Saturday, April 25, 2009

Ho Chin Minh - Day 2

Before I talked about day 2. I want to talk about my dad 'x'

The night before, we went to this western style restaurant for dinner. The area we are staying are the backpackers area. So there's a lot ang mo. And thus got ang mo restaurant. I was famished, so I ordered pasta. Then my dad, of all the choices and selections, ordered MALAYSIAN CHAR KUEH TIAW. =.="

Then hor, don't know what type of meat they put in, my dad woke up the next day with gout pain on his hand.

So he became grumpy 'x'. And I have to carry everything myself. The water, the biscuit in case my dad grew hungry and grumpy 'x'.He gets hungry quite easily. And when he's hungry, he's grumpy.HAHA.

Anyway, we booked a half day tour to Cu Chi tunnel. Its a network of tunnels dug by the vietnamese ppl during war. And is later used in the war with the US Army. And the US army, never get to win any battle in the tunnel area. Its too complicated, the tunnel is also too small for the bigger built ang mo.Should be something like that, I can't really remember.
























This is our tour guide of the day, "Mr. Bean" @ Billy. He was a US navy before. Yes, a Vietnamese working for the US Army during the war. He was born in US, or so he claimed. And later move back to Vietnam. Anyway, he was explaining about the tunnels. And there's this documentary showing, filmed during war time. Its in black and white and I find it a bit boring 'x'


Mr Bean told us, in order to track the Viet Cong better, they brought in a lot of dogs. But as the days goes by, they notice the dogs are getting lesser and lesser. They found out the Viet Congs catch them, and eat them 'x'.

either that, or they end up here.


Dead. Poor dogs.

























This is the sniper hole. There will a VC hiding inside, when a US soldier pass by, he will just pop up and shoot. Mr Bean told us, the day before, a very big Caucasian lady went down in that hole, but later on cannot seem to come out, she was stuck, so they had to pull and pull. They finally manage to pull her up, without all her clothing below her waistline 'x'.







The Viet Congs dug tunnels to the US Army base to steal their weapons. I think that's very clever of them, using the enemy's weapon to fight back.
























There's a few mannequins dressed in military attire here and there. And of course we took photos with them. Thats when I notice the wig, or should I sat the hair. Looks soo much like real hair!


























Footwear made from tyre. They claim its very durable. Felt tempted to buy one pair for Oink. His sandals never last long.

We then proceeded to the shooting range area. Here is the place where you can buy bullets and shoot from AK47, and other types of guns, I can only remember AK47. HEHE.
If I am not mistaken, 10 AK47 bullets cost 22,000 VND each. Minimum purchase is 10 bullets. My dad say he would try if his hand was not painful. I was not even interested. I hated the shooting sound. It sounded awful, it sounded like killing, it sounded like death. So I bought a can of cola, look for a seat and relax.






















We then moved to the one section of the tunnel which is open for the public. A 40m tunnel. Small and very dark. We didn't even had torch light. Its soo small, I had to bend over and walk, with a big heavy bag on my back. I have to bend my knees also to make sure the stuff in my bag don't get squashed. Didn't manage to take any photo, cos dad keep urging me to go faster, or else we will be separated from the group. Don't know why he's so worried, the tunnel is only one way bah.. every now and then, there's a hole, a "pit stop" for you to get out to get some air. I stopped at every one of them. Its so dark inside, we have to feel with our hands so that we won't bump onto anything. Anyway, I gave up half way and trace my exit based on the holes in the ground. AHHAA..

























Mr Bean, explaining how these trap works. DEADLY MAN. I had goosebumps then and there.


Soon the half day tour ends.We got back to the guest house. Mum and dad wanted to nap. So they napped while I watch TV.

They woke up like 2 hours ++ later, and we took taxi to go Saigon Duty Free Shop. Only to find its closed after 5pm!! BAHHHH!!HOW CAN? should open till night ma.
























