Ho Chi Minh Vietnam Vacation
We noticed that there was a holiday where Matt wouldn’t have to work and Kalani didn’t have school, so that was a perfect time to plan a vacation! Matt booked us tickets, a hotel room, and tour guide for 3 days in Ho Chi Minh City. We were all set and ready to say, “Good Morning Vietnam!” However that almost didn’t happen. As we were clearing immigration in Vietnam we realized we had a problem. We didn’t realize that we needed a visa, even for a short vacation. No one from the hotel, airlines, or friends / tour guide mentioned it. Luckily we brought US dollars with us since we had to pay $160 USD for each of us to obtain an “Emergency” visa on the spot. If we didn’t have the cash on hand we would have had to get on a plane and head back to the Philippines. After 2-3 hours at the airport we headed to Asiana Intercontinental Hotel…the hotel car shuttle waited for us at the airport all that time we waited for our visa!
Dinner with Matt’s co-worker and her family at Cuc Gach restaurant. Apparently Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have eaten there.
Our first stop on our city tour was at the local market. Vendors inside and out. Outer portion is food and the inner area is clothing, toys, etc.
Items for sale inside the market.
Thien Hau Pagoda had amazing artistry.
Vietnam War Remnants Museum…not sure how accurate the information is that is being displayed, and some photos and stories are pretty graphic. Still it was cool to see a big tank! (Mason thought all of these were Transformers)
These teenage boys wanted a photo with our 9 year old girl! Kalani kept being told by men and women old and young how pretty she is.
Inside of the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica.
In Vietnam the farmer’s family members who pass away are buried in their fields.
Ready to go on the Mekong Delta. A long river that starts in China and goes through most of the countries in South East Asia and finally reaches the ocean in Vietnam.
Along the Mekong Delta we saw this lady making rice paper for spring rolls. We also saw them making coconut candy, extracting coconut oil, making rice cakes, etc.
We rode in this smaller canoe to go down a channel of the Mekong Delta.
We went to a pottery warehouse where we saw them molding pots and then firing them in the kiln.
Crocodile feeding. Everyone had a great time give the crocodile chicken meat.
We went to a wet market and there were a ton of snakes ready for purchase…plus other types of meat and produce.
End our second day in Vietnam by getting our hair washed at a salon. My lady felt like she was clawing my head and then she stuck her fingers in my ears a few different times…I could have done without this experience, but at least they straightened my hair for me.
Our last full day in Vietnam we spent the morning at Dam Sen water park.
Our last night in Vietnam we watched the Water Puppet Show. It was only 1 hour long and pretty entertaining although we didn’t understand a word being said.
We drove past about a half a dozen Baskin Robbin stores. Of course we had to stop and have some ice cream…it has been over a year since we had some 31 flavors and we weren’t disappointed!
Vietnam has a TON of motorbikes. I don’t understand the traffic rules and I am grateful we were in a car. Still it was impressive to see so many motorbikes on the road.
More photos of Vietnam here.
