December 1, 2005
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Some thoughts on my 2005 trip to Vietnam:
- one week is way too short…didn’t get to do much but spend a lot of time with family…I met 13 cousins for the first time (and that’s just my mom’s side)
- hardly anyone drives a car…most of the traffic is motorbikes and bicycles…everyone drives crazy…stopping at red lights is optional, they drive against oncoming traffic, nobody wears a helmet…there were so many times I thought I was going to die
- intellectually I knew I was going to a third world country but that still didn’t prepare me emotionally for the poverty that I faced…we take so many things for granted here. And yet even with their lack of material possessions I think in some ways they are much happier than many here. Families actually just sit down and talk about their lives and joke around instead of wasting precious time in front of a TV or computer screen. The average salary is about $50-$150/month. Everything is much cheaper though…a bowl of pho costs about $1. The exchange rate is $1 = 15,000 Vietnamese dong…so with $100 US you are a millionaire, haha.
- I tried eating goat brain for the first time (not very good). The Vietnamese beer is very light and they usually serve it with ice so it’s like drinking water. Of course, I stayed away from chicken because of the bird flu.
- had an 8 hour layover in Korea on the way back…this actually worked out great because I got a free 5 hour tour of Seoul which included a free lunch of bulgogi and kimchee. Korea seems expensive compared to Vietnam. The exchange rate is $1 = 1000 won but the prices of things were comparable or just slightly cheaper than here.
- the flight was really long…about 18 hours there and 16 hours back…especially since I was sitting next to a fat person and there were crying kids. I saw a lot of movies though…Must Love Dogs (cute and funny romantic comedy), The Island (kind of lame plot but the action is decent), Cinderella Man (a tearjerker), and Stealth (the leading guy and Jessica Biel are hot but that’s about it). Flew Asiana Airlines…service is pretty good although the food is not that great for an international flight…at least alcoholic drinks are free though, hehe
Now onto what most of you really care about…the pics:
Typical street in Vietnam…a lot of people open little stores out of their homes
My 80 year old grandma…she still walks everyday to church to pray…I love her so much…it was very emotional seeing her for the first time in 25 years
My cousin, Hien and her friend at Monaco Bistro where we had dinner one night…this was the only Americanized place I ate at…everywhere else was authentic local food
The nightlife in Vietnam is not that great…the main thing to do is hang out at coffee places such as Cafe Cat Dang
The family and I took a 2 day trip out to some of the beaches near Saigon…these are my cousins’ kids…aren’t they so cute?
The first day we went to Long Hai…this beach was more secluded and empty
Then we drove to Vung Tau where we spent the night at Thang Muoi Hotel and spent the second day here
I actually rode in a cyclo…more just for the experience…but I wouldn’t recommend this as a great mode of transportation (yes I got a perm while I was in Vietnam…that’s why my hair is kinda curly)
We stopped at Long Thanh on the way back to Saigon for some fresh milk…my aunt with some of my cousins
We went to a karaoke bar, Saigon Nho, and I actually got up and sang, lolz
My last day in Saigon, we went to an amusement park.
I love how my cousins are so fobby, haha
Having fun making silly poses
A Day in Korea:
In front of the Presidential Palace
Posing in a traditional Hanbok at the Seoul Museum of History
Outside the restaurant where we had lunch
The toilet at Incheon airport has a red button that when you push rotates clean plastic onto the seat
Comments (22)
Wow such a difference in salary/costs. Nice pictures, I especially like the toilet, and the perm!
korea can be expensive in some respects, but it’s still pretty cheap in terms of food and shopping.
omg ur cousins in the tanktops with the american flags are adorable!!!
Yeah I feel the same way when I went back to Taiwan. Hey that’s a good deal you got a tour of Seoul. Where did you get your plane tics at? Did it include the tour?
ICN airport is pretty nice ive heard.
my family is going back..during new years in Feb. I don’t think I wanna go though, i heard you have lizards on the walls inside the houses. we have those toilet seat covers over here at some places. you push the button and the sheet rotates
LOL I love that toilet picture!
Looks like you had a blast :]
I’m glad that you got to see your grams!
there is a night life in Vn. it’s as expensive as the nightlife here though :p
damn you must be pooped.. haha
ya look good there, sweetie!
dam sen! i love that park…so purty. but yeah….good pics. one week was way too short, but you know what…at least you went. That’s the important part.
all we need is your presence.
that and maybe more beverages. ;-P
ahhh yeah, seems like the dollar’s going up in Vietnam. First time I was there, it was 11k per US dollar, then a couple years ago, it was about 13k, now it’s 15k I guess? I think the country’s getting a bit better, though… it’s gotten a lot more expensive since the first time I’ve gotten there. Things used to be like wayyyy cheaper, but if you go into the city, it’s getting more expensive. And 50-150 a month is pretty good! I know people who were making only 30 bux, or a dollar a day. Oh wells, at least the stuff there is cheaper, so it’s not too bad… plus pretty much everyone grows their own food
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if one of u guys have a costco card, then id say just bring one of those trays of wraps or fruit platter. just give me a call sat and ill let u know what we need.
Lucky you! I’ve never been to Vietnam… I don’t know if I can handle that long flight! Looks like you had a great time though! I remember going to an airport somewhere, I think in Chicago and they had the toilet seats like that too!!! It was strange…
lucky!
u need to go to ny wit friends and party!
how do you know it’s clean plastic and not recycled plastic being rotated??? EW! lol!
Looks like you had a great time! I can’t wait to go to Vietnam one day! Thank you for the pictures! lol~ Happy Holidays~
Glad that you had the chance to visit Vietnam. Living in the US, we sometime take things for granted, and not realizing there are still lots of people who are still living in hardship.
i envy you! i wish i can travel as much as you have. i hope you’ve been taking care.
cheryl =)
mammoth is too far! dont feel like driving 5 hours after work on a friday…
whoa i missed this post. great pictures!!! that toilet one is the best. lol and whoa…i didn’t know they had amusement parks in viet nam…i never really thought about it actually.
You’ve inspired me to travel outside the US.