My Trip to Hanoi : Day 4

 My last day of my trip to Hanoi Vietnam was a tour to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and its nearby attractions. After breakfast at the hotel I took a taxi that brought me direct to the mausoleum. I have to deposit my bag before I can enter the mausoleum, that turned out to be inconvenient since coming out from the building I have to follow the route that passes all the attractions before I can get back my bag that contains the camera. So I have to retrieve back my camera, and return to where the exit point of the mausoleum by passing by Ba Dinh square front of the mausoleum.

My Trip to Hanoi : Cruising Halong Bay

Day 1 in Hanoi

The next day of my trip to Hanoi Vietnam, was a cruise to Halong Bay on board  Elizabeth Sails Junk. I booked a two days one night cruise arranged for me by the hotel tour desk manager. The cruise cost me USD109, inclusive of 2 lunches, dinner, and a breakfast. The tour guide will pick me up at the hotel supposedly by eight in the morning, but arrived in the hotel almost an hour later because of the traffic and being I was the last to be picked up.

My Trip to Hanoi Vietnam, Day 1

This month travel happened last weekend for four days to Hanoi, Vietnam. I filed a two days annual leave to coincide with the National day holiday here in Singapore. This is another last minute trip since I really can't decide where to go in the first place. I have been wanting to go to Hanoi to visit the Halong Bay, but due to inability to find a cheap airline fare the plan has never been materialize until only last week when I chance upon a cheaper one coinciding the holiday. And I have a blast in Hanoi.

Saigon and Jakarta Cathedrals

Whenever I travel overseas and got a chance to visit a church, I always included it in my itinerary and took pictures of  the facade and sometimes of the interiors. Two of the cities I have visited have a very interesting Cathedrals though similar concept of design but totally two different kind of architecture.

In Saigon, the Notre Dame Basilica is one famous landmark you will hardly missed as a tourist. It is located at the Paris Square in downtown area. A magnificent twin-towered neo-romanesque cathedral built in the 1880s by the French during their colonial occupation of Saigon. It has two bell towers reaching a height of over 58 meters with  bronze bells. The construction materials including the red bricks used for the exterior walls were all brought in from France. The facade has three arches that gives an indication of the cathedral's internal structure.The interior decoration is relatively simple yet tranquil.

Inside the Reunification Palace, Saigon

One of the places of interest in Ho Chi Minh City I have visited was the Reunification Palace. Formerly the presidential palace of South Vietnam which turned into a museum. The museum has been kept largely as it was. It was also here where the official handover of power during the fall of Saigon was held. The museum is open for a fee, I cant recall how much did I pay for the entry ticket.

Actually I had difficulty locating the place, because I was coming from behind the complex so I really can't pinpoint the building itself though I am within the vicinity. When I noticed a massive fence and assumed to be the one I was locating, I walk alongside and when I reached the corner of the frontage did I spot the building. Approaching the main gate a coconut vendor walk along with me and offer me one for free! I was astounded by his offering because by looking at him he cannot afford to sell his ware for free, though glad for the offer I refused his offer and said thank you with accompanying touristy smile. I sensed something fishy as he was very insistent so I double pace walking and only until I reached the gate that he stop pestering me.

Arriving Ho Chi Minh City

It's my first time to travel to Vietnam yet I have no apprehension whatsoever for the travel. I booked the flight 3 months ago so though I have to wait that long, it didn't cross to my mind to feel fear for the trip.

My flight was scheduled 7:35 in the morning, so I was at Changi terminal 1 at 5:45 and waiting for boarding at gate C15 by 6:30. My ticket says I will arrive Ho Chi Minh at 8:25am, which means the travel time will be less than an hour. Considering how far apart the two countries are, I thought it's a mistake, but was confirmed by the check in counter personnel that Vietnam is one hour behind Singapore.

By 6:55am, the line for boarding started. My assigned seat is 3A so I belonged to the last batch to be boarded.

theJetstar plane that will bring me to Saigon

My Ho Chi Minh Escapade

I just came back from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A holiday trip to this southeast asian city. To sum up the trip, it was an exhausting yet educational trip indeed. Upon arriving home, it was the Ho Chi Minh City leg of the amazing race show currently playing. Nice, it was exactly what I did, sort of.

Enjoy the photos.

Binh Tay Market