A Trip to Vietnam

In between jobs, the best to do is to travel. Especially when you got a mother who murmurs all the time about how daughter neglects her. This is the good time to please her with a trip. So we went to a mystery, exotic country - Vietnam where I believe it gets enough excitements for distracting us from fighting during the trip.

First evening we arrived, it was a Thursday. The sky was still bright enough to see the French style residential building along the way to Hu Chi Ming city center. Turquoise, sky blue, pink, egg shell, sharp yellow even red they have been applying on the narrow, 3-storage-high condos. All with balcony decorated with plants, and tall wooden-frame window with light curtains. Not hard to see their heritage of artistic character from the French after the 100-year of colonial history.

Maybe I have just seen too many developing cities in China. Everything else to me reminded me of it. Except of course the tidiness and sanitary were contrast. Around 6pm we arrived the city center. The Notre Dame of Hu Chi Ming we saw with plenty of worshipers not only fill up the church, but also the front yard. Comparing to the Notre Dame de Paris, I must admit that this one doesn't impress me at all. Pink wall, not too large size, imitating circle glass windows. Even the garden on the front yard was boring and artificially unattractive. Among that, the faces of worshipers crowding outside the church were awesome. That really surprise me as for a former-communism country!

Next to the church, there is Central Post office. Remind me of the Gare(Train Station) in France. The use of green steel, pattern floor, high ceiling, wooden interior, French lighting gave a very 60s European style. Central Post office is designed by Effiel, who also designed La tour Effiel. No wonder! I sent a postcard to myself (that took almost 2 weeks to get to my hand).

Before we ate at a cruise on Saigon River, we shopped at the Antique Street in business district. Stuffs are expensive, commercial and touristic. Yet, I bought a recycle paper painting of a Vietnam lady in Ao dai, their tradition long dress that can perfectly display the beauty of women's body. The first time I confronted with Vietnam people (the sales girl), I found them kind of slow and gentle and not-too-smart in general. The cruise is fine. Well, nothing to see in the dark on Saigon River so they fed you with the showgirls singing and fire-dancing. Both not my taste, in fact a bit uncomfortable for the fire-dancing. Until a smelly magician started to play at every table, there came some fun. After all, I was just a kid I guess!