Vietnam - first visit and first TR

[GDSman]

Thanks Amaroo - might give that a go tomorrow...

 

[CMA222]

I have stayed at the Majestic a few times. Excellent old world hotel. The evening roof top buffet (same place they serve breakfast) is excellent although a little expensive. Fantastic seafood, steaks and Asian foods. If breakfast is included in your rate do not have lunch just wait for the dinner buffet. You can get it with unlimited drinks as well. They used to have Australian wines but that had changed last time I was there. Even if you decide against it you can go and have a look. It also has that quaint little swimming pool in the middle of the hotel. I will be looking forward to the rest of you TR.

 

[wazza888]

If you go to Cu Chi, throw some $$ at the M60 .... fun way to blow some coin.

i kinda regret my chance of firing the guns. I was just afraid of having gunpowder residue on my clothes which may contaminate my bag. Maybe I just being silly.

 

[Major]

Nothing wrong with being an accidental tourist .... some sensational experinces have occurred this way.

If you go to Cu Chi, throw some $$ at the M60 .... fun way to blow some coin.

AK47 was better

 

[GDSman]

Thanks CMA222 - might give that a go. The breakfast buffet this morning was a good spread...

 

[GDSman]

We (including our kids) really liked this restaurant https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Rest...8-Reviews-Nha_Hang_Ngon-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html it's been awhile but it appears to have maintained a high rating since we last ate there 7 years ago.

Well turns out we were in the neighborhood so stopped in. This place is heaving on a Saturday lunchtime....A rare beef soup and a couple of drinks and I'm ready to get back into the heat

 

[GDSman]

 

[GDSman]

This morning was a sweaty day of sightseeing. The opera house (we'll be going back tomorrow night for the bamboo acrobat show Teh Dar) and then to the market. Above the amazing offal stall was a slightly ironic sign (at least to our western sensibilities....)

 

[GDSman]

First beer was needed about 10:45

 

[GDSman]

And then on to Independence building, war museum and Notre Dame.

 

[GDSman]

Before heading back to the river and the hotel - the most dangerous road crossing I've made in a long time getting from the riverside back to the hotel - 8 (going on 53) lanes of traffic...

 

[GDSman]

A rest in the room and a quick dip in the pool was preparation for a walking streetfood tour. Turned out we were the only people so it became a private tour. I should have taken more photos but the streets we were on in District 4 were packed and just avoiding scooters was an exciting full-time job...as for the jars in the photo- I was thinking of going the rice wine with goat testicl_s but in the end plumped for the snake - you can't go past a good snake rice wine...
Very enjoyable with Vu, a pleasant young guy but by the end we were flagging badly. The long day took it out of us, we were full and there was still a touch of jet lag....relief to be back in the room.
Tomorrow brings Cu Chi tunnels, show at opera house and what looks like a nice restaurant for dinner....hope the streetfood doesn't get us in the meantime...!

 

[GDSman]

Today started with a rush to get ready for a 0730 pickup. In our family even when we're all awake a 0600 somehow we manage to stuff around (mostly in electronic devices) until it's almost too late....
We were picked up, had a 15 minute drive and then joined our speedboat to Cu Chi at 0800. There were 17 in the group and a guide who's English was a bit weak and he probably wasn't the best guide in the world either to be fair. The group was a mix of Aus, Denmark, Singapore, Dutch etc.
Arriving at Cu Chi it was packed....I loved the history and have to say that the firing from the range certainly made it easy to imagine how terrifying the real thing would be.
We didn't shoot in the end....I just wasn't that fussed, hadn't realized it was over 18 only so the boy wasn't to be tempted and Mrs not interested.
When we came to the tunnel visit the little people all jumped in. I was most impressed with my wife and son for going for it so I followed them...got about 3 meters and called a retreat. Call me what you like - with my height, width and lack of flexibility it was not for me!

