Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Vietnam

Next stop, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City !!!!

Ho Chi Minh City is the economic centre of Vietnam, and is booming with new hotels, chic bars and trendy clubs. There are plenty of old landmarks worth visiting and interesting markets where you can get a lot of antiques and souvenirs.Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as it is still known to many, it is Vietnam’s largest city with a growing population of around 7 million.  The main means of transport within the city are motorbikes, buses, taxis, and bicycles. Motorbikes remain the most common way to move around the city. Backpacking travelers most often frequent the "Western Quarter" on Pham Ngu Lao street in District 1.


The Distance between Manila and Ho Chi Minh City is about 885 nautical miles, a little over 2hrs of flight time.

Ninoy International Airport 3

Tan Son Nhat International  Airport



@ Vien Dong Hotel in Pham Ngu Lao Street (District 1)



Our Hotel Room

early breakfast

early morning at Ho Chi Minh City

The Củ Chi tunnels are northwest of the city in Củ Chi district, it is 70 kilometers of Ho Chi Minh City. Cu Chi is the most stratetic importances during the Vietnam War, a system of secret underground tunnels developed , used by Viet Cong against the US. By 1965, over 200 kilometers of tunnels stretches from Cu Chi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon's fringes), linking communities and Viet Cong supporters.The tunnels were upto 10 meters deep with three different levels, they contained kitchens, field hospitals, command centres and living quarters. Now, visitors can crawl  through sections of restored, widened tunnels,  visit cenotaphs honouring 40,000 tunnel martyrs. On display are various mantraps and bomb craters made by B-52 bombers.

Upon entering Cu Chi Tunnel

camouflaged trap door

booby traps

Viet Cong War Attire



a tank destroyed during the vietnam war



Self Made Weapons Gallery

Improvised  Land-Mine Bombs



Bomb dropped at Cu Chi District





rice paper making



guerilla's used to wear during the war (they dress like the farmers)

improvised slip wear   (from broken  US army jeeps and trunks tires,
these are made to slippers)





a big crater from the B-52 bomber

  

entering the Cu Chi Tunnel

experiencing Cu Chi Tunnel
(this tunnel has been made wider and taller to accommodate tourists)

bunkers (command centre, field hospital, dining and kitchen)



Viet Cong War Apparel



We enjoyed Cu Chi tunnel in a hot summer afternoon, as we head back to Ho Chi Minh, we had a quick stop in a cultured rubber tree plantation, which Zarah can't resist the rows and rows of trees. The weather here in Vietnam, suits for cultivating the sap-like extract (latex), the primary source of natural rubber.

Cultivated Rubber Tree Plantation

Photographed at District 11 area

District 1 is where most of the city's administrative offices, embassies and big buildings are located. District 1 is the busiest district in the city with the highest living standards.






somewhere in District 1



Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Head Office

 

Pho Hoa @ Pasteur Street (District 1)



@ The War Remnants Museum



Facts about the Vietnam War, (for the vietnamese people, it the "Ämerican War")





Slogans/Posters (propaganda)

The most prominent structures in the city center are Reunification Palace (Dinh Thống Nhất), City Hall (Ủy ban nhân dân Thành phố), the Municipal Theatre (Nhà hát thành phố, also known as the Opera House), City Post Office (Bưu điện thành phố), State Bank Office (Ngân hàng nhà nước), City People's Court (Tòa án nhân dân thành phố) and Notre-Dame Cathedral (Nhà thờ Đức Bà).



Reunification Palace/ Independence Palace






Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica is a cathedral located in the downtown of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Established by French colonists, the cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880. It has two bell towers, reaching a height of 58 meters (190 feet).







Notre Dame





just outside the Notre Dame (wedding pre-nup photo OPS)




Saigon Central Post Office is a post office in the downtown Ho Chi Minh City, near Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, the city's main church. The building was constructed when Vietnam was part of French Indochinain the early 20th century. It has a Gothic architectural style. It was designed and constructed by the famous architect Gustave Eiffel in harmony with the surrounding area. Today, the building is a tourist attraction.

Saigon Central Post Office



inside the post office



Roaming around District 1 Area



The Saigon Opera House owes its specific characteristics to the work of architect Félix Olivier, Its architectural style is influenced by the flamboyant style of the French Third Republic with the façade shaped like the Petit Palais which was built in the same year in France. Now its the Opera House for Ho Chi Minh City. 

Ben Thanh Market, from Vietnamese Ben meaning "wharf", and Quy Thanh meaning "turtle citadel") is a big marketplace in the downtown area of Ho Chi Minh City, District 1. The market is one of the earliest surviving structures and today is considered one of symbols of Ho Chi Minh City, popular with tourists seeking local handicrafts, textiles, and souvenirs, as well as local cuisine. Where we found Pho 2000, a vietnamese restaurant were former US president Clinton ate when he visited Vietnam.



