Vietnam point of view

After staying In Vietnam for a few days, I’ve come to understand a little more about Vietnamese. They are direct, upfront and actually kind of smart Alex. They like to think that they know a lot but actually nothing. They don’t really listen to you. Obnoxious to certain extent!

They are also very particular to cleanliness. Selfishly only to their own possession or quarter. There is this driver whom spent 30 minutes just to clean up the front part of his bus before he start moving. I bet he has obsessive compulsive disorder.

They emulate the way you talk and behave to annoy you and they love to sing in broken tone. The women sing when they are tending their stalls, men sing it when they feel like it on the street. Are they trying to impress me?

They are rude, and annoyingly disturbing. They have this “Du Lan” face that says “hit me”. Poor services. What's poorer is the Vietnamese hygiene. I’ve personally smell a few ladies with BO (Body Odour) which I’m not surprise if you see thick and luscious armpit hairs dripping with sweat from their sleeves.

They pee everywhere. It seems like public toilet has a new found meaning. I know it’s not common to see man peeing on an empty roadside or corners to relieve themselves in Southeast Asia. I’ve seen a few times in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand and I personally had pee on the roadside once from my bus journey to Luang Prabang. What I’m amazed is an old granny peeing on the overhead bridge and man peeing just anywhere in the open space. Gosh! How polite!

Hey, how’re you? I’m peeing on the street.

300409 Thursday – Marble Mountain, Hoi An, Vietnam

Victory Day (Ngày Chiến thắng), is a public holiday in Vietnam that marks the occasion Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops captured Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) on April 30, 1975. This signalled the end of the Vietnam War. To show my patriotism, I wore a red T-shirt that depicts the Vietnam flag to visit one of the most stunning mountains in Vietnam,
Marble Mountains (Vietnamese: Ngũ Hành Sơn; "Five elements mountains") is a cluster of five marble and limestone hills located in Ngu Hanh Son ward, south of Da Nang city in Vietnam. The five 'mountains' are named after the five elements; Kim (metal), Thuy (water), Moc (wood), Hoa (fire) and Tho (earth).

I’ve read my guide book that it cost USD$12 for one way to the mountain by taxi. However, I find another alternative, motor transport for USD$10 inclusive of return. Sometimes, it’s best to be resourceful without following everything blindly from the guide book. In this case, I save USD$14. I arrange the motorcycle to pick me up from my hotel. Every now and then, the best way to travel is to ride a bike and let the air blow your face.
All of the mountains have cave entrances and numerous tunnels, and it is possible to climb to the summit of one of the peaks. Several Buddhist sanctuaries can also be found within the mountains, making this a famous tourist destination.

Around the temple, there are shops selling all sorts of marble souvenirs. The area is famous for stone sculpture making and stone-cutting crafts.

290409 Wednesday – Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An is a nostalgic small ancient city on the coast of the South China Sea mainly because the Thu Bon river was an important Vietnamese trading centre that attracts Chinese and foreign immigrants to settle down. The buildings display a unique blend of local and foreign influences. A lot of assembly halls for various dialects were build for their own community benefit and get-together. Several Internet cafés, bars and restaurants have opened along the riverfront for tourists to unwind.

There are also numerous art and craft shops, tailors, who produce made-to-measure clothes and even the sneakers, can be customized for a fraction of western price in this town. I for example paid USD $100 for 1 boot and 2 pairs of sneakers which convert into S$150. You can’t beat that price as you can choose your color and materials and to know the size is one and only perfect for you. I customized a pair of gold leather sneaker for my chum’s wedding in October and a beige color suede leather boot for my indulgence. I’m picking up my shoes in the next 2 days. Can’t wait to see my masterpiece ;) Now, I’m a shoe designer too??

280409 Tuesday – Hue, Vietnam

After a long one and a half day bus trip, I finally reach Hue; it was the imperial capital of the Nguyễn Dynasty from 1802 to 1945.
As time is running out (7 days left before I return to Singapore), I freshen up and arrange a motorcycle for $150,000 Dong to unravel this old city. The seat of the Nguyen emperors was in the Citadel, which occupies a large, walled area on the north side of the river. Inside the citadel was a forbidden city where only the concubines, emperors, and those close enough to them were granted access, the punishment for trespassing being death. Today, I however able to step into the Forbidden City without facing any intimidation, just a hefty $55,000 Dong entrance fee. If you like, you can even pay to wear the dragon robe to be an emperor for a day.

