Perth Airport
With an early flight heading out of Perth with Singapore Airlines, via Singapore it was going to be quite a long day. Transit and changing terminals in Singapore was super easy so much so that we managed a Tiger beer before boarding our connecting flight to Ho Chi Minh City. With 4 terminals, a the Skytrain efficiently moves you in between each.
Beyond excited we disembarked to plane to enter the immigration area to find sea of people queued to have their passports stamped. We would have waited 45 minutes to hand over our Evisa and passport, a cursory look at the documents and plonk went the stamp. Bags collected we headed through the 'nothing to declare' exit and that was that.
A quick exchange of AUD to VND, we proceeded with all intentions of not being taken for a literal ride by a rouge taxi only to being taken for a ride by a rouge taxi. We quickly realized this as we watched the meter spin around like a poker machine on steroids. Not happy Jan! To late now, so we sat back and enjoyed the 'ride'!
Safely depositing our bags in the room we ventured out to take the sights and sounds of the of HCMC. This is a city like no other we've been in before with modern glassed highrise buildings sitting alongside original, narrow long, slightly decaying buildings. Then the mix of French colonial buildings with elaborate facade's dating back 200 years. It really is amazing.
People's Republic Committee Building
Built 1902 - 1908
After a quick refreshing swim in the rooftop pool we were eager to devour our first Vietnamese meal and beer. Food was a major draw card for us in wanting to travel in Vietnam. Of we wandered looking for traditional street food which we found a little tricky with being in the middle of the business district. Heaps and heaps of restaurants but we wanted a place that had those tiny plastic chairs that spilt out onto the pathway.
Finally we found what we were looking for beside the tallest building in HCMC, the Bitexco Financial Tower. Such a contrast.
With menu in hand we had to decide between stirfried or sauted chicken testicles. Who knew that chickens had testicles!
Fortunate for us there were other choices and seriously we have never tasted anything so delicious. The clean, crisp broth and the richness of the coriander from our bowls of pho (pronounced 'fur') was unbelievable. Downed with Bia Saigon on ice, we had found what we came looking for.
Not chicken's testicles.
After a 3:30am alarm call this morning along with the extra brain power required when departing and entering foreign country, we were ready to call it a night.
Tomorrow requires another early wake up call as we have a city walking tour planned.
xoxo
Donna & Kevin
Great start to your holiday. Enjoy