It was until a wiki-search for a Japanese movie "Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu"
had turned up some gossip as well.
Hollywood had apparently took the rights to this movie and will be producing it, starring Jenifer Garner.
Nothing against the actress. The thought have came to me that Hollywood, once a prime veteran in the movie industry, have come to such means to redeem itself.
Perhaps cynics might digress, however from the following list of movies quoted, you would be surprised -
Original title (Language)/ Hollywood title
----------------------------- -------------------
1.The Ring (Japanese) / The Ring
2. The Grudge (Korean) / The Grudge
3. Dark Water (Japanese) / Dark Water
4. Il Mare (Korean) / The Lake House
5. Shall we dance (Japanese)/ Shall we dance
6. King Kong (US) /King Kong
7. Planet of the Apes (US) /Planet of the Apes
8. War of the Worlds (US) /War of the Worlds
9. Poseidon (US) /Poseidon
10.Be with You (Japanese) /(Not available at press time)
Once is lucky, twice is an conicidence, three times and more is pushing their luck.
Perhaps the pressure is on for the scriptwriters, after years of leading ahead in the industry, it is easy to capitalise on winning box office hits from overseas and past years record holders.
So what shall it be then? Hollywood Recycling or Hollywood Karang Kuni Pte Ltd?
December 30, 2006
December 29, 2006
Little Red Dot Press - (post dated) Kinder-Concert 17 Nov 2006
The Editor has put off writing this article for some time now - hence the post dated edition.
The two adorable girls had their concert on the morning of 17th Nov. Despite a long night the day before (the editor slept at 5 am that day, due to some crisis that arose the night before), he managed to creep out of bed and arrive with the family at the designated venue.
===
The concert took place after the brief graduation ceremony for the out-going students, who would be in primary school next year.
Cameras, be it handphone models or videocam ones, soon occupied the airspace over the seats. Clicks, flashes and most obivious of all, the smiles of the beaming parents whose child was on stage performing. It was most obivious to see who were really enjoying all these.
I remember a quote placed up a year ago at the school premises when my nephew went through his rite of passage.
It said
It struck a deep chord with me, even though I have yet to have children of my own. It also epitomised the fact that materialism in the adult world do not bode well with the world of these young ones.
===
Well, for this edition, the editor shall let his pictures, do the talking. Enjoy and see you again!
(Hazel - 1st from left; Laurel - 2nd from right)
The two adorable girls had their concert on the morning of 17th Nov. Despite a long night the day before (the editor slept at 5 am that day, due to some crisis that arose the night before), he managed to creep out of bed and arrive with the family at the designated venue.
===
The concert took place after the brief graduation ceremony for the out-going students, who would be in primary school next year.
Cameras, be it handphone models or videocam ones, soon occupied the airspace over the seats. Clicks, flashes and most obivious of all, the smiles of the beaming parents whose child was on stage performing. It was most obivious to see who were really enjoying all these.
I remember a quote placed up a year ago at the school premises when my nephew went through his rite of passage.
It said
Your children needs your presence more than they need your presents
It struck a deep chord with me, even though I have yet to have children of my own. It also epitomised the fact that materialism in the adult world do not bode well with the world of these young ones.
===
Well, for this edition, the editor shall let his pictures, do the talking. Enjoy and see you again!
(Hazel - 1st from left; Laurel - 2nd from right)
(Hazel - 2nd from left; Laurel - 2nd from right)
December 19, 2006
Little Red Dot Press - Raindrops keep falling on my head 19 Dec 2006
It is the time of the year, come December and January, the NE monsoon brings along its healthy dose of South China Sea moisture and lands upon the little red dot of Singapore.
The rain have been relentlessly falling on and off for the past three days. With the lunar first day approaching fast, memories of floods in previous years came erm.. flooding back.
With exceptional high tides, there were an outbreak of areas where businesses, cars, people and many more affected by the torrential rain.
The year-end news have never fail to feature
- stranded cars *frantic car owner overheard shouting..'OH MY MERZ!!!'*
- lifted skirts, sarongs and folded pants wading through knee-high water areas
- fallen trees *few squirrels seen scrambling away with their nuts as chainsaws burst into actions*
and last but not least,
citizens of this little red dot mourning and complaining...
This is your editor reporting, high and dry, from the Little Red Dot.
The rain have been relentlessly falling on and off for the past three days. With the lunar first day approaching fast, memories of floods in previous years came erm.. flooding back.
