Day 2 in Ho Chi Minh City — Bitexco Tower, Beer and The Café Apartment Building!

Blogging With A View

What a wonderful view I woke up to this morning. As I pulled open the curtains, I was struck by the vibrant city scene outside. Sitting in a chair overlooking Pasteur, Phường 6, I was suitably relaxed enough, to put pen to paper — watching the sun rise high into the sky above the Bitexco Tower. This is what 'Roaming Brit' is all about — enjoying the views and commenting on a city I have never been to before.

Getting Intimate With The Facilities

I have to say I was mighty impressed by the toilet in my hotel room at The Orchids Saigon Hotel. For someone who suffers with the scourge of piles (There I've said it, don't say I don't tell you anything) this modern piece of Japanese technology, in Communist Vietnam, is an absolute dream. I was so impressed, I'm even thinking of getting one myself at home, when we eventually renovate our bathroom. A word of warning however — When you tap the anal wash button, go careful; don't use full force, keep it gentle guys!

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf — Early Morning Brew

We stopped off at the 'Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf' on our way into the city today; a hot beverage, before the mercury began to rise, was just what the Doctor ordered. This is a lovely little establishment in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, but they really do not know how to make a cup of Cha. I ordered a hot English Breakfast tea from the lady behind the counter, who looked at me confused. Now, considering it was on the menu, I just looked even more confused back and hoped for the best.

Nevertheless, I persevered with my order, despite her pushing me to have it with ice. ICE!!! I ask you… Horrified, I stood my ground and insisted on a hot English brew. I think at that point, we just both gave up, and I just waited for whatever was brought to the table.

Darrell had his usual blended ice coffee and I eventually got a sweet concoction, that vaguely resembled tea, but with so much sugar, I was buzzing from that alone, before you even talk about the caffeine. Vietnam may well be big on coffee, but they just can't make a decent cup of tea… that's where I will leave that one for now!

Bitexco Financial Tower

Our first stop of the day was the Bitexco Financial Tower, dominating the city skyline. This modern skyscraper serves as a vantage point for tourists, wanting to see the city from above. We paid half a million dong to travel to the 49th floor, so we could see across Ho Chi Minh City. It was amazing to observe the vast urban sprawl of nine million people displayed before us, but apart from spending another million and a half dong on souvenirs, there wasn't much else to do up there. It was certainly worth the trip, but I certainly won't be doing it again.

The Café Apartment Building

Another iconic building in Ho Chi Minh City is the Café Apartment Building, in what is probably the most touristy place in the city. So far we haven't been harassed by anyone, as we have navigated the streets here, but today, we have been constantly jostled as we have made our way around; especially outside the Café Apartment building. That's all well and good, after all, I understand we all need to make a living, but in the searing 40 degree heat, it really is a pain in the rear!

The Café Apartment itself is really nothing special, and, like most utilitarian architecture in Ho Chi Minh, not of any particular architectural merit. If I am honest, I felt totally underwhelmed, but did enjoy the gritty undertones of the complex, that certainly felt very communistic in nature.

We were going to have a quick lunch there, but there really wasn't anywhere to dine and after treading up eight floors, refusing to pay for the lift, we left without success. Not only were there cafés and retail establishments inside, but people also lived in this rather dilapidated building. It felt unloved and decaying, but it was good to visit, and at least It gave me a view of the city I wouldn't otherwise have had!

Only In Vietnam Would You Get Free Beer

Outside the Café Apartment building I was offered a free beer, now I am not known for ever turning down a freebie, so I happily accepted. There was loud music playing in the square, and lots of vendors stores being set up. I'm guessing there is some sort of festival, but I have no idea what, even after consulting Dr Google! The beer was much needed, mind you!

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Ben Thanh Market

My advice — NEVER, EVER GO to Ben Tenh Market. The place was hot, overcrowded, and full of unsuspecting tourists like me. The goods on sale are probably fake and extremely overpriced, and certainly not worth the one million six hundred thousand dong I paid for them (About $100 Australian.) Of course, it is high on the tourist's agenda, so you have to pay a visit. However, keep your wits about you and don't pay too much.