It’s hard to believe the history of Citadel is only 100 – 200 years old. The architecture looks like it belongs to centuries old. I’ve a wonderful time exploring this ancient city.

Later at night, I wander around the town. It’s so hard to find vegetarian food. I really tried. Sometimes, I just eat bread or instant noodle to substitute my hunger. Honestly, Vietnamese food is not something that I enamor. Even in Cambodia, I can find good, cheap and delicious fried noodle. Not many food stalls I can find along the streets unlike Thailand. However, you do get rickshaw driver coming up to you and ask if you want lady for USD$5. It must be granny without any teeth. I seriously think that this only happen to me in Vietnam. Not even in Thailand, have anyone ask if I need a “lady” perhaps most man already know where to source but in Cambodia, mostly they’ll ask if I want ecstasy, marijuana or poppers but in Vietnam do I look that desperate? Let me remind all of you again that I’m still a virgin.

Come on, give that granny a break!

270409 Monday – Saigon > Hue, Vietnam

Everything changes, changes for the better. Initially, I bought my bus ticket for USD$21 thinking that it will be the normal seated bus but it turns out it’s a sleeper bus which means tiny little long stretch out bed on the bus. Not that comfortable for a guy which stands at 1.78m tall but what the heck. It’s the first time for me to take a sleeper bus. Besides, I didn’t even ask for it.

The scenery along the way is stunning! Not to mention, I’m lying on the bed while enjoying my view. It’s simply sublime! It makes a few stops for toilet break, lunch, dinner and breakfast and that’s where you can really enjoy the view.

I was having my breakfast at one of the stop and there was this man whom seems to be approaching 40’s sexually harass and overcharge me for a cup of tea. At first, he came and says “You look very handsome, where are you from?” Then he winks at me, giving me this disgusting eye signal like he wanted to devour me. Oh gosh, I wanted to throw up my milk tea.

260409 Sunday – Saigon, Vietnam

The transition from Phnom Penh to Vietnam is smooth and simply pleasurable. The first time I ever cross the river in the bus transported over by ferryboat, Beautiful scenery along the bus trip from Phnom Penh, more beautiful when I poo (shit) in the bus toilet cubicle. Pardon my Singlish!

Saigon has got character, it’s a bustling city, traffic is worse than Cambodia, and I realize Vietnamese loves to sing as I’ve came across lots of KTV pubs. Baguettes and coffee can be seen everywhere on the street. I walk around the streets near my hotel and knowing the Ben Than market is not far away, I decided to do some window shopping as I know I’ve to return Saigon on 5th of May for my flight back to Singapore.

Surprise of the day has to be, Julia Robert new movie, Duplicity pirated Dvd. I know it’ll screen in Singapore while I’m backpacking but now I’m able to watch it in Vietnam!! Hurray!!

I’ve an early rest as I’m taking a long journey (28 hours) to Hue the next day early in morning.

250409 Saturday – Phnom Penh, Cambodia

I left Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh, not wanting to travel directly from Sihanoukville to Saigon. I stay one night in Phnom Penh, catching the earliest bus from PP to Saigon.

230409 & 240409 Thursday & Friday – Sihanokville, Cambodia

I left my horrible experience behind Phnom Penh and look forward to the sunny beach, Sihanokville.

The beach is what I’ve expected. Sunny and clean. Even my guest house is cozy; it comes with lovely mosquitoes net. I’ve a few work assignments to do so it’s a great place for me to chill out, watch DVDs, read a book and meet my deadline. One thing I still can’t accept is that the food here is so expensive even the mineral water costs double the amount. It really caters to the tourist. However, the market is where I find my wicked smile, fake branded watches, Bertling and IWC for USD$20 each ;) I’ve been spending quite a lot since Siem Reap on the bus fares, food and admission tickets but the watches I’ve bought is surely my pinnacle point in Sihanoukville. I can’t wait to leave this country and see what Vietnam has installed for me…