Pho 2000 near Ben Thanh Market



Food Trip

The Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, the Saigon Opera House, the Central Post Office, the City Hall, Pham Ngu Lao street, the former Republic of Vietnam President’s Reunification Palace, Rex Hotelare some of the most famous historical tourism sights in District 1. Besides specific locations like those mentioned, basically every street in District 1 built and designed since 1946 was by the French. Most of the buildings constructed since the French colony era are still standing now, with most renovated recently.

Japan Trip: Day 6 Kyoto (Kiyomizu-dera, Gion, Pontocho Area) part 3

As we continue our day 6 (its the third part), we jumped on the train from Arashimaya and head back to Kyoto station, to catch a bus to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Take the bus number 100 or 206 (15 minutes, 220 yen). Get off at Kiyomizu-michi bus stop, from where it is a ten minute (depends how your phasing in walking is) uphill walk to the temple, about 750m from the bus stop.


Kiyomizu-dera Temple


Its almost 3 oçlock in the afternoon, as we approach to the temple along the steep and busy lanes of the atmospheric Higashiyama District. The many shops and restaurants in the area have been catering to tourists and pilgrims for centuries, and products on sale of local specialties.

Chawan-zaka slope toward Kiyomizu-dera (Higashiyama District)



Higashiyama District/ Map around Higashiyama, Gion and Pontocho Area


Kiyomizu-dera ("Pure Water Temple") is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto. The temple was originally associated with the Hosso sect, one of the oldest schools within Japanese Buddhism. The best attraction of the temple is the main hall (Hondo) on a steep slope that has a famous verandah. Admission fee is 300 Y.

Sai-mon gate and the three storied pagoda



Nio-mon and Sai-mon gate



The pagoda of Kiyomizu-dera

Clockwise: cleansing with water, admission ticket on hand, kimono girls,
scenery from the Hondo Main Hall, they always though i was a japanese guy

zarah with two japanese girl in kimono

Hondo (Main Hall)

The Otowa Waterfall is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall. Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream's water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life. However, drinking from all three streams is considered greedy.

Otowa Waterfall

Kiyomizu-dera

After an hour and half here at Kiyomizu-dera, we walk down the steepy hill to the bus stop, the ride was just a few block to Gion District  (almost 5pm)...



Gion District

Gion, the most famous geisha district, located in the city center around Shijo Avenue between Yasaka Shrine in the east and the Kamogawa River in the west.

Yasaka Shrine, Hanami-koji Entrance, Shijo Avenue

Gion attracts tourists with its high concentration of traditional wooden machiya merchant houses.The most popular area of Gion is Hanami-koji Street from Shijo Avenue to Kenninji Temple. A nice (and expensive) place to dine, the street and its side alleys are lined with preserved machiya houses many of which now function as restaurants, where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (geiko apprentices) entertain. Many tourists visit Gion hoping to catch a glimpse of a geiko or maiko on their way to or from an engagement at an ochaya in the evenings or while running errands during the day.

wooden machiya houses as restaurants and tea houses



spot a geisha in Hanami-koji

Ken'nin-ji Temple


As we walk in at the end of  Hanami-koji street, we reached the Ken'nin-ji Temple,  it is the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto.

Ken'nin-ji Temple

Sanmon Gate (Ken'nin-ji Temple)

Gion Corner is a unique theater presenting one-hour shows of seven of Kyoto's professional performing arts - kyogen classical comedy, kyomai dance, gagaku music of the imperial court, koto harp, bunraku puppet theater, the tea ceremony, and flower arrangement. Gion Corner is located inside Yasaka Hall on the north side of Gion's Kaburenjo Hall, where Maiko  and Geiko  give presentations.

Gion Corner

As nightfall comes we were a bit hungry and tired as well, so we decided the best place to eat is here in Hanami-koji area...

the streets of Hanamikoji

dinner at  Restaurant Junidanya



after dinner

 Restaurant Junidanya

Ponto-cho Alley

As we regain strength, we decided to continue the journey, as we walk the Shijo Avenue, Zarah was trying to shop for some cute girly stuff,  I came a cross with three japanese girls in their traditional kimono clothes, as usual, I took a snap on them..... As we crossed the Kamogawa River, a narrow alley that is a block of Shijo street, is Ponto-cho, a pleasure area. On the both sides of the alley are geisha houses, bars and restaurants. Many people come and go on this alley especially in the evening.

three kimono girls

ShijoAvenue

Ponto-cho Landmark Entrance

Ponto-cho Alley

Ponto-cho by night

We capped the night off by the Kamogawa River..... As we go back to the Sakura Kaede it was around 9pm..... What a lovely day!!!

Riverbank of Kamogawa River