Ho Chi Minh City Chapter 3 (Cho Bin Tay & War Remnants Museum)
Bonjour! how are you guys! always late in updating my blog, hihi. work and stuff you know la kan.. ;) .
So It's day 3 in HCMC, 4th March 2016 to be exact, after our Mekong Delta tour (read here) ended! I missed Mekong :D. We woke up and me as usual, caffeine first. Our plan today is to walk around town and visit Saigon historical sites. BUT before that, first of all, in the morning we went to Cho Binh Tay Market first!. It's the Saigon Chinatown known as Cholon.
The early busy street of Ho Chi Minh
BUT again, before that we went to Malaysian street first for breakfast. We had breakfast at this 1Malaysia restaurant (not promoting jibby tho, kiki). The name of the restaurant is MusaKariem, u can see the big 1Malaysia logo. Dania ordered a roti canai, a typical malaysian delicacy for breakfast. It was 7 ringgit!.. wow, like oh my woww..for a roti canai. The charge of halal food here i tell you. So yes, TIPS: i dont recommend you guys eat roti canai here. Or better dont eat at this restaurant, save your money, go somewhere else, lol. #dahnamapun1malaysia
MusaKariem restaurant, Nguyen An Ninh
So from here, we took a taxi to Cho Binh Tay. TIPS: reminding you again & again the only taxi to take is either Vinasun or MaiLinh. We took Vinasun and the charge was around 130k per taxi, so it was according to metres, no cheating activities detected, tettt :). p/s: while in the taxi, we saw the building that look exactly like the TM Tower in Bangsar, lol. haha exact replicate. Oh well.
welcome to Cho Binh Tay!
Cho Binh Tay! the whole area along the street was packed with people. Lots and lots of shops selling all kinda stuff and tanglung everywhere. It gives you a strong vibes of Chinatown. So we went inside the market, 2 storeys. They sell almost everything from fabrics, clothes, bags, toys, foods, groceries even furniture! . In here u can buy a fabric and ask them to make a clothes, ur design or their design and they will send it to your hotel at night. But well, it wasn't that cheap. But very fast yes. TIPS: If you are interested, bargain first and choose a good fabric, the price is between 200k dong above. They will send it to your hotel that night.
all you have to do is choose ;)
Sherry wanted to make a kimono at first, but then she changed her mind cos we might be busy and we don't have time to change it if the design is not good, cos we are going back to KL the next day. But one thing i like about this place is, they don't force you and they are not as enthusiastic as the sellers in Ben Thanh market. I guess cos this ppl, they have their own customers so they are not as desperate as those in that main market. Sometimes they dont even look at you to promote, they were like 'meh tourist, whatever'. lol TIPS: So yes, dont worry, bargain as much as you like, they are not aggressive in forcing you to buy.
hats anyone??? :D .. u will drowned in hats
Not lots of tourist here tho, still need to be careful of your belongings. I saw a few people from Malaysia buying fabrics here and they seem like they own a boutique based on the way they talk. TIPS: So i think, if u wanna buy cheap and in bulk, do come here instead of Ben Thanh.
no one to sell me this helmet, (nope the lady in red shirt is a customer as well)
In the narrow alley of this market, kikiki.. they sell kids helmet, it was sooo cute with cartoon design, i wanna buy it for my nephews, but no one seem to bother me there as i cant see anyone in that shop, mehhh. So, i was like, nevermind. We walked up and down, seriously its more cheaper here than Ben Thanh.
center of Cho Binh Tay
Me and Jenny bought this small Kiplings purse from a shop near the stairs (downstairs), it was wayyyy cheaper than the night market. The purse is just 20k dong, if u wanna buy for few close friends, damn its the right choice. Not cliche okay. The owner is a bit kekwat, means 'cocky', she wont really entertain you that much and won't lower the price a lot. Her face was like 'if you don't like the price, walk away bitch!' , hihihi. But yes, its cheaper. I think maybe some of the people who sell it near the Ben Thanh buy it from here in Cho Bin Thay, who knows.
