Day 3: 13 September 2017, Friday

It’s my last full day in HCMC and I didn’t have anything planned today so I checked the cinema listings to see what movies were showing. I found out that there was a new 3D release of Terminator 2: Judgment Day out now. It’s my favourite film of all time and I have watched it more than 20 times, first on LaserDisc, later on DVD and then on Blu Ray, but I have never watched it in the cinema before. The film was originally released in 1991, when I was still a primary school kid.

To me, everything about the film is perfect – the cast, story, action, special effects, music, acting and directing are all top notch. Edward Furlong was the cool kid that I wished I could be – he is street smart and good with gadgets, sports a cool floppy fringe, has a love for loud rock music and arcade games, and best of all, he rides the motorbike like a real rebel.

And I think Robert Patrick’s T-1000 shapeshifting terminator is the best villain in cinema history. The death stare he gives when he is about to stick his finger into his victims’ eyeballs sends chills down my spine every time. The best action sequences are not the car chases, but rather, the foot chases, when he sprints with that upright body frame and 90-degree arm swings. Truly menacing.

Then there’s Linda Hamilton, who gave a performance of a lifetime with her strong yet vulnerable portrayal of Sarah Connor, upon whom the fate of mankind rests upon her broad shoulders. You know she is not to be messed with the moment you see her doing chin ups in the asylum early in the film. To me, she is the greatest female heroine in cinema history.

And of course, who can forget Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 terminator? He may not be as advanced as the T-1000 but he slowly learns the ways of human beings and becomes a better robot eventually. To be honest, Schwarzenegger didn’t have to do a whole lot of acting because he is quite robotic in real life anyway. And he didn’t have to stretch himself too much to deliver those classic lines in a deadpan manner. Hasta la vista, baby!

Ok, before this post becomes a love letter for Terminator 2 (it kinda is), back to HCMC. I got tired of walking around so I decided to try out a Xe Om, or motorbike taxi, for the first time. After three days here, I concluded that due to the mad traffic situation, a Xe Om will get you to your destination faster than a regular taxi. Navigating through the chaotic sea of vehicles is an acquired skill! However, riding a Xe Om is very safe and it is something every visitor to Vietnam should try at least once. A short ride costs around 20,000 VND (S$1.20) and it is a good experience.

After lunch at some random restaurant, I searched for a café called M.I.E.U. Coffee but I discovered that it was no longer in operation. In its place was another café called The Laban. Seems like the turnover rate for cafes here in HCMC is very high. There are numerous cafes around but unfortunately most of them don’t last long.

The Laban was a small café and there were no other customers when I visited. I ordered a glass of Thai iced green tea (39,000 VND / S$2.35) because it was another scorching day, with temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius. It may be the wet season now but it was still very hot most of the time.

I then made my way to the Cinestar Cinema Quoc Thanh at Nguyen Trai street to catch my movie. Along the way, I passed by a newly opened Taiwan cheese tea/bubble tea shop called Xi Cha. Even though I wasn’t remotely hungry or thirsty, I decided to buy one cup because the shop owner was very friendly and she gave me free pearls too. The big cup was only 49,000 VND (S$2.95) and it was very good. Much better and cheaper than Singapore’s LiHo cheese tea. Highly recommended!

The Cinestar cinema complex is very new and posh. There were only eight patrons for my screening so we practically had the whole theatre to ourselves. I don’t usually watch 3D movies because I find them gimmicky and they cost too much in Singapore – S$11 on weekdays and S$14 on weekends. But here, my Terminator 2 3D movie ticket costs only 85,000 VND (S$5.10). A great way to pass time if you’re bored.

For dinner, I tried one of the push cart stalls just down the road from my hostel. I had been walking past this stall for a few days now and it seemed safe enough (i.e. hygienic enough). I ordered a bowl of beef ball noodles and it cost only 30,000 VND (S$1.80). It was so good! I realised than more often than not, the best meals are the cheapest ones, and you don’t have to eat at fancy restaurants to get good food. Just look around you and you’ll discover some local delights and hidden gems.

I then walked down the familiar path to Nguyen Hue walking street, where I visited during my first night. However, it was not raining today so the crowds were out in full force. Add to the fact that it was Friday night, so everyone was out here for a good time. There was a very lively atmosphere, with a mix of locals and tourists enjoying the buzz and taking photos of the water fountain.

