Inspired Travels

Vietnam is really hot and sticky. Luckily I brought a pair of shorts with me. Walking around for the majority of the day, I think I’ve got some sunburn! Its got to be like 25 – 30 degrees out here at midday and I’m drenched in sweat.

Pham Ngoc Lau is one street full of cafes, restaurants, bars, hostels and travel vendors. During the day it looks totally different – more of the shops were open than the previous night, there are more people walking around. We actually didn’t recognise it at first glance.

On the way to the Reunification Palace, we made a pit stop at  Ben Thanh Market. Its sprawling market place, selling everything from meat, fresh produce, clothes and silk. It also has a food court area. I don’t really like going there for shopping, and I’ve been there twice now. It’s really uncomfortable because the shop lanes are really narrow, and vendors like to grab you or stuff clothes in your face in the hope that you might be interested. I hate getting harrassed to shop.

Eventually we found some food, and settled down for a couple of drinks. We tried my favourite viet drink – Sinh Do Bo, which is an avocado shake. I’ve bought it many times in Bankstown as well as in Boston, USA! We also had Nuec Mia, which is a sugar cane juice, also very sweet and tasty. We ordered it with no ice, because of the local water in it.

We then found ourselves in front of the massive complex, which is the Reunification Palace. However on Sunday it is closed at lunch time. The Notre Dame Church was also nearby but also closed! We then chilled out at the GPO and this bar we found. This bar, I would call the equivalent of Cargo Bar in Sydney because it was pumping some really loud duff duff music in the front, had hostesses, a hip young crowd as well. It even had a water feature in the front!

The Reunification Palace was somewhat interesting but lacking in architecture. We found out that the South Vietnamese were using it to run their war efforts, but it was overthrown when two tanks rolled through the front lawn! A solider then went to the top of the building and planted their flag. I find it fascinating how there was a bomb shelter near this desk where the Commander worked from. It the event of bombing, he woudl escape through this door and go to the basement and continue working and co-ordinating. Seemed like everything was geared for war in this Palace and in Vietnam during this time (see the airport bomb shelters above!).

Walking back, we then stumbled across a outdoor soccer game. It was like half the size of a regular soccer field, in a 6 vs 6 format. We watched a couple of the games, and had a beer in the cafe overlooking it. It was very refreshing and I could really see that soccer was a global game.

At night, we went to this restaurant called Din Ky recommended by the hotel. It was in a upbeat area on a street called Nguyen Trai. It reminded me a bit of Mongkok in Hong Kong. Heaps of activity, lights, people buzzing past. We lived it up and orderd about 5 dishes. Sea bass fish, vermicelli with crab meat, fried rice in lotus leaf, spring rolls, clams and custard apple shakes! We somehow managed to finish it all and chilled out at the roof top of the Go 2 Bar.

I’m out like getting harrased in the market,

Matt