Chapter 1: Saigon (The motorbike city)

From young, we've been taught to look left and then right when crossing the road. Sorry this rule doesn't apply here. They have the most insane streets I've ever seen in my life. Hundreds of motorbikes swarmed in my direction in 4 directions. Traffic lights are just some decoration on the road. Luckily our 4 days at Saigon was filled with sunshine so it's easy to walk around the city. There are few attractions located at a walkable distance from our hotel (backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao).

The first stop was Ben Tahn Market which is the largest market at Saigon.
It was built by the French in 1859.
In the market, there are many stalls selling fruits, dried seafood, souvenir, clothes and etc. I found the fruits and dried seafood looked so inviting-colorful and fresh. I used up my best bargaining, eventually managed to get 1kg of Dried sea cucumber for 30 USD. Gold and jewelry shops are found here too. Well, I felt kinda weird that money is actually exchanged in the gold shops and I was told they offer the best currency exchange rate.

After the market tour, we had a stroll around the town. It was interesting to observe the daily lifestyle of Vietnamese people. I was surprised to see businesses e.g manicure and motorbike repair service were beside the road. And, I realized that Saigonese love to have their meal outdoors. I saw some families even brought their dinner tables outta house.
Here, the sky starts getting darker after 5 p.m. We could see parks were crowded with people especially couples. Apparently , park is one of their favorite dating spots.

After walking like 20 min., we reached another landmark-the Reunification Palace. It is open to visitors from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday. Entrance ticket is VND 20,000 (about $1).

Lastly, there you are-the gorgeous Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral built between 1877 and 1880. This building was constructed with red bricks imported from France which still remain bright and beautiful after hundred years. In front of the cathedral stands a Virgin Mary statue. During October 2005, the statue was rumored to have shed tears, attracting thousands of people.






















The post office is situated right next to the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Even though it was already 7 p.m., the post office here was still operating.