TIPS: If u wanna buy bags/purse etc here (i mean if u plan coming here), buy it at this shop near the stairs (downstairs), ignore her bitchy face, as long as u got it at a cheaper price, lol!
i should've take the pic of the shop, but with her face like that, hahaha.. nope!
After we walked around that market, we took the Vinasun taxi to one of the boutique that our friend recommended. The name is Daina's collection. I bought 2 neelofa scarf here for my sister. It is quite cheap yes and the quality is quite good. So, if you want less chaos, u can come here, the map as below.
show this address
if u plan on walking
There are few other boutiques as well round that area, along that street esp. We had lunch here with Ija's friend. She lived here with her husband who work with Malaysian consulate.
So we had our lunch and talking bout how technology and music move slowly here in Ho Chi Minh (cant remember the name of the restaurant), and Ija's friend paid for our lunch.. aww, thanks!!! .
Thanks for the lunch!!
After lunch, we made our way to the reunification palace and the war remnants museum. I already searched for the map while having lunch cos they have wifi there, so we just follow the path. We made it to the Reunification Palace, but it doesn't really interest me that much, and also u have to pay to get in. We prefer to spend our time in the War museum cos we know we need more time there, so we didn't go in and made our way directly to the museum.
The reunification palace
But the road is quite tricky u know. I saw the museum, the tanks and all but i cant see the entrance. We were going in circles and we still can find it. erghhh... and the pedestrian way was packed with motorcycles as usual, aishh. There were 2 Europeans lost as well trying to find the entrance. Finally, Sherry decided to ask one uncle selling the coconut water, and he pointed us in the right direction.. It was the first road that we took!.. aiyaiyaiii.. TIPS: Try ask the street vendor if you are lost!!
This is warrrrr zone
At the entrance, there is this tanks and fighter jet used by the USA during the war. We never live during the war and to see it in front of u makes u wonder, how it is seeing this jets flying on top of your village and dropping bombs... hmm. Oh yes, the entrance fee is 15,000dong.
The war remnants museum is quite big btw, lots of sections. The ground floor shows the retaliation of the Vietnamese people and the countries that opposed the attack on Vietnam by the US, Malaysia included (pheww i thought we supported it, lol). Some countries even marched on the street to show their disagreement to the attack. Oh well, like US care. They proceed with the attack in the name of 'liberation of the Vietnamese people'. There are also stories on the communist revolutionary leader, Ho Chi Minh which the city is named after.
few of the movement posters on he lower ground
Vietnam was colonised by France for few decades, before France made an agreement to let the US took over it. The France already did lots of damage as well, but American destroy it far more than that. Walking around the museum, u can see the horrific images of torture done by the American to the Vietnamese. It was awful, some maybe u cant even watch. TIPS: Be brave to walk around this museum!
There were stories about families that have been killed, bombed. Some hide in a well. Kids being killed, people expelled from their home. Phew.lots to take in.
as written
Brief history if some people might not know, before Vietnam becomes Vietnam, it was land of Champa people. However, the Viet people from southern China migrated there and their King started to killed and attack the Champa people. It was a major ethnic cleansing done by the Viet King to the Champa people. They ran to northern peninsular and southern Thai. Some even ran to Indonesia for protection. So, what happened to the Vietnam people by the American is pretty much the same thing that has been done to Champa people. I guess what goes around comes around in this world. But, we as future generations need to learn from it and not repeat the same mistakes. Seeing the world nowadays, hmm i doubt it that we do.
communist party
So yes, back to the museum. They showed the weapons, photography and actual evidence of the war on the 2nd floor. Some videos were showed as well. It was very informative and heartbreaking at the same time. The spread of 'agent orange', a chemical weapon across Vietnam and some parts of Cambodia really affected the Vietnamese people for generations.
weapons used
more evil weapons
oh well, everybody knows this
At this time then i realized why there were soo many wheelchairs in the Tan Son Nhat Airport and around malls. Because the number of people with physical disabilities is high here because of the agent orange effect. U will see as well a letter written by a Vietnamese kid to the president of USA (Obama i think), stating the sad state of the agent orange effect and dark future ahead for them. It's just sooo sad to read it. TIPS: take your time in this museum to learn bout how humanity fucked up, i mean it.
some of the books they sell
After the 'walk through history' in the war remnants museum, we walk to the Saigon Basilica. Its quite far you know. TIPS: If you plan on walking around the city's historical sights, do wear something comfy as it requires lots of walking and the weather is burning hot.