I ended the day with a visit to yet another café called The Workshop. It was recommended by many blogs and thankfully, it was still in business. It is located at 27 Ngo Duc Ke, a side road off Nguyen Hue walking street. It occupies a loft at the building so you’ll need to climb three flights of stairs to get there. As usual, the entrance on the ground floor is quite hard to locate and you’ll need to keep your eyes out for a small die cut metal sign that says “The Workshop”.

Because it is a loft unit, the café has a high roof so it appears very spacious. The décor is nice and it is a comfortable place to relax, chit chat and read a book. I arrived quite late at 8:20pm so it wasn’t crowded anymore, as the café closes at 9:00pm every night. However, I didn’t want to leave without trying the coffee. They didn’t have the full menu at this hour so I ordered a flask of Chemex coffee for 80,000 VND (S$4.80). It’s a nice place to hang out and worth a visit. Just come earlier next time.

On the way back to my hostel, I passed by a roadside stall and saw many people eating a snack. I was curious so I bought one to try. It is called Banh Trang Nuong, or baked rice cake according to Google Translate. It is commonly called Vietnamese pizza but crispy taco would be a more appropriate description.

There were five ingredients comprising of chopped spring onion, quail egg and three more items but I’m not sure what they were. The ingredients were laid upon a thin, popiah-like skin and grilled over a charcoal fire until the skin hardened and became crispy. A small piece of butter was also added on top of the ingredients before the whole thing was completely hardened and folded in half.

I loved it the moment I had my first bite. The skin was crispy like a cracker and the ingredients combined to make it very tasty, especially when it was still piping hot. The best part was the salty melted butter…so yummy! And it’s only 20,000 VND (S$1.20). It’s a must try if you’re in HCMC!

Along the way, I saw many cool restaurants offering all sorts of cuisines you’ll be spoilt for choice. The bubble tea game here in HCMC is also very strong. There was practically one row full of bubble tea shops, including popular ones like Koi and Sharetea. You can spend the whole day here in HCMC just eating and drinking.

Since it was the last night, I went back to the Ben Thanh night market to do some last-minute shopping and soak in the atmosphere. I capped of the night with a cup of sugar cane juice with lemon, costing 15,000 VND (S$0.90). And that’s the end of Day 3!

 

Day 4: 14 September 2017, Saturday

This morning, as I was having breakfast at the rooftop café, I met two solo travellers – a Chinese guy called Bryan and an American guy (I forgot his name). Immediately after introducing myself, Bryan asked me if I was Singaporean. I said yes and asked him how he knew. He said he knew because he’s Malaysian. Dang, you can spot a Singaporean the moment he opens his mouth! I wasn’t even speaking Singlish but I guess it’s there’s still a distinctive Singaporean accent that’s instantly recognisable.

Anyway, as usual, we shared our stories of what brought us here to HCMC. Bryan had been living and working in Toronto for the past 10 years and he was currently on a 6-month sabbatical. Before coming to HCMC, he had travelled to 17 countries in Europe before dropping by his hometown in Penang. After HCMC, he would be moving on to Taiwan, China and Japan before heading back to Toronto.

As for the American guy, he has a Venezuelan girlfriend but he was here in HCMC alone. He was planning to rent or buy a cheap motorbike and ride up north to Hanoi, so he was still looking around for options and figuring out the costs and itinerary. So cool.

This is the best part about staying in a hostel because you get to meet other people who are on their own journey in life. Everyone has their own stories and experiences yet somehow, you end up staying at the same hostel and having breakfast together. You may only meet them for one day but the impressions stay with you for a long time.

After breakfast, I roamed around the neighbourhood and tried an Uber Moto instead of a Xe Om. Yes, that’s Uber on two wheels, something we don’t have in Singapore. They even provide helmets here. With Uber and Grab around, I worry for the older generation of Xe Om drivers. They will probably lose out if they don’t jump on the bandwagon soon.

As I walked around, I saw a stall selling Banh Quay, or fried bread sticks, or what we call youtiao in Singapore. It was only 4,000 VND (S$0.25) so I bought one. Tasted exactly like the ones from home!

I then had another cup of ca phe sua da. It was from a small random roadside shop so it was very cheap, only 15,000 VND (S$0.90) a cup. It was even better than the one I had two days ago at The Morning Café. In HCMC, it is perfectly fine to sit at a café for hours to sip coffee and use their free wifi. In fact, the wifi password is usually printed on their menus or displayed prominently on the walls, so you don’t even have to ask for it! Singapore should take a leaf from Vietnam in this regard.

As I walked around, I got hungry again and craved for some Bánh Mì Thit, or Vietnamese meat sandwich/baguette. I got lucky and found a stall selling it for only 10,000 VND (S$0.60). I’m not exaggerating but it was soooo goooood! I could easily eat two of these in a row. Totally yummy.