With exceptional high tides, there were an outbreak of areas where businesses, cars, people and many more affected by the torrential rain.
The year-end news have never fail to feature
- stranded cars *frantic car owner overheard shouting..'OH MY MERZ!!!'*
- lifted skirts, sarongs and folded pants wading through knee-high water areas
- fallen trees *few squirrels seen scrambling away with their nuts as chainsaws burst into actions*
and last but not least,
citizens of this little red dot mourning and complaining...
This is your editor reporting, high and dry, from the Little Red Dot.
December 18, 2006
Little Red Dot Press - Back in HCM 09-10 Dec 2006
Coming back to HCM and the calvary of motorbikes swarm you immediately.
Never mind the mass, it is the amount of gases and dirt they generate in their wake. *chokes*
===
Due to fly off from Uncle Ho's homeland on the 11th, so the next few days were basically spent on getting souvenirs and more souvenirs.
Vietnam coffee and their special coffee maker was on the agenda. The sweet aroma is enough to make you open your wallets and bring a couple of kilos back, even though you might be a tea lover.
Besides the list of ordered items, t-shirts and polos were the catch of the day. At Ben Thanh Market, haggling is a must. Most prices quoted were at least 150 to even 200% inflated. A sharp tongue, you must have when you visit.
The market was a sightful, there were plenty of souvenir stores, dried goods, coffee and tea stalls, clothing stalls, bags stores, perfume stores. A shoppers' paradise... come come my fellow Singaporeans, flock real fast flock real hard to this new haven!
With the end of the shopping, the Vietnam trip have drawn to a close. Thank you all readers and this is your editor signing off from Vietnam.
December 15, 2006
Little Red Dot Press - Hoi An Walkabout 08 Dec 2006
Some correction to be called for. The Editor was feverish and had to hold back the movement from Nha Trang on 05th evening. The available train ride was on the 7th morning. I apologise for the mix-up in dates. The affected edition dates have been amended accordingly.
===
Today (o8 Dec) was much taken up by walking, shooting, recce-ing, more shooting and walking.
Took upon the recommended route by the guide book L.P. The route took me through most of the ancient sites such as
- the historical house at 77;
- Museum of Trading Ceramics;
- Fujian Hui Guan, Teochew Hui Guan, Canton Hui Guan;
Besides the (sometimes boring) view, the old houses have been retro-fit interior-wise for businesses; such as souvenir shops, tailor shops, cobbler shops, eateries etc.
What was most outstanding for their conservation was that the EXTERIORS were hardly touched. Unlike those in Singapore which were refurbished, these buildings were still very much antiquated apart from a consistent yellow being splashed across almost every building.
===
The afternoon was spent in the tailor's shop. Here the editor was being 'looked' upon, front and back by the amiable tailor.
"Hmm.. no good.. must change here, here and here.." he rattled off to his staff. I felt like an exhibit in the museum, occasionally forced to lift up this hand, that hand, turn around. I was glad when the 'show' was over.
Besides spending time at the tailor, scouting around for a good art work was on my agenda. Actually, the Editor was never much an art connoisseur. However the artwork these people have were simply too much to be left ignored.
After much wandering and haggling, the Editor finally decided on one and happily made his payment and went back for a quick shower before dinner.
Flight arrangements were made from Danang to HCM city. The bus route and train route would take more than half a day to reach. I could not bear to sit through 20 odd hours to get my bum to my final stop. The flight is the best option.
So much for now. HCM City, I said I'll be back!
===
Today (o8 Dec) was much taken up by walking, shooting, recce-ing, more shooting and walking.
Took upon the recommended route by the guide book L.P. The route took me through most of the ancient sites such as
- the historical house at 77;
- Museum of Trading Ceramics;
- Fujian Hui Guan, Teochew Hui Guan, Canton Hui Guan;
Besides the (sometimes boring) view, the old houses have been retro-fit interior-wise for businesses; such as souvenir shops, tailor shops, cobbler shops, eateries etc.
What was most outstanding for their conservation was that the EXTERIORS were hardly touched. Unlike those in Singapore which were refurbished, these buildings were still very much antiquated apart from a consistent yellow being splashed across almost every building.
===
The afternoon was spent in the tailor's shop. Here the editor was being 'looked' upon, front and back by the amiable tailor.