We walked through some parks as well to reach here, kinda good seeing the green and some elite vietnamese taking strolls in the park :) . fefelin sangatt. The Saigon Basilica or known as The Notre Dame of Saigon (cos it looks a bit like the Paris Notre Dame) was built in the 1800s. Sadly when we arrived it was already 5.00PM, so the entrance has been closed. TIPS: if you wanna go inside the church, do come early.
The Saigon Basilica
The view of the red basilica is stunning. It really shows the legacy of French colonials in Saigon. There were lotsss of tourist here, phew.
u can see the location of the basilica and post office from this pic
cak!
Opposite the Basilica is the Saigon Post Office build in 1886. It is soo classic. This is a MUST visit in Saigon. It's not a museum, and still function as a normal post office. TIPS: If you are sentimental, u can send a postcard from here! .
The post office
inside it, amazing isnt it! perspectives
They repaint the building in yellow, which i think i prefer white (im not sure of the original color though). Some of the things inside from the last centuries is still intact. U can walk around the building. There are one souvenir shop on the 2nd floor that sells postcards etc. I bought a small vietnamese villager statue for 20k dong as a memory of visiting this place.
the souvenir shops in 2nd floor of the post office
We then took a taxi back to our hotel, Boss3. We needed some rest after all the walking, hehehe. kertu tak?
Around 8PM we went out walking to Malaysian street for dinner as usual, the only place we know :D . Did a few round for last minute shopping if maybe we find something that catch our attention, hihi.
We then took a taxi to Saigon Square, its funny. They're actually more than one Saigon Square, duhh. The taxi took us to the wrong one, it's a small mall. It's not it. We wanna go to THE Saigon Square where people hanging out at night! TIPS: there are at least 3-4 Saigon Square, few are malls, and one is the center in front of the city hall.
The problem is, the taxi driver couldn't understand english. TIPS: print screen the road you wanna go and show it, he will drive you there, verbal communication is pretty much useless.
Hence, I showed him the address using Ija's phone (cos she have internet, lol) . And then the taxi driver was like 'aaah ya'. See? problem solved. hihi.
So he drove us there, based on meter and he wasn't lying, good vinasun taxi driver :) . So, Saigon Square, packed with Vietnamese youth having fun. Some do tricks and magic, shows, breakdance (yes still popular here) .
Saigon Square
gitchuew~!
We take a walk around the square, visited one high-end mall there, with a big Versace sign there. Near the mall is the Saigon Opera House which is quite popular during the war time. If you like spending a lil to see a good show, this is the place. It's quite unique the building. the lighting was quite bad that night so no good photo, grr. But yes, worth seeing.
Saigon Opera House
However, there was a construction there during this time. not in the theatre but near it. We walk around that square more, passed by more high-end boutiques. And we saw the Saigon City Hall with a yellow starred flag on top. With all the lights focused on his building, it is crazy if u miss it, hahahaha :P .
The City Hall
This is the center, the pride of this city. Ho Chi Minh City. We enjoyed our time around the square, especially seeing the activities of the Vietnamese youth, i have to say it's very 90's . ;) .
the fountain in the center of the square
some magic show attracts people
We took cab back to our hotel after that, cos most of coffee place closed early here, meh.. Beside our flight is tomorrow.
That next morning, we woke up, check out around 10.30AM. Got our deposit back. With the deposit we paid the taxi to the Tan Son Nhat Airport. The immigration was okay, the baggage drop was quite slow though. We booked luggage yes, shared as usual to save money, mmhmm.
Our plane, Air Asia AK 527 took off from Tan Son Nhat airport around 1.30PM. Around one and half hour later we arrived in KLIA 2 :) . I really wanted to go to Vietnam again, but this time i want to experience Hanoi and Da Nang... hope so!! For more detailed info in malay kindly follow KOKONUTLIST ya!
Pls remove the black birds that flying on your blog, plsss.
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