We went to watch water puppet show later that night. Nothing to shout about but quite interesting. If only I could understand the dialogs. Its all in Vietnamese.






ok, this is a random photo. I saw a wedding going on, so I snapped a photo. There's another wedding going on at the hotel next to this one also. I think its a good day to marry in Vietnam on the 6th April, since its their holiday. I saw a lot weddings on the way to Cu Chi at the villages. But back at home here, its "Qing Ming"

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Ho Chin Minh - day 1

A very belated post..hehe

I am truly busy with stuff. There's alot to juggle.Beside the computer I am using now SUCKS. SO SLOW. Feel like buying a new one 'x'

anyway..lets proceed to Ho Chin Minh now shall we?

I got one thing to say about the place.

ITS HOT! SO HOT! I 'tidak tahan'! Alot motorbikes. And a lot noise pollution cos all the cars, bikes keep sounding the horn. I think that's how they communicate 'x'

After we checked into our guesthouse. We changed and proceed with Taxi to the war museum. Only to find it closed and only open at 1.30pm. So we walk around, since I've checked the map, all the major attractions are within walking distance. Then we saw the reunification palace, only to find it closed too..GRRRR, and will only open at 1.30pm also. SO i suggest we walk to the church they say look like Notre Dame in Paris.

























not bad, quite pretty the architecture. I like! But then still very hot.

Then we saw a nice building nearby.

















We saw a lot of people inside. Thinking its a market, we just go in. And its too hot to stay long outside too. It took me awhile to realize what this building is. Can you guess what it is?
























Its a post office! So nice one! Ok, for those who guess it correctly don't get a prize 'x'

Dad immediately grew excited when he found out its a post office. He after all, spent most of his working life in one. And no, my dad was not a postman. 'x'

so we hang out there and soon its 1.30pm. So we walk back to the reunification palace.



Doesn't look very palace-grand-like to me. In case you don't know, you need to go through the scanner-machinery-thingy like in the airport, before you can go into the palace compound. And one of the guard complimentedme, say I am pretty, in CHINESE! WAHAHA, he has good taste..memang I am pretty 'x' *muka tembok*

basically visitors to the palace are shown the various rooms available in the palace. The usuals, the dining rooms, YES ROOMS, got more than one dining room, and they all looked grand, like in hotel 'x', living rooms, meeting rooms, library, bedrooms, the bedrooms seem common to me, nothing fancy, they even have a small cinema.



I want these mahjong tiles. so retro!

We hang out a bit at the palace, cos it started to rain heavily. But then its STILL HOT lo!

After that we proceed to the War Museum.

Once you step into the museum, you will see various types of tanks and jets and such. I am not very interested in such stuff. I hate the war. But my dad always watch these war movies. So he was quite curious in everything.




Look at him..ahaha..look like a kid.

























ok, this is one of the prison cells in which they kept the prisoners. THIS IS NOT A REAL HUMAN ok! Whoever made this made it eerily same to the real man who was kept prisoner here for decades. What caught my attention is the scribblings in Chinese characters on the wall.


I briefly translate it here :

*clear throats*

although I am in a prison,
but my spirit is not,
in order to achieve a big goal,
one must have a bigger spirit

ok, I hope what I translated is close to what he scribbled cos my mandarin is really BAD. never get good grade for mandarin during my schooling days.


There are a lot of graphical photos taken during the war. But I shall spare you the agony. Some photos are really heart-wrenching. And my blog is a happy blog. 'x'

there's alot of parks nearby these buildings. And most of them are packed with people.



Just chatting and loitering, doing nothing, under the VERY HOT SUN. How can they tahan??!!

Monday, April 06, 2009

Greetings from Ho Chin Minh!

I am coming back home today!

can't wait to see Oink and Mango! Can't wait! Can't wait!Can't wait!

didn't get to do much shopping, dad had a gout attack. So we try to minimize the activity. They sleep pretty early. While I watching TV everynight here..AHAHAH.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

From Gaby to Gabbie

Jaqq has given me permission to post up Gabbie's photos.

come!~ lets check out Gabbie
















Memang daddy's daughter la her. Looks sooo much like Jee. But the hair luckily thick like mama :->




Look! Gabbie smile at you.. YES! YOU!




P/S: I'll be away on a short Ho Chin Minh trip from Friday to Monday with my parents. MWHEHE...So long didn't have a trip with my parents. Can't wait! So Oink and Mango will stay at home and look after the house 'x' I mean houses.