I arrived Friday mid day to the hussel and bussel of Ho Chi Minh City,
and was exhausted from traveling and seeing so many sights in Cambodia, so I
took the afternoon to recuperate. My hotel “Giang Son 2” is located in the
backpackers district of the city, and is a temporary home to many foreign
visitors. It is a mix of busy main
streets lined with restaurants and tour companies to serve the tourists, and
interwoven with tiny little side streets where the local Vietnamese live and
eat. The streets are just oozing with activity and life. The side streets are where the people
live! Their homes are a place to recuperate from the day’s activities.
The life blood or flow of HCMC is the roads. Buzzing with
the chaos of motorcycles. There
are a phenomenal number of motorcycles.
It is indescribable!
I was quoted the population of the city is 10 million people with 6
million motorcycles. People
use motorcycles as their primary
mode of transportation, to carry any (and I mean any) of their goods; 12 foot
metal poles sticking slung over the driver’s shoulder, an entire family of 4
people on a single motor cycle, 12 foot window pains (hung on by the back
passenger), doors, a crop of vegetables, a dozen geese, or baskets (one driver
had a basket over his head and face, because he didn’t have enough room on his
motorcyle), sky high stacks of material, foam, wooden sticks, you name it, they
put in on their motorcycle. I even
saw a driver carrying a roster in his arms while he drove his bike that was loaded
down with other goods in behind.
HCMC is a city of the people. The people living their everydat life on the streets form
its character. The buildings are
impressive, but its street life is what really left its impression on me.
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| Fish market at Ben Thanh Market |
Saturday I spent the morning and afternoon exploring the
streets of HCMC; went to the large food and goods market in the city’s center
called Ben Thanh market. This was
an interesting market, where I discovered all sorts of new foods. I tired Jack fruit (which tastes like a
crunchy banana… soooo yummy), and
some other unknown fruits, and then finished with some pork wrapped rice paper
rolls (I enjoyed it so much I got two servings and took one with me for a snack
later in the day… yum). After the
market I went to the Bitexco tower.
This is a very iconic tower completed in 2011 which over looks the
city. The viewing level is on the
49
th floor and provides mesmerizing views of the city. The tower was constructed like a
unopened lotus flower.
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| Motorcycle madness |
Saturday night, I was joined by Fred. It was amazing to see a friendly face
and it will be so much fun to share some travelling experiences together.
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| Side street |
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| Making rice paper rolls = yum! |
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| Somehow I dont think this wiring would pass safety codes in Canada |
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| View of HCMC from the Bitexco Tower |
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| Bitexco tower in the distance |