"Hmm.. no good.. must change here, here and here.." he rattled off to his staff. I felt like an exhibit in the museum, occasionally forced to lift up this hand, that hand, turn around. I was glad when the 'show' was over.
Besides spending time at the tailor, scouting around for a good art work was on my agenda. Actually, the Editor was never much an art connoisseur. However the artwork these people have were simply too much to be left ignored.
After much wandering and haggling, the Editor finally decided on one and happily made his payment and went back for a quick shower before dinner.
Flight arrangements were made from Danang to HCM city. The bus route and train route would take more than half a day to reach. I could not bear to sit through 20 odd hours to get my bum to my final stop. The flight is the best option.
So much for now. HCM City, I said I'll be back!
December 07, 2006
Little Red Dot Press - Eagle have landed 07 Dec 2006
As the train pulled out of the station, the scenery gave way to vast expanse
of padi fields and plantations.
of padi fields and plantations.
Big and small fields are peppered with grazing cows, cows ploughing the
fields, or simply cows soaking in their own mud pools.
Apart for the padi field scenery, the route took the Editor past some ridges
running along the sea coast and past some cloud-covered mountain ranges.
It was an intriguing sight to travel along the countryside. I truly enjoy
countryside train rides. You never know what you expect.
===
The train ride took a little past eight hours. But the hours were much more
passable, as the seat had more leg room and you could walk around, very much
unlike the bus.
The bus ticket is much more cheaper but does not necessarily mean it is
better. One would end the ride with a more sore bum and back that you wished
once is enough.
Therefore for my return trip to Ho Chi Minh, the thought of surviving a 20
odd hour train ride/ bus ride was definitely unthinkable. The next best
option and most arguable expensive option would be the plane trip.
===
So the train stopped, but in Danang. The train does not make a pit stop in
Hoi An, there is not a station there, Danang is but a short 45 minutes away
by a speeding vehicle.
By late afternoon, I was plonked into a pre-arranged hotel at Hoi An.
After what it seemed like a quick change, I went for my addiction -
caffeine.
The aroma of Viet coffee never fails to stimulate, and I am not talking
about the N-brand we have back home. One must have a good patience to endure
the dripping of the pure coffee taste.
It can be served hot or cold, with sugar or milk. An average cup can come in
the range of 7,000 to 10,000 VD (SGD 0.70 to 1.00)
---
Hoi An - is officially an UNESCO protected site. It is one of the few sites
in Vietnam that come under the umbrella cover of the UN and thus initial impressions have not gone to waste.
Most of the buildings were akin (in architecture) to what we USED to have in
Singapore. Most of the buildings were unaimously splashed with a coat of yellow some long time back and the whole ancient town is in DIRE need of
repair.
The houses were not left in a state of disrepair though. Most of them are
occupied by business and I seriously mean business.
Hoi An being an tourist attraction, its citizens naturally turn to one party
for livelihood - tourists.
Tailoring and cobblers - are naturally the town's two main industries. I am
a witness and can testify to that.
Tailors - big and small, have established themselves literally all over Hoi
An. There is literally no spot in the town where there are no tailors
around. All shops are stacked, with bales and bales of cloth, for men and
ladies.
An suit (jacket and pants) with good material costs only 70 USD. This is a
far cry from what Singapore and HK tailors could match.
Besides tailors, most shops either independently craft shoes out for a
living or they double up as tailors. Whatever you need, what G-brand or
L-brand Fall/ Winter 2006 collection interest you, they have the design.
You only need to put your FOOT down and pay the bill at the end of the day.
This is the Editor signing off from Hoi An.
Little Red Dot Press - Moving on to Hoi An... finally 05 Dec 2006
Durian came and gone, Nha Trang was not on the direct path of the typhoon
but still the torrential rains came belting down throughout the night.
The streets cleared out in anticipation of the typhoon yesterday and the
winds howl endlessly.
A recce of the aftermath this morning showed little damage. The beach was
littered with floating debris washed ashore. The beachside restuarants staff
were back on hand to clean up the sand and what-nots.
The town was relatively unscathered. I saw some damaged wirings and plenty
of fallen leaves. The weather, though cloudy, is peppered with occasional
breaks of sunshine.
Good news awaited me in the morning, the buses on to Hoi An will be resumed
and I shall be moving my butt to the next port-of-call... erm.. destination.
Excuse my use of lingo, professional habit.
