Flowers!

I somehow manage to take pics of flowers on every trip; and this trip is no exception :)

Cheery sunflowers in bloom... You prob wun be able to guess where I took this pic -- Changi Airport Terminal 2! I didnt know they had a neat sunflower garden tucked away in one corner...

This picture's a little blur -- but I think you can still see the animal. Well, we were on our way to Ben Tre Province to take our boat ride and stopped on the way for a toilet break. This toilet strangely had many pretty orchid-like flowers outside... While we were happily snapping away, my tour guide plucked one flower and started, to my horror, peeling away the petals and stigma... But before I knew it, he had transformed the flower (shown below) into a cute white rabbit! I instantly fell in love with this flower-rabbit... hai. if someone made it just for me I'll be happy for a few hours... :P

The original flower. Dunno what kinda flower this is, but it's probably an orchid? So pretty... :)

Faces of Vietnam

Aside from Vietnamese women dressed in flattering figure-hugging ao dais, I also came across many "ordinary" folks- hawkers along the streets, people toiling away in handicraft workshops, friendly waitresses in restaurants... though communication was still a prob in many instances, I felt that most people I met were all quite friendly and helpful. Was particularly impressed by how many Vietnamese working in touristy places spoke Japanese! (some even better than English). Anyway, hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I did taking them :)

This was snapped in a hurry while on my tourist van. And the expression of hardship on the lady's face still makes me feel a little unsettled whenever I look at this pic. According to my mum, those huge fruits on the ground contain our atap chees (those white chewy things you get in your ice kachangs)...

Rice paper production in action. Lady was really skilful and nothing tore... I still can't figure out how something so thin can be so "untearable"! These wet sheets were later put under the sun to dry...
Lady packing coconut candy into packets... Every single candy is wrapped up in white wrappers by women with superbly nimble fingers... This 'coconut candy factory' was on one of the islands tourists were conned to go to haha. Basically the tour guide brought us on a Mekong River boat trip-- a not-so-picturesque boat journey spanning one whole afternoon and island-hopping btwn 4 rather obscure islands on the river. But since you've already paid for it, why not just be happy and make the best out of it? :P
Worker polishing a piece of lacquerware-art. There were many such lacquer-art on sale in HCM City.... and I never expected the production process to be so arduous and labor-intensive till I got to witness for myself what went on behind the scenes... This man was quite friendly when I somewhat guiltily asked for a picture... just cos you know... i'm like "capitalising" on ppl's hardship by taking a picture.

Little boy squatting by the road beside a scale at his grandma(?)'s durian stall. There were several informal stalls selling fruits etc when we were on our way back from Ben Tre Province, the place some 1.45 hr bus ride south of HCM city, where we took our boat cruise...

Vietnamese women taking a lazy afternoon nap in a wholesale Market in Cholon, Vietnam's Chinatown. Erm, thought it was rather odd that they just sprawled out like that....

Soldier at the Cu Chi Tunnel demonstrating how soldiers could disappear into the extensive system of tunnels underground. This was one of the 'holes' and seriously after he placed the wooden plank over his head there was no trace of him at all. Amazing how resourceful and innovative ppl can get during times of war. Somehow this guy reminds me of a plumper version of Julian Cheung... and his silent upward stare (at tourists photographing him) makes me a little uneasy... cos he feels so submissive.

My HCM "motorcycle diaries"

Ho Chi Minh City has to be the motorbike capital of the world... Nothing there fascinated me as much as local folks zipping around on their motorbikes... day in day out... everywhere... rain or shine... Given HCM City's status as Vietnam's "economic powerhouse", witnessing some 10 times more motorbikes than cars on the roads (or more) was truly surprising to me.... Cars certainly appear to be a rare commodity- the occasional 4-wheeled vehicles i see around are either taxis, tourist vans/buses or public buses...
Motorbikes have such a HUGE presence in HCM City that the gas stations are primarily motorbike gas stations... 'carparks' frequently only have entrances only big enough for motorbikes to enter... Local markets even sell ready-made hats/face masks to gear motorcyclists up for the weather/pollution etc. No doubt motorbiking seems like the most convenient and cheapest way to get around...but it sometimes appears really dangerous too -- with 2 or 3 passengers on one motorbike being a very common sight. But perhaps it's also necessary-- ppl really don't seem very well off and you probably have to make do with what you can afford. On the other hand, I couldn't help but feel that motorbiking can be a good bonding experience-- for couples/ families/ friends.... there's this element of navigating treacherous roads together? I for one would probably cling on to the person in front for my dear life if put on one of the motorbikes for my very first time.

Tourists also dun have it easy... Crossing roads have never been as challenging for me...! there are pathetically few formal pedestrian crossings and frequently motorbikes do not adhere strictly to traffic rules... From time to time these tourist security guards will bring you across the road, but most of the time you'll have to rely on yourself. well i do believe that motorcyclists actively try to avoid pedestrians but sometimes they only manage to stop when they are like 30 cm away from you... So to sum it up getting to the other side can be harrowing at busy times of the day even if you make it over unscathed! It also doesn't help that I sometimes had a squealing mum clinging on to me :P Prob not too great an idea to bring your toddler or grandma.

After so much blabbering, I shall let the pictures tell the story :) I actually took quite a few pics, but cos most of them were taken while "on the move" from my tourist van many turned out blurry. These are some of the better and more interesting ones...

Colorful motorbikes on sale in a shop...
The "garang baby" model -- kids are frequently placed in front of the motorbike and this is one example... The kid in this pic even has a veil over his head, i guess to filter out the polluted air..Garang baby No. 2... Actually I feared for this kid's safety... The lady (presumably the mum) is riding with one hand... I really take my hats off the Vietnamese. dunno how they manage.
The "Sandwiched Baby" model... Another place to put your kid is in btwn two adults... The mother-carrying-newborn shown above is not very common... I saw many kids sitting in btwn, or better still... standing in btwn on the seat!People also somehow manage to transport all kinds of things on motorbikes - Our CPU warrior being an excellent illustration. Seriously -- travelling at high speed while holding on to a not-so-light CPU with the other hand... certainly takes lotsa skill.Last but not least, motorbiking in foul weather. It drizzled a little on the 3rd morning and while in my van I saw many motorcyclists stopping along the road to put on ponchos and other rainy-day gear. I couldn't help but wonder what happens to the millions of motorcyclists in the city during heavy downpours...?