Virg and I decide to take the 930am bus leaving for Siem Reap, mainly to avail of the breakfast at the hotel. The night before, the hotel receptionist reserved our tickets for $22.00 each, at Khai Nam Transportation. She assured us that the bus company is good, and not the same as the one with bad reputation according to online forums.
At quarter to 9am, we hail a cab to take us to the office of Khai Nam. From there, a representative accompany us to a side street where a van picks us up to take us to the bus station. The driver is very nice and helps us in putting our luggage inside the compartment. When we board the bus, there are a handful of passengers, and thankfully, there are a couple of teenagers who translate everything for us, and the driver just keeps on agreeing with them. We settle in our seats and discover free 500-mL water bottle for each passenger. I think to myself, this is a great way to start our journey.
Big blue bus to Cambodia
Interiors of the big blue bus
We stop at another place and more passengers board the bus and we are off to the border. As the bus moves farther away from the city, I discover a different side of Vietnam, it is still teeming with motorbikes, but with more space. After a while, a man asks all of us for our passports
After two hours, we reach Moc Bai, where our passports are stamped before we officialy leave Vietnam and enter Cambodia. We enter the building, use the restroom, then, wait in the corridors until someone calls our names out. There is no queue, but everybody waits for his turn amidst a mild chatter. When they call my name, I have to find my way through a mosh pit and exit through the back door and find our big blue bus. Since several of the buses are big and blue, I wait for Virg then we just look for some of the co-passengers we remember and follow them. Very close to the border are a couple of casinos.
A marker near the border
One of the most prominent structures right after the border is this casino
A short ride from the border (18 minutes), the bus stops and we have lunch at a place called Khai Nam, and I do not think that it is a coincidence. Through one of the teenagers, the driver informs us that we have to be back within 30 minutes. With my stomach growling, I head inside. The place is packed, but, thankfully, the service is efficient and they accept US dollars, besides Cambodian riel. Two servings of rice, chicken with ginger and fish with vegetables cost $4.50. We drink the water provided by the bus. The chicken with ginger tastes very close to Filipino food, so I dig in with gusto.
Our big blue bus stopped at this big blue place
Inside Khai Nam restaurant
This is where we order our food
First meal on Cambodian soil--chicken with ginger
With our corporal hunger satisfied, we board the bus and while the rest of the time looking at verdant scenery and being entertained by a beautiful angel.
Cambodian countryside as seen from inside the big blue bus
Riding a bus for 6.5 hours is bearable due to the presence of this adorable girl
A couple of hours after, the bus stops to wait for our turn to board a ferry in order to cross the river. We are lucky that only three or four vehicles are in front of us, so the waiting time lasts for only 15 minutes. It takes around that same time for the ferry to take us to the other side of the river, then we continue on our way to Pnom Penh.
Tuktuks parked near the river
The ferry that we board to cross the river
On the ferry while crossing the river
An enterprising woman aboard the ferry
We arrive in Pnom Penh at 410pm and take our things out of the compartment, only to find out that the bus that will take Virg and I (the other passengers’ final destination is Pnom Penh) to Siem Reap will leave at 7pm. I do the math and realize that we will arrive in Siem Reap at 1 or 2 am! The receptionist told us that our bus will be nonstop. I talk to the woman in the office to ask her if she can find an earlier trip. We do not understand each other, but there is a desk calendar on the table so I point at 4 several times only to realize that it is already 425pm. Hahaha. I point at 5 several times, do some charades moves then she calls her relatives, et voila! before 5pm, a van screeches its way to the office door. She shoos us out of the office and into the van. It is a spacious van with only 5 passengers inside. I am grateful for this twist of fate.
Our ride from Pnom Penh to Siem Reap
That is shortlived. The driver drives like a maniac, and I think that is saying something because I live in Manila where traffic signs are considered as mere suggestions or nuisance by most (which is a really bad thing). To make matters worse, 90% of the roads are dirt roads, so we bounce up and down at the back of the van like errant atoms in heat.
Before we leave Pnom Penh, I get a glimpse of the Mekong River and marvel at its size and beauty. Just before the sun sets, I see the houses that dot the road, some on stilts, some are more concrete than others, but all of them look magnificent as they stand atop the red soil of Cambodia.
Pasalubong is one of the words that makes me happy, especially when I am not on the receiving end of the statement (and its permutations), “dalhan mo ako ng pasalubong”; however, it is very ingrained in Filipino culture to bring pasalubong or souvenirs when we go out of town and share them with our family and friends. Pasalubong can take many forms—food, the walang-kamatayang keychains and ref magnets, and accessories.
Here are some of the things I bought in Ho Chi Minh:
Each pair of ref magnet costs VND20, 000 at Benh Thanh market. They are colorful but fragile.