---
Food in Vietnam so far is passable. Prices varies. You want a posh condition
setting, you pay higher for the same food you enjoy where most locals enjoy.
Coffee or "cah phe" is served with a miniature drip-down canister. Depending
on coffee black or white, you have sugar/ milk thrown in the cup.
Never a day ha
ve passed without me gulping down 2 cups of coffee. It is too
irresistable to avoid.
Beef noodles or "pho" is served soup mainly. I was once taught how to eat
with a mixture of saltish and spicy sauce.
Prices range from 7000 -10000 VD for a cuppa (0.70 SGD - 1.00 SGD)
"Pho" (not necessarily beef noodles, there are a selection of chicken and
pork) comes in the price range of 15,000 VD to 18,000 VD.
Baguette comes served with a array of servings (egg, vegetable, bacon...etc)
As for the rest of the authentic Viet food, I might have to leave it to my
local guide in HCM to bring me around. Your Editor is never really
particular about food.
Till Hoi An, this is your Editor signing off for today.
but still the torrential rains came belting down throughout the night.
The streets cleared out in anticipation of the typhoon yesterday and the
winds howl endlessly.
A recce of the aftermath this morning showed little damage. The beach was
littered with floating debris washed ashore. The beachside restuarants staff
were back on hand to clean up the sand and what-nots.
The town was relatively unscathered. I saw some damaged wirings and plenty
of fallen leaves. The weather, though cloudy, is peppered with occasional
breaks of sunshine.
Good news awaited me in the morning, the buses on to Hoi An will be resumed
and I shall be moving my butt to the next port-of-call... erm.. destination.
Excuse my use of lingo, professional habit.
---
Food in Vietnam so far is passable. Prices varies. You want a posh condition
setting, you pay higher for the same food you enjoy where most locals enjoy.
Coffee or "cah phe" is served with a miniature drip-down canister. Depending
on coffee black or white, you have sugar/ milk thrown in the cup.
Never a day ha
ve passed without me gulping down 2 cups of coffee. It is tooirresistable to avoid.
Beef noodles or "pho" is served soup mainly. I was once taught how to eat
with a mixture of saltish and spicy sauce.
Prices range from 7000 -10000 VD for a cuppa (0.70 SGD - 1.00 SGD)
"Pho" (not necessarily beef noodles, there are a selection of chicken and
pork) comes in the price range of 15,000 VD to 18,000 VD.
Baguette comes served with a array of servings (egg, vegetable, bacon...etc)
As for the rest of the authentic Viet food, I might have to leave it to my
local guide in HCM to bring me around. Your Editor is never really
particular about food.
Till Hoi An, this is your Editor signing off for today.
December 05, 2006
Little Red Dot Press - Shelled by Durian 04 Dec 2006
I give up. This Vietnam trip is totally jinxed. Right from the start, it
seemed nothing have gone right.
With Typhoon Durian approaching within the next few hours (expected landfall
1600-1800), all out-going buses have stopped. There you go. Adieus Hoi An..
Adieus....
Was planning to have at least 3 days in Hoi An, the least, so that I can get
my USD 20 suit done. Looks like I might have to get the same suit done in Ho
Chi Minh. By the way, all of you did not read it wrong. IT IS USD 20 per
suit.
Products here are relatively cheap. Yes bird-style, cheap cheap... Come come
all fellow Singaporeans, fly in and do your shelling.. erm, shopping in
style.
A rough guide for those unaware, I shall list a few of my items which I
picked up over here.
Polo T-shirt (Adidas/ Nike etc)
- First quote 200,000 VD (about 20 SGD)
- Rebuked & counteroffered 100,000 VD
- Requote 150,000 VD
RESULT - no deal.
Another half hour and another shop later, I was quoted
- First quote at 75,000 VD (7.50 SGD)
- Rebuked at 60,000 VD
- Counter quote at 65,000 VD
- Remained payment of 60,000 VD (6.00 SGD)
Salesgirl then did the unthinkable, she slipped her tongue and mentioned
55,000 VD
RESULT - 2 polo shirts bought
And I was thinking, if I had bought earlier, I would be cursing like hell.
Nike cap (Duck-type)
- Quote at 30,000 VD
- Countered at 15,000 VD
- Requote at 25,000 VD
- Stood by 15,000 VD
- Tried another cap at 15,000. I refused. Got onto my bicycle and started
moving away.
