Vietnam - Chu Chi Tunnel Part 3 - Making of Rice Paper

At chu chi tunnel, they also demonstrate the art of making vietnamese rice paper.

Rice paper being put out to sun.

Below is a short video of how they make the rice paper.

Vietnam - Chu Chi Tunnel Part 2 - Traps

There are many deadly traps exhibited at chu chi tunnels. They looked so scary.

A short video showing the traps.

Vietnam - Chu Chi Tunnel 1

This is the highlight of our tour. We were so excited to visit Chu Chi Tunnel. Chu Chi Tunnels are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Chu Chi district of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country.

The tunnels were used in the Vietnam War. The role of the tunnel systems should not be underestimated in its importance to the Viet Cong in resisting American operations and protracting the war, eventually culminating in an American withdrawal. You can read more information on the chu chi tunnels from wikipedia.

A soldier demonstrating the art of hiding in the tunnel. Looked how small the hole is.

We get to go in some tunnels which are narrow, small and dark.

The ventilation shaft are disguised as termite moulds.

A short video showing a tourist from Hongkong going into the tunnel.

Ho Chi Minh City - Ben Thanh Market Part 2 - Street Scene

It is so strange and funny that the hawkers can do business in the middle of the road without caring about the oncoming vehicles.

This woman just stop her cart at the junction of the busy road (without traffic lights), she was trying to sell her different and colourful glutinous rice.

Another common sight was this drinks stall, they just put some tables and chairs and they could start a drinks stall.

I was just standing by the pavement and watch all the ongoings on the street. The hawker successfully sold a pair of sunglasses to the tourist. The hawker just stop in the middle of the road to sell his sunglasses.

This is even funnier. They dont have a kitchen and they just put some charcoal in stove on the roadside and BBQ some food and sell them.

I have to stand a distance to photograph this noodle stall that was set up in a corner of the street. The owner dont seems happy that I took a photograph of her stall.

There are many such hawkers hawking their food and fruits on the streets in Ho Chi Minh City. I dont see many beggars in the city (I could only encounter only four beggars during my travel there.)

Ho Chi Minh City - Ben Thanh Market - Part 1

Heard so much about Ben Thanh Market that I really looked forward to visiting it. The things in the market were very cheap but I did not buy much . Firstly, I dont really like buying too much stuff during travelling and secondly, the market was so hot and stuffy as the weather was really so hot at 37 degrees celsius.

Hubby and me stay in the market less than an hour and we ran off to find an air conditioning cafe to have some cold drinks to cool ourselves. The heat was really unbearable.

They could tailored your clothes within a day.

Vietnam famous for their coffee.

If the weather could be kinder and cooler, I would like to try some of their local food in the market.

A short video showing Ben Thanh Market.

Ho Chi Minh City -Cruise in the Mekong Delta Part 4

After visiting the village and some fruits tasting, we were supposed to cruise part of the small river on some very small sampan. I refused to take the sampan cause firstly, they dont provide life jackets and secondly, the heat from the sun was really unbearable. So I opt for waiting for the rest of the tour group in the bigger boats just like those in the below photo...lol.

Saw some westerners having problem sitting the small sampan cause they have very long legs.



Part of our tour group finally arrived from the swamps and joined us in the bigger boats. They complained they suffered heatstrokes...lol.

A short video showing the sampans.

Ho Chi Minh - Mekong Delta Part 3 - Fruit Tasting

There were many different types of fruits displayed on a tree. At first glance, I thought the tree produced so many colourful fruits.

Not sure what fruits they above are, but they are plentiful along the Mekong River.
We were treated to some fruits and they tasted so juicy and sweet.

Halfway through eating our fruits, there was this mother with her daughters. They sang some local folk songs and chinese songs. After performing, some little children would gather round us and ask for tips for their performance.

According to our guide, the people living in the village had more daughters than sons and it could be because of the Mekong River that they drank.

A short video of the performance.

Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta 2 - Visit to village

Over at the village, we are able to purchase some gifts and souvenirs.

They are all very talented in their handicrafts.

Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta Part 1

This is one of the highlights of our trip to Vietnam. A cruise around the Mekong Delta.

Taking the boat around the Mekong Delta is very safe and the boat is very stable. I have been on similar cruise in Thailand in the Mekong River too and in Cambodia too. Mekong River is the 12th longest river in the world and the 7th longest in Asia. The river runs from China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

We sat the boat and arrived on a small village in the Mekong Delta.

They harvested some honey from the bee and tried to sell us the honey.

There's even a small coconut candy factory in the village. I did not buy any of the honey or coconut candy. If you look at the video below, you wont want to buy too. They dont wear any gloves to make the candy and the condition of the factory looked so questionable.

A short video showing them making the coconut candy.

More photos on the village tomorrow.

Ho Chi Minh City - Lunch

On our way to Mekong Delta for a cruise, we stop by this restaurant for our lunch.

It is so interesting. We had this round ball that they called it Dinosaur's Egg. Once cut open, it is actually some sticky glutinous cake, something like our muah chee.

This fish is even cuter in name. It is known as elephant's ear fish. I dont see anything about the fish that resemble an elephant.

We are supposed to eat the meat of the fish with the vietnamese rice paper.

Ho Chi Minh City - Buddha

Took these photos while in the coach.

The laughing buddha looked so cute and smiling so beautifully.

I think that's a temple background. We didn't get to go down and see the temple cause it is not part of the itinerary.