The small frame of lacquerware costs $12 each. They are sold at Phuongnam Lacquerware along Nguyen Trai Street. I had a hard time looking for frames that are made of the same material that complement one another. I ended up buying two made of lacquer and one made of ground eggshells (rightmost).
A box of Vietnamese coffee with 20 sachets costs VND 45,000 (Benh Thanh Market); flat banana wafer (3 packs), VND 160,000 (near the coconut candy factory); box of MacChocolate with 10 sachets costs VND 31,000; Thuan Giang Shrimp Chips, VND 25,500, Mit Say freeze dried fruits (100g), VND 19,000; Trai Cay Say freeze dried fruits (200g), VND31,000 (all from Thanh Toan grocery). I like the freeze dried fruits, especially the jackfruit and bananas, and the shrimp chips once they are fried perfectly.
The compact mirror costs VND 50,000 (Benh Thanh Market). I know I could have bought it at a lower price, but it was the first item I bought and my haggling skills were nonexistent at that time. Do not forget to take it out of its packaging to check for cracks and other imperfections.
Virg and I were lusting over the non las so we snapped them up once we found a pair that fit our heads, and for $1 each, they are a wonderful way to protect one’s self from UV rays while riding a boat. We bought six bags for VND250,000 (store adjacent to the bee farm), and they are sturdy enough to hold 500-mL of water, a DSLR-camera, three lacquerware frames and other breakables.
I bought the three ladies for VND180,000 (Benh Thanh Market).
They are heavy, and not as refined as I would like them to be.
Tailor-made ao dai made by Phuong Giang for $75.
Ready-to-wear ao dai for VND 180,000 (store near the bee farm).
Virg and I stroll around the city before we drop by Saigon Square to look for specific objects. We go from one stall to the next but do not buy any because the feminine clothes with intricate design are more expensive than the ones in Manila.
The streets of Vietnam teem with motorbikes and bikers of all types. A lot of them are women in heels and form-fitting skirt, and I salute them for looking very beautiful while astride the bike.
On our way to Saigon Square
Lunch
We walk for a couple of blocks and decide to eat at the nearest place available. We choose one that has overflowing local patrons, a modest place along Huynh Street. We just point at the food that looked appealing to us. After choosing the food, I leave the restaurant and go to the next stall that sells custard for VND 7,000 each. On my way back to the restaurant, I come across this woman who sells sugarcane juice. It is very aromatic so I decide to buy two for VND 7,000.
Sugarcane juice perfect for the sweltering heat
Lunch for two composed of Vietnamese complete meal, custards and sugarcane juice costs VND 43,000!!! The meal is decent and the serving of ground meat with quail egg and sauce tastes good. The custard is a bit bland, but I like extremely sweet food so maybe I am bias. The sugarcane juice is something I can drink thrice a day.
Go, grow and glow in one plate
Fine Arts Museum
After lunch, with renewed energy, we proceed to Pho DucChinh where the Fine Arts Museum is located. We pay the admission fee of VND 10,000 and in exchange for this minimal amount, we are able to explore two buildings filled with lacquerware paintings, sculptures, chinaware and propaganda materials, among other things.
HCMC Fine Arts Museum building
Aside from (what I think are) art students, the museum has a handful of visitors who are free to roam around the rooms in the three floors of the first building. There is a wing designated for lacquerware paintings, several rooms for contemporary art, and one room for busts and paintings of artists made by their colleagues. This is one of my favorite rooms because the artworks show humor without sacrificing beauty.
View of the courtyard from the third floor
One of the lacquer painting in the first building
Beautiful painting of a beautiful woman
One of the works in the contemporary art room shows the twins Thang Long and Hano
Some of the pieces found in HCMC Fine Arts Museum
After almost two hours of going up and down the stairs of the first building, we transfer to the next building. Only the ground floor is open to the public, and we are fortunate enough to look at the art exhibit of Oba Shuji. The lacquer paintings are famous sceneries in Japan and in Vietnam.
Light fixture in the second building
Lacquer painting of the Ha Long Bay by Oba Shuji
Lacquer painting of Mount Fuji by Oba Shuji
With our artistic curiosity satisfied, we go back to the hotel to rest for an hour.
Water Puppet Show
At 430pm, we leave the room, walk a block of Huyen Tran Cong Chua and arrive at Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre along Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street. That block of Huyen Tran Cong Chua has one of the gates of Independence Palace on one side while the other side has several stalls that sell football and basketball jerseys. As tempted as I am to buy a jersey of Manchester United or Spain, I successfully stop myself from doing it.
When we arrive at the theater, we are not seated immediately because ticketholders from group tours are given priority. The tickets cost $8.00 each, and they sell like hotcakes so one has to buy them at least a day before if one wants to sit in front. We buy ours through the hotel receptionist (it was a last minute decision), and we are lucky to get seats F8 and F9.
