26 November 2022, Saturday
We had a light programme today – free and easy in the morning, followed by a bike fitting session in the afternoon and lastly, a group dinner. In the morning, some of the members toured the Cu Chi Tunnels while others went on a Jeep Tour. I have never been on either tour, but I decided to do my own thing because you know, Pisceans need to retreat to their own world sometimes.
Since this was the only free day for the trip, I decided to skip the hotel breakfast and head out for some nice food instead. My friend DY visited HCMC recently and she recommended a place called Little HaNoi, famous for their egg coffee. I checked Google Maps and saw that it was less than 10 minutes’ walk away, so it was perfect. From Avanti Boutique Hotel, I walked through a nice park with big old trees and arrived at Little HaNoi at 8:17am.
Little HaNoi Egg Coffee (click here) has two outlets in HCMC and the one I visited was located at 119/5 Yersin, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1. A wooden signboard at their entrance read “The hidden gem, the unique culture”. Indeed, the entrance to Little HaNoi was tucked away in a little nondescript alley away from the main road. There was a small food stall outside and I would never have thought of entering the alley if I walked past it on my own. But with Google Maps nowadays, these “hidden gems” are no longer really hidden, and anyone with a mobile Internet connection can easily find them.
When I stepped into Little HaNoi, I was greeted by a friendly female staff, who led me to a cosy wooden table facing the window. The café had two levels but it wasn’t very big, with six tables on the ground floor and perhaps another three tables on the upper floor. There was only one other group occupying the table upstairs when I arrived.
The place was nicely decorated, with a Christmas tree, lights and wreaths adding to the festive mood. The walls were plastered with framed photographs and they were a pleasant shade of light yellow, complementing the colour of the egg coffee which I would be having soon. I ordered the namesake egg coffee (50,000 dong/S$2.90) and a ham & cheese toast (80,000 dong/S$4.62) for my breakfast. I was tempted to order the mango toast as well but I knew it would be too much for me so I restrained myself.
So, what exactly is egg coffee? It is a traditional drink created in 1946 by a Vietnamese who worked as a barista in a French restaurant in Hanoi. In the past, people in North Vietnam were very poor and could not afford condensed milk, so they replaced it with egg yolk and sugar in their coffee instead.
It was my first time trying egg coffee and I was excited when it was served. The top half of the drink comprised of foam made from whipped egg yolk and condensed milk, while the brewed coffee resided at the bottom half of the cup. The yellow foam and cocoa powder reminded me of crème brûlée with hardened caramelised sugar on top of the custard base. The foam was thick and creamy like Dalgona coffee and it would be very sweet if taken on its own. I stirred and mixed the foam with the coffee so it was still ok.
As I had a window seat by the entrance, I could see how popular Little HaNoi was as the customers kept streaming in. By 8:35am, almost all the tables were filled. If you’re thinking of having a meal here, it’s best to come when it first opens for business at 8:00am. When I left at 9:00am, the café was full and a long queue had formed outside. It’s not a hidden gem anymore!
In all, I enjoyed my visit to Little HaNoi. The staff were very polite and friendly, and the ambience was lovely. The egg coffee was delicious, but not something I would die for. I still prefer my humble Vietnamese iced milk coffee, or Cà Phê Sữa Đá, which you can find at any roadside eatery/café. Nevertheless, I am glad I tried this famous drink on my fourth visit to Vietnam. Thanks DY for the recco!
After starting my day on a great note, I walked to Bến Thành Market nearby for some window shopping and market research (literally). Bến Thành is the historic central market of HCMC. Its history stretches back to the 17th century but the present building opened in March 1914. The huge market is clean, well-ventilated and the stalls are arranged in neat rows, making it a pleasant shopping experience. There are many stalls selling clothes, bags, souvenirs, handicrafts, as well as dried food items like fruits, nuts and coffee. There is also a section for cooked food and desserts.
I can understand why some ladies need to have many handbags because it is the same for me with backpacks. In Bến Thành Market, with stall after stall stocked full of backpacks of different sizes and designs, I was so tempted to buy them all. However, I remained laser-focused on my objective because I knew exactly what I wanted to get – a North Face Kaban bag.
During my last visit to HCMC in 2018, I had already bought a Kaban but it was the larger version and slightly bigger than what I needed for regular, day-to-day use. This time round, I was looking for the same model of Kaban, but the smaller version. I walked around to enquire but did not commit to a purchase yet, as I figured I still had time to do so in the evening. Most stalls quoted similar prices but not every stall had the smaller version. After getting a good sense of the prices, I left Bến Thành around 9:35am and walked to my next destination – Independence Palace.
The general admission ticket for the Palace plus the exhibit “From Norodom Palace to Independence Palace 1868 – 1966” cost 65,000 dong (S$3.80) while the ticket for the Palace alone cost 40,000 dong (S$2.30). I opted for the latter. After purchasing my ticket, I walked past the two-storey villa housing the exhibit and towards the main Palace building. It was quite crowded on this Saturday morning and a surprising number of visitors seemed to be local.