- Salesgirl called and agreed at 15,000 VD (1.50 SGD)
So much for my bargaining power.
---
More to come in tomorrow edition. Food Prices.. Stay tuned
seemed nothing have gone right.
With Typhoon Durian approaching within the next few hours (expected landfall
1600-1800), all out-going buses have stopped. There you go. Adieus Hoi An..
Adieus....
Was planning to have at least 3 days in Hoi An, the least, so that I can get
my USD 20 suit done. Looks like I might have to get the same suit done in Ho
Chi Minh. By the way, all of you did not read it wrong. IT IS USD 20 per
suit.
Products here are relatively cheap. Yes bird-style, cheap cheap... Come come
all fellow Singaporeans, fly in and do your shelling.. erm, shopping in
style.
A rough guide for those unaware, I shall list a few of my items which I
picked up over here.
Polo T-shirt (Adidas/ Nike etc)
- First quote 200,000 VD (about 20 SGD)
- Rebuked & counteroffered 100,000 VD
- Requote 150,000 VD
RESULT - no deal.
Another half hour and another shop later, I was quoted
- First quote at 75,000 VD (7.50 SGD)
- Rebuked at 60,000 VD
- Counter quote at 65,000 VD
- Remained payment of 60,000 VD (6.00 SGD)
Salesgirl then did the unthinkable, she slipped her tongue and mentioned
55,000 VD
RESULT - 2 polo shirts bought
And I was thinking, if I had bought earlier, I would be cursing like hell.
Nike cap (Duck-type)
- Quote at 30,000 VD
- Countered at 15,000 VD
- Requote at 25,000 VD
- Stood by 15,000 VD
- Tried another cap at 15,000. I refused. Got onto my bicycle and started
moving away.
- Salesgirl called and agreed at 15,000 VD (1.50 SGD)
So much for my bargaining power.
---
More to come in tomorrow edition. Food Prices.. Stay tuned
Little Red Dot Press - Tanned and Beached 03 Dec 2006
The Editor took a little more snooze than expected. Gone was the chance for
a early sunrise shoot by the beach.
Anyway, plenty of more chances to come by the following day.
---
After the customary French loaf and Vietnamese coffee, the Editor took up
his pad and his postion by the beach. Under the shade of the coconut trees
and the onslaught of fresh sea breeze, the pen went tirelessly on and on.
Time seem to come to a halt in this part of the country. Five to six hours
later, the Editor was still very much scribbling. There were intermediate
pauses for some reading but it seemed such a long time.
So I managed to achieve a great tan, in the sun scooting around yesterday
and as well cycling around the town. And for the record, I have already lost
count how many times I have been spoken to, in Vietnamese.
What alll the people who spoke to me got a very BLANK look, I might have a
steep learning curve when it comes to language. But if the expectation for
me to listen, speak fluently within 2-3 days of arrival is a MISSION
IMPOSSIBLE.
And again for the record, I have carved up a list of mistaken identities
since my sailing days.
I was mistaken for a
- Japanese when in Innoshima dockyards
- Southern Mainland Chinese when in Dalian shipyard
- Thai when backpacking through Thailand
- Indonesian when having a meal in Tanjong Priok, Jakarta
- Filippino in many parts of Australia and other parts of the world
- Korean when vessel called in Yosu, S.Korea
and latest addition, a Viet
There you have it, I have been assumed most of the Asian identities. Perhaps
I should try applying for CIA or MI6 as their Asian operative. I could pass
off easily as the next undercover agent. *Bong... James Bong...* Worth
considering.
---
It was only nightfall when I got the news. News of the impeding Typhoon
Durian. What luck I have.
First was the overlooked passport, then the bus breakdown, and now TYPHOON!
Hoi An - the next stop seems like a mirage now... Schedule would be severly
delayed. Wonder if the buses still run tomorrow. Let us hope for the best.
Till tomorrow. Stay tuned
a early sunrise shoot by the beach.
Anyway, plenty of more chances to come by the following day.
---
After the customary French loaf and Vietnamese coffee, the Editor took up
his pad and his postion by the beach. Under the shade of the coconut trees
and the onslaught of fresh sea breeze, the pen went tirelessly on and on.
Time seem to come to a halt in this part of the country. Five to six hours
later, the Editor was still very much scribbling. There were intermediate
pauses for some reading but it seemed such a long time.