The King Puppet and I
The program includes a music prelude and the water puppet show itself. The main part is divided into 17 segments that are continuous. Some of the segment titles are Dragon Dance, Catching Frogs and Dance of Four Holy Animals. The fifty-minute show is enjoyable. Although I do not understand what the voice-over talent is saying, I laugh. Based on the reaction of the people around me, we have the same sentiments. Throughout the time I am watching it, I marvel at the ingenuity of water puppet show. I can barely see the sticks that hold the puppets above water, even though the puppets keep on doing backflips and complicated dance routines.
View of the stage from F9
At the end of the show, the puppeteers emerge from the back and wave at the crowd. The crowd shows its appreciation by clapping enthusiastically.
Golden Dragon Water Puppet - Video Clip-1
Golden Dragon Water Puppet - Video Clip-2
Dinner
Virg and I opt to eat at a small eatery in the corner of Nguyen Du and Thu Khoa. The owner’s version of Vietnamese complete meal and a serving of fish cost VND 23,000! I like the fried spring rolls because they are fried and her fish is tasty.
Green on green. The plate complements its contents.
After dinner, we buy more pasalubong. On our way back to the hotel, we stop to buy food from a vendor. In the middle of cooking the quail egg, she hears the sound of a police car and wants to up and leave. It is a good thing that the police car drives away without stopping. She calms down and continues to cook this tasty treat.
It does not look good on this photo, but it tastes good. ^__^
We want to spend our last night in Ho Chi Minh City eating chocolates and chocolate-filled wafers that we bought after dinner, but it is just unfortunate that we have to pack our things for tomorrow’s trip to Siem Reap.
After a filling breakfast, Mr. Q picks Virg and I up at 830am. The almost two-hour drive to My Tho boat station seems like a breeze because I sleep through part of it.We board a motorized boat that can accommodate 30 people, with as many life jackets for those who fear for their safety.
Virg and I ready for our new adventure
Our private boat for the day
The Mekong River, part of the formidable Mekong Delta or Nine Dragon, is wide and bustling with activity, and looking at colorful boats with the verdant islands and the Rach Mieu bridge as backdrop is very soothing.
One of the boats traversing Mekong River
Basket boat bobbing along the river
RachMieubridge provides the perfect background for a relaxing trip
After 15 minutes, we reach the first island where the honeybee farm is located. We are allowed to hold the screen replete with bees.
Bees a-buzzing
A few steps from the bee cage is a pretty girl waiting for us to take our seats, drink honey tea, and taste the peanut brittle, candied ginger and bananas, among other things. The tea and peanut brittle are good while the candied ginger is an acquired taste.
Snacks at the bee farm: honey tea, candied bananas, peanuts and ginger
After buying some products, we walk along a dirt road flanked by merchants offering colorful non la and ao dai, bags made of different materials and trinkets (most of which are cheaper than the ones found in Bien Thanh market) until we arrive at another designated area.We listen to traditional music and a rather unenthusiastic rendition of “If You are Happy and you Know it, Clap your Hands” while eating some of the sweetest fruits the island can offer. The musicians use instruments made of coconuts.
Pineapple, jackfruit, mangoes, papaya and dragon fruit with a glass of hot tea. The fruits taste better when eaten with salt and chili.
After the refreshing snacks (second in a span of 30 minutes), we walk for five minutes then take a small boat through a narrow canal.
Palm leaves of the trees that dot the river
Despite the non-stop movement of the small boats, it is a serene experience to look at the palms and marvel at the expert maneuvers of the boatmen/women. At the end of the ride, the big motorboat that took us to the island, is waiting for us and takes us to our next stop—the coconut candy factory.
A few minutes after we exit the canal, on our way to the bigger boat
A worker explains to us the process of making the coconut-based candies while we walk from the vat of coconut milk to the long table where other workers wrap the candies with rice paper (edible!).
Coconut candy makers nonchalantly doing their job
Aside from candies, ornaments and decors made of coconuts are also sold in the area.
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil—the three monkeys coconut edition
After a short horse-drawn cart ride, we reach the restaurant where a succession of dishes is presented to Virg and I.
Feel like a princess in these horse-drawn rides
A woman adeptly prepares four spring rolls before she disappears, only to return a few minutes later bringing more food. I like the spring roll and the balls of yam.
Our lunch in progress
After a few centimeters of indentation in my stomach, we return to the motorboat.
Waiting for our boat to pick us up.
At around 3pm, we travel back to My Tho port, then we drive back to the city-center amidst heavy rain. We are fortunate enough to have finished the tour before the sky turns grey followed by an intense downpour.
Dinner
At the recommendation of one of the hotel receptionists, we have dinner along Le Thanh Ton. Two orders of fresh spring rolls, a bowl of crab soup, two guyabano shake and custard cost VND 266,000.
Perfect with some chili, a very filling meal
Beautifully-wrapped spring rolls to complement the tasty soup