The brief history of the Independence Palace is that Vietnam used to be a French colony and the palace was built as a residence for the Governor-General of Indochina. Construction began in February 1868 and the palace was completed in 1871. From 1877 to 1945, many French Governor-Generals used it as both residence and office. On 9 March 1945, Japanese forces overthrew the French and took sole control of Indochina, and the palace became the headquarters for the Japanese in Vietnam. However, it was short-lived as the French returned in September 1945 after the Japanese were defeated during World War II.
In 1954, Vietnam was divided into two countries by the Geneva Conference – the communist North Vietnam led by revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh and supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the Republic of China; and South Vietnam primarily backed by the United States. In 1955, the Vietnam War started and lasted for 20 years before the Fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975 ended the War. North and South Vietnam were reunited the following year, and Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in honour of his efforts to unite Vietnam.
Following the 1954 division of Vietnam, the French left and Ngo Dinh Diem became the first President of the Republic of Vietnam in 1955. However, he proved to be unpopular and an attempted coup in 1962 led to the palace being bombed and damaged beyond repair. Diem ordered a new palace to be built but he did not live to see the new palace as he was assassinated in 1963. The new palace was completed in 1966, and this is the building that currently stands today.
I didn’t opt for a guided tour or audio tour so I just roamed the palace building on my own. I saw the many meeting rooms and receptions rooms used by Diem’s successor, Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, to host foreign dignitaries. The rooms were elegantly decorated with chandeliers, drapes and red carpet but not overly lavish like the palaces in European countries. At each room, there were panels and historical photographs to provide information about what each room was used for.
At the back of the palace was the President’s humble living quarters. It was large but sparsely furnished, and the bathroom was simple and reflective of décor from the 1960s. I imagine it must have been filled with the President’s personal effects when he was living here.
To me, the most interesting part of the palace was the basement, where the telecommunications centre, war room and shelter were located. The 72.5 metre-long underground bunker comprised of a labyrinth of rooms linked by narrow passages. Learning from the 1962 bombings, the bunker was specially designed to be well protected from external attacks. The reinforced concrete walls of the command centre are capable of resisting a 500kg blast while the blast walls of the maximum security shelter are capable of resisting explosions of up to 2,000kg. The President had direct access to the shelter from his office on the second floor. Looking at the derelict radio transmitters and equipment, it felt like being transported back to the 1960s, when time stood still ever since.
In all, I spent around 45 minutes visiting the Independence Palace. It was quite brief because I didn’t see all the 95 rooms in the palace as they became rather similar after a while. For a more meaningful visit, consider taking the audio tour to get more context and insights about Vietnam’s turbulent history and the role of the palace.
After that, I walked from Independence Palace to the nearby Hồ bơi Lao Động, or Lao Dong Swimming Pool. I paid 30,000 dong (S$1.73) for the admission ticket, which is more than what it costs to use the public swimming pool in Singapore. Lao Dong is a very old but charming pool. The changing room is dark and grimy and badly needs a paint job. However, the pool itself is clean and surrounded by big, nice trees. It is a relaxing spot for a dip, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. I swam a few laps and enjoyed the cooling down session, as it was getting rather hot outside.
Next, I booked a Grab Bike to Hãng Đĩa Thời Đại (Times Records). I love taking Grab Bike in Vietnam because it is safe, and it’s the most efficient and affordable way of getting around HCMC. Even if Grab Bike is available in Singapore, I wouldn’t ride it because Singapore’s roads and drivers are not safe or kind towards motorbikes. In Vietnam, the two-wheelers far outnumber the four-wheelers so there is safety in numbers. Most importantly, the motorists know how to nudge each other and cars will give way to motorbikes/scooters. During my entire time in Vietnam, I only encountered one occasion of a low-speed collision between two scooters. The female rider picked herself up and rode off, but not before throwing a few choice words at the other female rider.
Times Records (click here) is located at 6 Nguyen Van Nguyen Street, District 1. It is an independent record label that partners many Vietnamese artists in publishing and distributing their records. Besides local acts, it also carries a wide range of international titles on vinyl, CDs and even cassette. On the wall beside the entrance, a painting of Freddie Mercury welcomes customers to the store.
The shop wasn’t very big but it was nicely furnished, with a cathode ray tube television set adding to the retro vibes of the place. Displayed on the wooden shelves were the latest releases from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé as well as the bestselling catalogue titles. Occupying the central aisles of the shop were new CDs. Much to my delight, there was also a small selection of used cassette tapes and CDs. I ended up buying Adele’s 30 album on CD (exclusive Target edition with 3 bonus tracks) and a used copy of Janet’s breakthrough 1986 album Control on cassette.
Feeling satisfied with my mini haul, I proceeded on foot to a restaurant nearby that was recommended by DY. Along the way, I passed by Tan Dinh Church, a Roman Catholic church built in the 1870s that is mainly neo-Romanesque architecturally but with some neo-Gothic elements. It is one of the most distinctive buildings in HCMC because of its striking pastel pink colour. It was very pretty indeed. I wanted to enter the compound to take a closer look but sadly, the security guard said it was not open to visitors.
