Saturday, December 7, 2013

Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta

HO CHI MINH CITY
 I am back again.

My second visit to Ho Chi Minh City (15 Nov. - 18 Nov. 2013) in the Vietnamese soil can be considered as a thorn among roses. The party comprised 11 members, 10 attractive ladies and I was the only male. The visit coincided with the school holidays. Shopping, visiting shopping complexes and markets dominated the activity and the traditional island in the Mekong Delta was the sole destination to step on.  

The main attraction definitely The Ben Thant Market. Its strategic location and unlimited choice of goods and products at bargain-able price flocked particularly Malaysian tourists to the spot. After sunset the vendors moved their goods to set the night markets. Actually they were dealing the same goods and products  but no different in business

Surprisingly, the Vietnamese vendors communicated understandable Malay and the transaction can be considered in RM apart from the Vietnamese dong and USD. A couple of a year ago they could hardly uttered Malay words and their American English, definitely shattered.

Halal food stalls and restaurants were just around the corner

All in the group
The thorn among roses


Myself and spouse

Myself at Mekong Stop



THE MARKETS AND THE SHOPPING COMPLEXES



 The main attraction!
One of the main entrance
One of the section inside the Ben Thant Market


Another attraction but only for the locals.
No transaction occurred
Just a window shopping

The madams of the group

Confessing satisfaction

The night markets
Just by the main market



Bargaining shoes
The second quality could be more expensive
 without wise bargaining





Sipping the Vietnamese coffee
delicious and reasonable . 



Another attraction, Cho lon the china town
Similar to Ben Thant

One of the city's main road
Motorbikes dominate the roads and streets
 to cater the 16 million inhabitants
Helmets are sold freely in market stall
various shapes, colours and style
The price is affordable


THE MEKONG DELTA 

The Mekong Stop.
On the way to the Mekong Delta


The Mekong Stop.
Full of greenness, 
soothes everybody eyes

The dense lotus covering the pool
The floating flowerings
combination of green and litmus red



At the pier before floating to the traditional island


The boat that floats us  to the destination



Floating and relaxing over the Saigon River
It took a quarter of an hour  to reach the opposite bank.




Over the Saigon River,
one the Mekong's dis-tributaries







Finalizing  the traditional product
the coconut cookies.


Bargaining the product.


A memory with the retarded
who begged for living




Trying the traditional means of transporting light goods and product.
Reminding me during childhood lending hands to my grandpa 

carrying fish and green produce.


Row row the boat, gently down the stream....
Interesting to me but a hair raising journey for my madam.
This 2 km journey by narrow milky stream passing through
dense nipah vegetation took 20 minutes to the river pier 







At the pier trying the traditional rag hat





I enjoyed the excursion and hope to be back again for the third time.
Truly Vietnam is a fast growing nation, rich in agricultural products and human resources. Vietnamese are polite, friendly and laborious.


Extra Photos

Another section of the Ben Thant market

"The heart throbs"

The squatting madams

HEN GAP LAI
SEE YOU AGAIN.