Saigon

I have been trying to blog on the go for a long time and it's nice to be able to do it (for the first time, I think) in Saigon. I managed to explore the Reunification palace, War Remnants Museum and Ben Thanh Market yesterday after I touched down in the afternoon. As I was flying non-stop the whole week (Jakarta then Saigon), I did not bring a camera with me. Lucky for me, I had my trusty BB with me. Here is my picturesque!

Opera House in the day. Did not have the opportunity to see it in the day the last time. Awesome summer day :)

Water fountains - evidences of Saigon's past as a French Colony...

Not as impressive as the water fountains in Europe. But quaint all the same.

Saigon has changed so much in the last 2 years. It's cleaner now. And the traffic is not as bad. There are more road signs too, and I could walk from one place of interest to another easily (well, not forgetting the help of friendly Vietnamese).

Spotted on my way to the Reunification Palace...

Roadside stalls are a common sight in Saigon... Maybe I will try some street food tomorrow....

 

Reunification Palace which has witnessed many significant events of Vietnam... 

The meaning behind the architecture is quite meaningful. Was intrigued by the design of the windows.

My heart felt very heavy after visiting the museum...yours would too if you know the story behind the Vietnam War... There are never any winners in any war....

 

Late lunch, early dinner after an hour of bargaining at the Ben Thanh Market... 

Fried spring rolls... Nice... Have not had the chance to try the paper rolls yet :(

 

Decided to try it with the lettuce... Refreshing as it took away some of the oiliness...

Chicken Pho....Added the garnishes as well as lime, which I found gave it a 'zest'!

And of course, who could resist the Vietnamese coffee? Delicious! And the meal costs only about 130 dong (less than SGD 15!!!) It would probably have been at least SGD 20 in Singapore!

Taking in the night life of Saigon... Very charming....

Evokes a kind of shanghai feel, I thought :)

Ho Chi Minh City will always have a special place in my heart - a place where I attended my first Management Group Conference with my previous firm and now, my first overseas training with my new firm. And the surreal thing is the former firm is conducting a training in the hotel I am staying at so I kept bumping into familar faces. Once KXXX, Always KXXX. How true it is turning out for me!



Solo Traveller - Step 4

我回来了！一个人旅行，说不上好玩， 但很自由，平静。旅行的意义，没有人和你分享， 只有自己能够体会。

第一次的单独旅行，有很多的第一次。第一次住民俗，第一次在异乡骑脚踏车， 第一次在异乡过生日。。。我想单独旅行在台湾并不普遍，当他们知道我是一个人旅行时，总会‘好厉害’，‘好奇怪’ 的。 二月的台湾又冷又湿，但让我感受到他们的热情。

回来的这个星期，心情是复杂的。离开熟悉的工作岗位和同事，会有一点不舍， 有一点不安。但我很期待未来的新挑战和将遇见的人。

有人问我，这次旅行是不是为了找寻某某答案。我想我是想尝试新的东西吧。Have the courage to do crazy things! 这就是我的答案。

Solo Traveller - Step 3

Over the last few weeks, I realised that I had to do more planning when I travel solo - there's no one to spilt up the research and no one to keep tab on the progress. Well, I do my best :P Today, the adventure starts. I am at Changi Airport now, about 50 minutes before my flight to Taipei takes off. It's been such a long time since I depart from T3 and the Butterfly Garden really made my day - it's so pretty and surreal as you walk amongst the butterflies flying around you! Nice! I'm so proud of our airport! :)

How do I feel? It's complicated - happy, excited, free, nervous, scared, high... It's like how you feel at your first day in school or at work - you don't really know what will unfold in the days ahead even though there are some plans in place. But I'm definitely looking forward to it and living to tell my story :) Daily updates over the next few days if possible, otherwise when I'm back in town.

ilovelongvacation - Paris D4

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- D4 in Paris (Last day of 17-day trip to Italy and Paris)
If like me, you love art and museum, you will love the Louvre :)

ilovelongvacation - Paris D3

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- D3 in Paris
How can anyone not love Paris? LOL.

ilovelongvacation - Paris D1 and D2

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- D1 and D2 in Paris
Me in the beautiful Galeries Lafayette in Paris :) Happy New Year's Eve - 6.5 hours to 2012!

ilovelongvacation - Milan D13 and D14

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- D13 and D14 in Milan
The Last Supper at Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie II, which we did not manage to see :(

Solo traveller - Step 2

I have never been much of a serious planner when it comes to travelling. Well, I have been assigned responsibilities for parts (usually 1 part) of a trip and I could always count on my dear friends and family to do all the research on the best hotels, tours, food etc. My philosophy has always been to just go and have fun! Free and easy mah!