So I managed to achieve a great tan, in the sun scooting around yesterday
and as well cycling around the town. And for the record, I have already lost
count how many times I have been spoken to, in Vietnamese.
What alll the people who spoke to me got a very BLANK look, I might have a
steep learning curve when it comes to language. But if the expectation for
me to listen, speak fluently within 2-3 days of arrival is a MISSION
IMPOSSIBLE.
And again for the record, I have carved up a list of mistaken identities
since my sailing days.
I was mistaken for a
- Japanese when in Innoshima dockyards
- Southern Mainland Chinese when in Dalian shipyard
- Thai when backpacking through Thailand
- Indonesian when having a meal in Tanjong Priok, Jakarta
- Filippino in many parts of Australia and other parts of the world
- Korean when vessel called in Yosu, S.Korea
and latest addition, a Viet
There you have it, I have been assumed most of the Asian identities. Perhaps
I should try applying for CIA or MI6 as their Asian operative. I could pass
off easily as the next undercover agent. *Bong... James Bong...* Worth
considering.
---
It was only nightfall when I got the news. News of the impeding Typhoon
Durian. What luck I have.
First was the overlooked passport, then the bus breakdown, and now TYPHOON!
Hoi An - the next stop seems like a mirage now... Schedule would be severly
delayed. Wonder if the buses still run tomorrow. Let us hope for the best.
Till tomorrow. Stay tuned
Little Red Dot Press - Nha Trang 02 Dec 2006
After a wasted day in HCM City, the Editor was finally on the move again.
But not for long, he have the slightest doubt that the whole journey is
jinxed.
The night bus broke down shortly two hours after departing. The drivers
hastily opened up the battery compartment and tried their Ali-Baba rescue
method.
Without a proper torch in hand, I gladly lent them my portable LED torch.
They went on to figure out what could be done. Soon, one and another sister
buses came along.
There we had, 6 drivers trying all stunts of disconnecting the wirings,
rejoining them etc made my eyes roll up.
Sparks flew and I meant real sparks flew, I saw how they were trying to
salvage the situation and that they were even bold enough to re-wiring the
whole circuitry, trial and errof of course. I am no technical man and this
is the time that I wished my ex-company Superintendent is around.
Two hours and 6 exasperated drivers later, a relief bus came. *Cheers* And
the whole busload of Viets and myself found ourselves drifting off to sleep
soon.
Given the same situation with a same busload of Singaporeans, I fear the
worse.
"GO BACK MUST COMPLAIN!!"
" Wah lau make us wait so long!"
"Dont know what they are doing!"
would be some of the typical comments that could be expected.
Though I dont understand much of what they were talking about, they were
still rather cool about the situation. Very probably, it could be that this
is not the first time such breakdowns happen.
---
Dawn breaks early in Vietnam, probably they are in a time zone GMT+7. The
serene scenery which adorns the road trip during those brief moments of
sunrise was amazing. The bus passed through fields of salt pools where the
morning sun, in a slight lavenderish tint sky, shone its feeble rays.
Soon these scenes gave way to children peddling their bicycles to school. I
noticed some schools require their girls to wear the traditional Ao Dai,
which is an absolute piece of art, and I MEAN the dress!
But not for long, he have the slightest doubt that the whole journey is
jinxed.
The night bus broke down shortly two hours after departing. The drivers
hastily opened up the battery compartment and tried their Ali-Baba rescue
method.
Without a proper torch in hand, I gladly lent them my portable LED torch.
They went on to figure out what could be done. Soon, one and another sister
buses came along.
There we had, 6 drivers trying all stunts of disconnecting the wirings,
rejoining them etc made my eyes roll up.
Sparks flew and I meant real sparks flew, I saw how they were trying to
salvage the situation and that they were even bold enough to re-wiring the
whole circuitry, trial and errof of course. I am no technical man and this
is the time that I wished my ex-company Superintendent is around.
Two hours and 6 exasperated drivers later, a relief bus came. *Cheers* And
the whole busload of Viets and myself found ourselves drifting off to sleep
soon.
Given the same situation with a same busload of Singaporeans, I fear the
worse.
"GO BACK MUST COMPLAIN!!"
" Wah lau make us wait so long!"
"Dont know what they are doing!"
would be some of the typical comments that could be expected.
Though I dont understand much of what they were talking about, they were
still rather cool about the situation. Very probably, it could be that this
is not the first time such breakdowns happen.