I then spent the last of my time in HCMC walking around Bui Vien Street, the backpacker’s district. It was relatively quiet in the day but I can imagine it would be very lively at night, with so many pubs and restaurants around. It transforms into a walking street from 7:00pm to 2:00am every Saturday and Sunday. I was quite glad I didn’t stay here because it would probably be too noisy and rowdy for me.

At 2:20pm, I went to the bus terminal near to my hostel and caught the yellow 109 bus to the airport. As before, the ticket was 20,000 VND (S$1.20) and the ride took around 40 minutes. My return Scoot flight was not full so they upgraded me to an exit row seat at no extra charge. Nice! At 5:20pm, I scooted off from HCMC and landed in Singapore at 8:25pm. Home sweet home!

 

CLOSING THOUGHTS ON HO CHI MINH CITY

HCMC is very safe
Throughout my four days here, I never once felt unsafe walking along the streets alone, even at night. You may think that in poorer and less developed countries, the chances of being mugged or pickpocketed is higher but it’s not true. Instead, based on my personal experience and that of my other friends, these bad things happen in the more affluent countries and cities like Paris, Barcelona, Melbourne and Los Angeles. Of course, you still need to adopt common sense safety precautions anywhere in the world, but I felt at ease during my stay in HCMC.

Don’t judge the friendliness of a country’s people based on the people you encounter at shopping areas/markets
At the night markets or touristy areas, it is only natural that the locals there are may be more “cunning” or “scheming”, because they are trying to earn your money while you are trying to bargain to get the best deal. During my bus ride back to the airport, I observed how the bus driver was being very helpful to a local guy when he alighted and asked for directions to the place he was going. The driver tried to be as detailed as he could so that the guy could get to the place correctly. These interactions reveal so much more about the psyche and true nature of the people.

Smile more – it’s free
It is very rare that a smile goes unreturned. Even when Xe Om drivers or massage touts approach or call out to me, I will wave them off politely and smile back at them. At least you acknowledge their effort and presence, and I believe it makes them feel better even though they’re being rejected. After tasting good food or coffee, I smiled at the owner or gave them the thumbs up, or simply told them “very good”. When they receive such compliments, they smile back. It’s a small gesture but I believe it makes them feel better about themselves, that people appreciate their food. It’s sincere flattery.

The best food is often the cheapest
I’ve had some great eats here in HCMC – the Banh Trang Nuong (the crispy taco snack), beef ball noodles, Bánh Mì Thit (pork sandwich), ca phe sua da (iced milk coffee) – and these are all the cheapest stuff. Coffee at The Workshop was good and the place had a nice ambience, but I honestly enjoyed the cheaper stuff more. It’s just more authentic.

For my first two days, I mostly visited places that other bloggers recommended – yes, they were great, but they’re commercialised and increasingly catered to tourists. With more time, I could explore the more local neighbourhoods and discover more of those authentic places. And they always turn out to be the most memorable.

Vietnamese people may not be affluent, but they’re hopeful
After four days, I’ve come to learn that the Vietnamese people have an indomitable spirit. You can still see vestiges of old Vietnam around – ladies wearing conical straw hats hawking food by the road side, old shops selling basic stuff that seem to attract no customers and you wonder how they survive. But somehow, despite the hardship and challenges they face, you can sense that they are hopeful and positive.

I’m not saying this like some grandiose concept, but it’s a feeling that I can sense. Life is tough here, infrastructure is crumbling but they are not dejected or bitter. They embrace the simple life with optimism. It’s just a different feeling compared to Singaporeans and other developed countries.

Motorbikes and scooters are not just a means of transport – they are a way of life
Everyone rides a bike here. It’s always amazing how there can be so many bikes on the road at any time. How is it that there are so many people trying to get somewhere all the time? Where are they going? Don’t they have jobs? I guess for them, that is their job – they have to do deliveries, they have to pick their kids up from school. They just have to go somewhere. It is their way of life.

They park their bikes at the doorsteps of shops because there are no, or very few, designated parking areas or carparks. There will often be an attendant outside the shop who will help park the bikes in the most compact manner to minimise obstruction. Taking a bike is as natural to them as walking is to us. It’s quintessentially Vietnamese. Strip away the bikes and you take away an important facet of Vietnamese culture.

All in all, I enjoyed my short stay in Ho Chi Minh City. Thanks for the good food, coffee and shopping. I hope to return one day!