When I reached the restaurant slightly after 2pm, I found out that that they had just closed for a break after serving the lunch crowd. With my lunch plans scuppered, I booked a Grab Bike to take me to another restaurant near my hotel and Bến Thành Market. The 10-minute ride cost only 18,000 dong (S$1.04).
The restaurant was called Nam Giao and it was also recommended by DY. It was located in a hidden alley but it was quite crowded so I took a seat at one of the tables outside. However, the service was slow and the staff didn’t seem too interested to serve me, so I decided to find another place since I was a little tight on time.
I stumbled upon a restaurant called Bếp Mẹ Ỉn (click here), located just a few units away from Nam Giao. It looked nice and there was a healthy crowd so I went in to try my luck. Bếp Mẹ Ỉn offers Vietnamese family style food, with street food specialties and a modern take on some classic dishes. The tagline on its signboard says “Mama’s kitchen with a twist”. It aims to evoke childhood memories and create the feeling of entering someone’s home where the mother cooks some classic Vietnamese food for the family.
I ordered the Đùi Gà Nướng Muối Ớt (chicken leg grilled with chilli salt, 129,000 dong/S$7.46), a small bowl of rice (9,900 dong/S$0.57) and a can of Saigon Special beer (29,000 dong/S$1.68). It was a bit early for beer, but since it costs the same as a can of soft drink, why not? It’s always Beer O’Clock in Vietnam! The grilled chicken was very yummy and it went well with the tangy sauce on the side. It was a good lunch and I was very happy with my accidental discovery.
After filling my tummy, I walked to Avanti Hotel to meet the rest of the group for our bike fitting session at 3pm. However, many of the members were late, so I quickly dropped my bag in my room at Avanti Boutique Hotel before running back to Avanti Hotel five minutes later. When everyone was present, we did a roll call and hopped on to our chartered coach bus. We left Avanti Hotel at 3:25pm and arrived at our destination around 25 minutes later.
Our bicycles for the Vietnam leg of the trip were prepared according to the information we submitted beforehand – mainly our height, which determined the size of the bicycle frame. We would be using different bicycles in Cambodia. The primary objective of the bike fitting session was to check whether the bicycle was suitable for each rider, and to make any necessary adjustments or fix any mechanical issues before we start cycling tomorrow.
All the mountain bikes were of different brands and makes but they were individually tagged with our names. Mine was a black and red Zaskar. I asked Yuran, the mechanic, to fix an extra bottle cage and remove the Garmin GPS holder on the handlebar, which I didn’t need. I then took my bike for a quick spin around the small park. It had good suspension and was smooth to ride, and I was happy with it. This would be my companion for the next three days.
We were done with the bike fitting session at 4:35pm and back at our hotel at 5:00pm. As we would meet again at 6:30pm for our dinner, I took the opportunity to return to Bến Thành Market to buy my North Face Kaban bag for 450,000 dong (S$26). I then went back to my room to freshen up and do some light packing before rejoining the group at 6:30pm.
At 6:50pm, we left Avanti Hotel and walked to our dinner venue, about half an hour’s walk away. The dinner was arranged by VG and it was at Benaras Heights, an Indian restaurant located on the 21st floor of Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon. It is called Benaras Heights because it is on the rooftop of the hotel, providing a spectacular view of the Saigon River below. We had our dinner at a long table right beside the swimming pool.
Mr Hun, Linh and Yuran joined us for the start of the dinner. Before we indulged in the food, Mr Hun conducted a safety briefing and gave us information about what to expect for tomorrow’s ride and the rest of the trip. Linh would lead the group and Yuran would cover the rear, while Mr Hun would be somewhere in the middle of the pack. Mr Hun also told us that we would be cycling on the right side of the road, the same as in Cambodia.
The plan for tomorrow: Breakfast at 7am and leave the hotel at 7:30am, with check-out complete and dressed in our cycling gear. We will then take the bus from HCMC to the starting point at Mỹ Tho, the gateway of the Mekong Delta, where we will cycle for 48km and end our day at Trà Vinh.
With the formalities done, it was time to feast before we start our gruelling adventure tomorrow. I stuffed my face non-stop but the dishes kept coming. The food was very good and I especially loved the freshly cooked naan. While we ate, we also watched the live screening of the FIFA World Cup match between Poland and Saudi Arabia. The dinner was a good opportunity for me to get to know my fellow cycling mates better. The relaxed setting helped me to ease into the group and I felt good vibes from everyone.
At 9:10pm, we wrapped up our dinner and took a slow walk back to our hotel to digest all the food we had eaten. It was nice to stroll and chat while taking in the sights on this busy Saturday evening. HCMC was especially mesmerising at night, with the elegant colonial buildings like the City Hall and Opera House beautifully lit up. Even though it was already past 9pm, the city centre was still full of locals and they didn’t seem to be calling it a night anytime soon.
We reached our hotel at 9:30pm and retreated to our respective rooms. After showering, I packed my stuff and laid out the gear that I would need for cycling tomorrow. I would get better with my packing over the next few days as I became more familiar with the routine and the essentials things that I needed to carry with me. But now, it was time for bed. An exciting day awaits tomorrow!