---
Dawn breaks early in Vietnam, probably they are in a time zone GMT+7. The
serene scenery which adorns the road trip during those brief moments of
sunrise was amazing. The bus passed through fields of salt pools where the
morning sun, in a slight lavenderish tint sky, shone its feeble rays.
Soon these scenes gave way to children peddling their bicycles to school. I
noticed some schools require their girls to wear the traditional Ao Dai,
which is an absolute piece of art, and I MEAN the dress!
Come 0630 am and the bus finally pulled up to a stop.
---
Nha Trang - a quaint seaside town, with a mix of what Phuket and Krabi is.
A more developed market for island hopping, snorkelling and diving. The
beach is much more pristine than what I have seen in Vung Tau with slightly
more crowd.
For beach lovers, this is the place. The beach seems to stretch for miles.
The sea breeze is so much better, partly of the NE Monsoon. The waves come
crashing down with such force and you would be longing to stay around for
days.
Surfers, sun lovers would fall in love with this place.
Food is relatively reasonable, with many catering to the ang mo crowd, it is
still possible to find local eateries with the same food, at a much lower
price.
Grilled fish/ shrimps/ crabs are the highlight of the day, that is if you
are not allergic to shells. The local dip the fish in a special sauce, which
taste like a mixture of vinegar and pepper. EXCELLENT!
---
Nha Trang have its fair share of sights. With my butt on a rented motorbike,
I scooted around north and south of the town, snapping pictures along the
way.
For trigger-happy photographers, my advice is to head out and into the
smaller alleyways that you see. There are often alot of opportunities that
you see how the Viets behave when tourists are not around.
For those unaware, not all Viet gals wear ao dai everyday! It seems they are
usually in their jeans and t-shirts. Come night time, everything takes a
180-degree turn.
Many of the womenfolk tend to stick with their auntie-ish pyjamas. If you
are totally clueless, go to your neighbourhood market in the morning and you
see what I mean by auntie-ish pyjamas.
And one more thing, do not ask if I have seen pretty girls around. As the
rule of nature dictates, the pretty ones are long gone by the time I am
here. Most would be in other establishments than stay here in a small
seaside town. Am I right?
The day took a drag on the weary body. I hit the snooze button as soon as I
hit the bed. Afterall, sleeping on a moving bus HAS never been comfortable.
*snores*
---
Nha Trang - a quaint seaside town, with a mix of what Phuket and Krabi is.
A more developed market for island hopping, snorkelling and diving. The
beach is much more pristine than what I have seen in Vung Tau with slightly
more crowd.
For beach lovers, this is the place. The beach seems to stretch for miles.
The sea breeze is so much better, partly of the NE Monsoon. The waves come
crashing down with such force and you would be longing to stay around for
days.
Surfers, sun lovers would fall in love with this place.
Food is relatively reasonable, with many catering to the ang mo crowd, it is
still possible to find local eateries with the same food, at a much lower
price.
Grilled fish/ shrimps/ crabs are the highlight of the day, that is if you
are not allergic to shells. The local dip the fish in a special sauce, which
taste like a mixture of vinegar and pepper. EXCELLENT!
---
Nha Trang have its fair share of sights. With my butt on a rented motorbike,
I scooted around north and south of the town, snapping pictures along the
way.
For trigger-happy photographers, my advice is to head out and into the
smaller alleyways that you see. There are often alot of opportunities that
you see how the Viets behave when tourists are not around.
For those unaware, not all Viet gals wear ao dai everyday! It seems they are
usually in their jeans and t-shirts. Come night time, everything takes a
180-degree turn.
Many of the womenfolk tend to stick with their auntie-ish pyjamas. If you
are totally clueless, go to your neighbourhood market in the morning and you
see what I mean by auntie-ish pyjamas.
And one more thing, do not ask if I have seen pretty girls around. As the
rule of nature dictates, the pretty ones are long gone by the time I am
here. Most would be in other establishments than stay here in a small
seaside town. Am I right?
The day took a drag on the weary body. I hit the snooze button as soon as I
hit the bed. Afterall, sleeping on a moving bus HAS never been comfortable.
*snores*
December 01, 2006
Little Red Dot Press - Screwed up Friday 01 Dec 2006
The once-efficient Editor made an arse of himself. Really.