So I find it quite funny (yes, it's fun in its own way) now that I have to plan for my solo trip to Taiwan in February 2012. If you have read about it (click here if you have not), I have been to Taiwan before so this time, I am planning to explore places I have not been and/or revisit places which I feel deserve more attention. Now that I have nailed down the places I want to visit, I have to book the hotel in Taipei and 名宿 in Hualien and Jiufen.

It's amusing how I emailed a few 名宿 owners in English and they all replied in Chinese. So I started to email them in Chinese (yes, my rusty Singaprean Chinese which I am proud of). That was part of the fun, I guess :) Got to sort all my accomodations before I start booking train tickets. And I just realised that February is winter in Taiwan and it's going to be cold. Based on my experience in Italy, perhaps I should also think about getting a thicker coat! Phew!

ilovelongvacation - Milan D12

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- D12 in Milan
Duomo di Milano, with 'saints' overlooking the city :)

Solo traveller - Step 1

I finally took my first step to travel solo in 2012! Just booked my SQ flight to Taipei (ticket costs $500+, about $200 cheaper than a few years back) after thinking about it for weeks.

Have been wondering about how it is like to be a solo traveller for the past few years after hearing friends talk about it. Somehow I lack the courage to do it - I always tell myself it's cheaper (and probably more fun) to travel with people :)

Perhaps meeting so many solo travellers in Melbourne last month helped me to make up my mind and give it a try. If these European kids can travel in Australia for a few months on their own, I can surely survive for a week in Taiwan. I have been there, so it is not really foreign to me although I am visiting in a different season and planning to visit new places and stay in 民宿 this time.

It's also a big present for myself - I'm going in the week leading to my 33rd birthday :) I'm definitely looking forward to 2012 where I must really plan for the trip (because there is no one to rely on and share costs this time :P)

ilovelongvacation - Venice D10

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- D10 in Venice, in St Mark's Square

Bridge of Sighs has a beautiful story behind it. The bridge linked the court and the cells. So all prisoners had to pass the bridge to their cells. As they took a last look through the window on the bridge, they will sigh because it was their last look at the outside world. Perhaps a sigh that lamented the lost of freedom?

ilovelongvacation - Venice D10

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- D10 in Venice, all about the Grand Canal

Pretty Grand Canal. Here's a peek :P

ilovelongvacation - Venice D9

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- D9 in Venice

Venice so reminds me of Australia. So blue. So Sunny. Yet so Cold.

ilovelongvacation - Florence D8

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- D8 in Florence

David is the icon of Florence! Check him out! :P

ilovelongvacation - San Gimignano D7

Hot from the press https://ilovelongvacation.wordpress.com/ - D7 in San Gimignano Here's a meaningful picture taken in Italy - Outside a ceramics shop. When you travel, just seize the day - it's highly likely that we will not visit a foreign land twice, contrary of what we think.

ilovelongvacation - Siena D7

Hot from the press https://ilovelongvacation.wordpress.com/ - D7 in Siena Here's one of my favorites picture taken in Italy - The Cathedral of Siena :)

ilovelongvacation - Florence D6 (150th anniversary of unification of Italy)

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-  D6 in Florence

We witnessed the parade celebrating the 150th anniversary of unification of Italy!

ilovelongvacation - Florence/Pisa D6

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- D6 in Florence and Pisa

Here's one of my favorites picture taken in Italy - on top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa :) Courtesy of ML?MQ (I really don't remember but thank you! haha)

ilovelongvacation - Florence D5

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- D5 in Florence!

Here's one of my favorites picture taken in Italy - on the train to Florence :)

ilovelongvacation - Rome D4

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- D4 in Rome!

Here's another of my favorites picture taken in Rome :)

The Roman Forum - a beautiful reflection of the remains of time...