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Monday, May 14, 2007
Ho Chi Minh City (22-26 Dec 2006): Day 3 (Day)
Sunday, 24 December 2006 - Ho Chi Minh City Tour
This was a full day tour where our first stop was the Giac Lam Pagoda. Built in 1744, it is the oldest pagoda in HCMC, reflecting the architectural style of pagodas in Southern Vietnam. It has remarkable carved wooden pillars, gilded descriptions in old Vietnamese characters, funeral tablets, incense and Buddha statues.
 Giac Lam Pagoda.
118 Lac Long Quan Street, Tan Binh District.
Opening Hours: 6am - 5.30pm.
 Giac Lam Pagoda Hall.
 Vegetarian Meal.
 Herdsboy with a pure heart.
Shows a herdsboy leading a black cow,
which eventually turns white with herdboy's consistent purity.
 Pagoda.
We then proceeded to Binh Tay Market to shop for an hour before going to Thien Hau Temple. Dating back to the early 19th century, this temple is dedicated to Tien Hou, the Chinese Goddess of the Sea who protects fishermen, sailors, merchants and other seafares. With beautiful ceramic figurines and antiques, Tien Hou Temple commemorates the arrival of the first Chinese Chinese immigrants from Canton.
 Thien Hou Temple.
710 Nguyen Trai Street, District 5.
Opening Hours: 6am - 5.30pm.
Next stop is the Vietnamese Handicapped Factory. We were actually stopping by before going back to Sinh Cafe for lunch.
 Me at the Vietnamese Handicapped Factory.
 Production process board.
 Me with a HUGE wooden barrel.
 Mummy waiting for the rest of the group.
 Mummy & me resting outside handicapped factory.
The destination after lunch was the War Remnants Museum which was opened to the public for the first time on 4 September 1975. It systematically studies, collects, preserves and displays exhibits on war crimes and aftermaths foreign aggression forces caused to the Vietnamese people.
 Mummy with the deadly nipon bombs.
 Me with big tanker!
 Mummy with US Helicopter.
 Gullotine.
 Prison-Of-War.
 The symbol reminds me so much of PEACE.
The stop after was the Reunification Palace. Built on an area of 12 hectares, bounded by 4 main roads - Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Nguyen Du, Huyen Tran Cong Chua and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. The palace was built over a three-year period from 1868-1871, following a colonial-style design by French architect Hermite.
 Reunification Palace entrance ticket.
 Entrance of Reunification Palace.
 This was where the Emperor or President used to sit.
 Meeting room where the Emperor met his guests.
 Helicopter on rooftop for the Emperor/President to make his escape in time of crisis.
 Me at palace's rooftop.
 Mummy at the rooftop balcony.
 A shot at palace entrance before leaving.
The last stop was actually to the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Saigon Central Post Office.
Located right in the heart of the city, the Notre Dame Cathedral was built between 1877 and 1833. Its neo-Romanesque style and two 40-metre-high square steeples make it a central landmark. You can attend mass held three times on weekdays and Saturdays and at six times on Sundays.
 There was an ongoing mass when we arrived.
 Notre Dame Cathedral.
 Me and Mummy in front of the cathedral.
Minutes walk away from the Notre Dame Cathedral is the Saigon Central Post Office which was built between 1866 and 1891 in a traditional French-style.
 Saigon Central Post Office.
2 Cong Xa Paris Street, District 1.
Postal services available daily from 6am - 10pm.
 In front of Saigon Central Post Office.
 Its ceiling.
 Outside phone booth of Post Office.
 Hello... Anyone on the line?
The day tour ended here and we headed back after. Needed to rest before tonight's Christmas dinner...
Labels: Travel, Vacation, Vietnam
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