I wanted some linen shirts, ideal for these scorching temperatures and stopped at a local store, where a Vietnamese Lady brought out some Tommy Hilfiger garments, which looked and felt the part. Initially she wanted two point six million VND for three shirts and a pair of shorts and was reluctant to take the one point six I offered. As I was about to walk away, she relented, and to my horror, agreed to the price — personally I still think I've been robbed blind!

Back At Gammer Beer

For lunch, we went back to Gammer Beer, which probably wasn't the best choice in the World. The selection and quality of the beer in this place is exceptional, and I could go here for that reason alone. Gammer Beer itself is very tasty and full of flavour; the black German beer was also a treat and went down very nicely. The food however is not the best, in fact I would say I didn't enjoy it at all. It was bland and overcooked — not what you should expect from Vietnam.

Despite hearing wonderful reports about Vietnamese cooking, I find myself less than impressed so far. Maybe we just haven't been to the right places yet, but it does tend to lack flavour, and it isn't what I would call 'wow' food. We haven't actually tried Pho yet, but will do so tomorrow, maybe that will change my feelings.

Ho Chi Minh City At Night

After a relaxing few hours at the hotel, we popped out into Ho Chi Minh City in the evening. Now, I have heard that this place does come alive after 7 pm, and I wasn't disappointed. This magnificent city was absolutely buzzing in a way I hadn't seen before. During the day, there is definitely a very different vibe, and the roads are of course less crowded. This is mainly due to the intense heat before dusk. The city is cooler as the sun goes down, and people are happy to go out and about, meet friends, have a late dinner and just take their time strolling through the streets. As the old saying goes, 'it's only mad dogs and Englishmen, that go out in the midday sun' and I'm certainly a mad Englishman!

The French influence is also everywhere  — old colonial French Indochina is just a few steps away, around every corner. This influence does give a distinctly European feel to the city, and its southern Mediterranean disposition, gives Ho Chi Minh a far more cosmopolitan ambience, than you would find in others comparable cities in Asia. As a Europhile, this city suits my affection for the European and Asian continents, and for that reason alone I could find myself spending a lot more time here.

The Vietnamese population appears particularly welcoming in nature, and we have both had good experiences so far. They don't speak much English here, but then why should they; this was a French colony after all and with little connection to the English language there is no need to for them to converse in anything other than Vietnamese. I like the fact there is very little English spoken, it adds to a far more authentic travelling experience and that makes this place special.

Dinner At Nha Hang Ngon

As we walked down to the Bitexco Financial Tower earlier, we passed by an amazing looking restaurant. I said to Darrell, 'we must eat there.' Well, you should never judge a book by its cover; despite the wonderful surroundings, in a traditional Vietnamese building, with plants and vines covering the outside — (a photographer's dream if you will) that is where the compliments end, at least on my behalf.

Look, I know this blog probably sounds harsh today, and I am sure at times it is, but I have to be honest about what I write. This blog is not a pastiche, it is an accurate account of my journey to Vietnam. There were literally so many people trying to get into this unbelievably busy restaurant, that somewhere along the line, customer service was forgotten. This venue was noisy, with people brushing past you as you ate, and everyone was talking over one another trying to be heard. The palatial setting, as good as it was, was somewhat lost in a throng of people. It felt like a conveyor belt of customers, trying to get through their meal as quickly as possible, so the next person in the queue outside could take their still warm seat. I really didn't enjoy this experience at all.

The food however was a little better than we had experienced so far. It was presented well enough and tasted pretty good, but I still can't help thinking how much better it would have been on a quieter night. It was a Saturday evening, and the place was full of locals, which usually is a good sign; maybe the people who live and work here, don't mind the rushed nature of a meal taken with crowds of onlookers, with little or no intimacy — I, on the other hand do!

Our second day was over, and I felt pretty satisfied that we had covered a lot during our adventures. Once again I had covered over 20000 steps around the city and felt accomplished. It is debilitating walking around all day, but we do have a lot to pack in and only a short space of time in which to do it. Tomorrow will be a much simpler occasion, no alcohol (Well it is Sunday) and a more relaxing pace, as we continue to navigate this city! Looking back over my writing today, I do sound like a complaining Brit, but I can only base my words on my exploits. Saigon is an unforgettable city, but I do find aspects of it, rather challenging — hopefully tomorrow that will change!

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