Imagine of all documents, he have chosen *well.. absent-mindedly* to leave behind his PASSPORT with the hotel. Hotels require guest to deposit their passport behind. *!@#$% regulation... never had to do this all over Asia* The receptionist also forgotten to hand it back *grumbles*
Anyway, reached my destination and had to do an about-turn. YES, BELAKANG PU-SING! *more grumbling*
So came back to HCM and made another round of arrangements, this time to Nha Trang. Was suppose to be in the breezy beach of Vung Tau by now... *more grumbles !@$!@#$ * Argh!
Seems like Vung Tau was not meant to be. *Quaint little place, totally void of people..erm.. beach-goers*
Will be leaving on the 2000 hr bus to Nha Trang, where I should stay and BEACHED myself, have a tan, swim, whatever for the next couple of days before my last stop, Hoi An.
===
Last round of Ho Chi Minh brought some pictures. Wandered into the smaller alleys and found a cottage industry of ladies in auntie-ish pyjamas sewing away.
Imagine of all documents, he have chosen *well.. absent-mindedly* to leave behind his PASSPORT with the hotel. Hotels require guest to deposit their passport behind. *!@#$% regulation... never had to do this all over Asia* The receptionist also forgotten to hand it back *grumbles*
Anyway, reached my destination and had to do an about-turn. YES, BELAKANG PU-SING! *more grumbling*
So came back to HCM and made another round of arrangements, this time to Nha Trang. Was suppose to be in the breezy beach of Vung Tau by now... *more grumbles !@$!@#$ * Argh!
Seems like Vung Tau was not meant to be. *Quaint little place, totally void of people..erm.. beach-goers*
Will be leaving on the 2000 hr bus to Nha Trang, where I should stay and BEACHED myself, have a tan, swim, whatever for the next couple of days before my last stop, Hoi An.
===
Last round of Ho Chi Minh brought some pictures. Wandered into the smaller alleys and found a cottage industry of ladies in auntie-ish pyjamas sewing away.
Also managed to catch some stall-owners whipping up a storm in the alleyways. As the Editor is quite health-conscious, the palates were left untasted.
More to come, details of what the editor had left out on Day 1 of HCM.
The Reunification Palace - though described as VERY boring, does have its points of attraction, if any of the following DOES attract you.
- Map room of the last President
- War Room of the last President
- An underground tour of the rooms filled with antique radio sets (any SAF Signallers interested?) and maps, overlays (I was intelligence-trained, the overlays did arouse a slight interest but it nevertheless fizzled out)
- Meeting room for the cabinent ministers
- Sleeping quarters of the President
- Gambling room of the President
- Reception Room of the First Lady etc etc
Any Takers? The guided tour takes about an hour. I cut myself short, finished it in 30 mins.
Central Square - an oversight and left out yesterday
The statue of Ho Chi Minh with a child is made famous. Against the backdrop of the municipal building, the statue and building looks fantastic when endowed with the night lights (It does look nice on the postcard though)
Rex Hotel - next to the Central Square
A relic of the French and hosted quite a fair share of guest since its heydays. According to my motorist, it is still very expensive these days.
Botanical Gardens and Zoo
One might wonder what in the world the Editor was doing in the Botanical Gardens.
Anyway, the place is a great retreat from the scorching heat that bore endlessly on the people, motorists of HCM.
And it is also the green lung of the city. With the endless horde of motorists on their hondas, tooting away, they might as well form up to being the 3rd Div Motorist Calvary. Regardless male or female, everyone seems to scrambling from place to place on their Hondas.
Asthma-patients be warned! The amount of exhaust spewing out from these motorbikes might cause an attack anytime!
Every owner are usually armed up a mask (which I, a paramedic, knows this is a rather redundant means of filtering) and long gloves (for ladies) to shield themselves of the hot sun bearing down on them. I guess I better have my lungs X-rayed when back in SG *cough cough*
One very interesting feature along the backpackers' zone: You might find cyclists going around shaking a bunch of coins. From my recce sources, these people are actually touts for massages! No wonder I do not see any palours around as compared to Thailand. Rather discreet over here.
Very innovative. I failed to realise this when I first saw them, but then again, spekaing in English - a foreign tongue - would give me away immediately.
I recognise one-two of them now, I had a long walk around the neighbourhood and had formed the general picture where the *ahem* massages would take place.
So much for today. More to come tomorrow! Stay Tuned.
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