 

[GDSman]

When we got back we rested a bit then nipped out to get some drinks for the fridge. Back in the hotel for a bit longer then out to the Opera house for Teh Dar (or Ta daaaaa as I enjoyed calling it).
It was brilliant. 1 hr show - how to describe? Modern dance meets traditional plus acrobatics, bit of paganism and good music....all in a 1 hr package.
Dinner was very good. A safe option after last night's high risk...Hoa Tuc. Really good meal (too tired for photos).
Tomorrow the cruise on the Mekong...very excited.

 

[GDSman]

Another early wake up - still haven't quite settled for some reason so we were all awake by 0600. Headed up for another lovely breakfast and then panicked and rushed to get out of the room for our 0730 pickup.
The drive from the city to the cruise is long enough - about 4 hours. Of course it would only take a fraction of that time if the driver wasn't braking to avoid various buses, trucks and scooters all the time. Stopped at a tourist rest stop for 20 mins - nice and clean.
We arrived at the boat around 1130 and boarded. We are on the Dragon Eyes 2 for the next 48hrs. It was everything we'd been hoping for...dark panels of teak (stain or real I don't know). Main deck has 2 generous cabins with King bed, aircon, big windows and a nice en suite. Also a lounge and the galley. Upstairs has an 'open but undercover' dining area, sunbeds, another open air table and chairs and the wheelhouse and crew quarters.
We have the place to ourselves and set about making ourselves at home. Lunch was served at 1300 - Soup, DIY rolls using wok fried Telapia fish, chicken with rice and veg and a pomelo and coconut cream desert. I was hoping I'd look more svelte after a holiday eating Vietnamese food but instead I'm scoffing delicious 4 course meals...washed down with a few 333 beers of course. Nice touch that they only charge $2 for the beers (rather than ripping off the captive tourists).
And then came the rain....lots of it.

 

[cambriamarsh]

On board, great report

 

[GDSman]

The rain fell all afternoon and continued at our afternoon stop to walk through a village. We decided to go anyway...what's a little rain after all. Thankfully the ship's umbrellas kept the worst away. We visited a house/farm where they had quite a menagerie of goats, pigs, cow, rabbits, snakes and many fruits and veg. Amazing diversity...although I wasn't sure if perhaps it was a bit contrived as it seemed too perfect.
After the visit we spent a pleasant hour or so reading and watching movies on iPad before being called up top for 'coughtails'...the ship's bar doesn't carry much so we had a strange rice wine and coughquat drink...and then another to be sure....
Dinner was fantastic, as lunch had been. A soup (octopus this time), lotus root salad with prawns, catfish with rice and veg and finally a creme caramel sort of thing. Just lovely sitting on the deck watching the lights from shore and enjoying a great meal with a beer.

 

[GDSman]

We left the curtains open so that we could enjoy dawn on the Mekong delta. It was lovely to wake up and here the cougherels from the nearby village.
Breakfast was 0730 so we lazed in bed and watched a movie - Sing - bit of family fun.
I went out on deck to get some tea and saw breakfast prep was happening so we grabbed showers - impressive pressure for a boat - and went up for another feast.
Half a dozen fruits, poached eggs, toast and jam.....
Well fed we headed on our morning excursion: Sampan ride through backwaters, visit to a floating market, Coconut sweet factory and a quick bike ride.
The sampan was nice - I enjoy getting close to life in the small tributaries running through the rural village. Then onto a mid sized boat for a visit to the floating market (with lots of fruit sampling) before being dropped at the coconut sweet place. We all know why we're here of course, so after the quick tour of the process it was into the shop to sample and buy a few things - and very tasty they are too!
Our bike ride had to be cut short as the chosen path was being excavated- but we got a taste of it.
Now back to the boat to cool down, relax and wait for lunch.....tough life!

 

[GDSman]

Oh I forgot the market. They're pretty rough and ready in the delta....you know when you see that look in a kid's eyes that says "I'm going to become a vegetarian"? If he didn't enjoy meat so much I think I just saw it in my son....lots of live animal prep going on - chickens, duck, frog and fish all being dispatched before our eyes....
The rat basket was interesting - small water rats - apparently a real delicacy...

 

[GDSman]

Finally for this morning, just took a picture of the cabin since it's just been tidied- this is the larger of the two. Will see if the panoramic photo renders ok...