with Mr. Gecko still when we are as old too!

While Siem Reap was an eye opener to ancient ruins, HCM was an unassuming trip in my opinion. I was quite disappointed with the chaos and lack of attractions in HCM initally But I gradually warmed up to the local flavor and made unexpected discoveries along the way. Be it street cussings at motorbike drivers, the paper rice gourmet that failed to delight our palates and the aimless wanderings - it's all about laughing in the face of bad travel experiences taken in good stead.

Our Tale Of The 2 Cities - The End