Ho Chi Minh Walkathon

A lot of people had been asking for our itinerary during our recent Vietnam-Cambodia trip, so here goes. I'll try to be as accurate as I can.

When we booked this trip, the original plan is to go the Ho Chi Minh - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Ho Chi Minh route. I made several mock itineraries, considering bus and plane options for the transfer. A couple of weeks before leaving for the trip, I tried looking for flights from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap and it was crazy expensive (for me, anyway). If we get on a plane, I have to pay about PHP25,000 (~USD600) for roundtrip tickets for two adults. We decided to just take a bus at about PHP2,000 (USD44) instead.

I made several mock itineraries (I think I made five) trying to divide our days between the three sites. In the end we decided to drop Phnom Penh and just stay at HCM and Siem Reap instead. We will be spending a total of eight full days on this trip and this is how we decided to divide it:

• Days 1 - 2: HCM
• Day 3: Travel to Siem Reap
• Days 4 - 7: Siem Reap
• Day 8: HCM

I pre-booked hotels throughout our stay through Agoda.

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Important things to remember:

• Vietnam local time is GMT+7 (Manila time is GMT+8)
• You can use US Dollars for your daily spending in HCM
• 1 USD = 18,000-20,000 Vietnamese dong (most higher end places charge the lower exchange rate)
• There are a lot of cheap (yet clean!) hotels in HCM

We got to Vietnam from Manila at around 2am local time. We booked airport transfers from the hotel since we are coming in late and I don't want the hassle of haggling with a taxi driver.

We arrived at Blue Diamond Hotel after around twenty minutes by car. Check-in was painless and quick, they gave us a map of the surrounding area with marked areas of interest. The lobby of the hotel looked extravagant, with gilded furniture and decorations scattered throughout. The hotel is across the street from Reunification Palace, which means that it is very near most of the tourist attractions. Breakfast buffet was included in our package, and I'd say that the choices are pretty extensive -- both Western and Asian cuisines are well-represented. They also change the menu per day, so bonus points for that.

The room they gave us was on the second floor (which is really the third floor). It was a little bit small, with two twin beds squashed together and a very small window with a view of the plastic plant in the corridor outside. The bathroom is decently sized, with a bathtub and a rain shower. The water might take a while to get hot though, especially in the morning when a lot of people are taking a shower at the same time.

The staff is very helpful and respectful. They can help you book tours, buses, tell the cab drivers where to go, point you to places you might want to visit, etc. They speak very good English, too.

Day 1
Day 1 was spent walking around the city. We had a late start due to our late arrival the night before, and it was very humid when we did our walking tour. Here's where we went (and the corresponding fees, when applicable):

The courtyard of the Fine Arts Museum

• Tran Nguyen Hai statue - set in the middle of the roundabout in front of Ben Thanh market. Lots of motorcycles zipping through here, we decided not to cross to the statue itself.
• Fine Arts Museum (10,000 d) - a museum housed in the home and office of a Chinese immigrant and was designed by a French architect in 1929. The house itself is very pretty, with large, airy rooms and lost of porticoes and balconies. There are a couple of coffee shops behind and beside the building. There's also a row of galleries selling sculptures and paintings at the the back.
• Ton That Dam street market - all manner of things for sale!
• X Cafe - stopped for ice cream and cold beverages. Spent about USD8 for two one-scoop glasses of ice cream, plus two cans of soda. Ice cream is served with a slice of pineapple and chocolate drizzle. Lots of flavors to choose from!
• Opera House - we didn't get a chance to go in as there is a ceremony ongoing. I liked the park in front of the opera house, though.
• Rex Hotel - viewed from outside, hehe. So intimidating!
• Hotel de Ville - also known as the People's Committe Building. Tours are not allowed inside, so we just took pictures from the park out front. Spacious park with lots of benches. If it wasn't so hot I would have loved to stay there for a while.
• Museum of Ho Chi Minh City (15,000d) - covers the city's 300-year history. Interesting cyclos out front, war machines at the back. There's a cafe there, too.



The inside of the Central Post
Office

• Quan An Ngon - had lunch here before continuing with the tour. A little upscale, based on the service and the decor, but still reasonably priced. I paid 192,000d for lunch for two plus appetizers and drinks.
• Independence Palace (30,000d) - the presidential palace of the South Vietnamese government up to the 1970's. A guide book is for sale at the ticket counter for 10,000d.
• War Remnants Museum (15,000d) - a very depressing place indeed. The water puppet theater was closed the day we went there.
• Notre Dame Cathedral - visiting hours are from 8am to 10:30am and 3pm to 5pm.
• Central Post Office - postcards, trinkets, and other souvenirs available inside. There are retro-style phone booths, too.
• Pho 24 - wrapped up the day with pho! While we were eating, I figured out that their Manila branch is right across my office! The serving was huge, I got the beef pho and Ninoy got the special (pho with everything in it). A steal at 195,000d (with drinks).

Day 2
There's more walking around to be had!

• History Museum (15,000d) - they have a very extensive collection, including artefacts from Cambodian temples. Picture-taking not allowed!
• Pho 2000 - their catchphrase: "Where presidents dine." Naks. On the wall hangs a framed photograph of Bill Clinton with the staff. Good, hearty pho with hefty servings of condiments. Spent 154,000d for a full meal for two.
• Ben Thanh Market - where everyone seems to think you need a whole new closet-full of clothes. The hawkers also seemed to recognize us as Filipino and started selling their wares to us in Tagalog. Nye. Dried fruits, candy, and snacks are also available. The market is divided into sections -- food, clothes, bags, trinkets.
• Augustin - dinner at this French restaurant proved a pleasant experience. Ninoy and I ordered a serving of soup each and I wasn't able to finish mine. The owner and the wait staff are so concerned that I didn't like it, they asked me about it twice. The roast chicken is good and the servings are huge. USD36 for dinner for two.
• Foot massage - there's a newly-opened massage center in Blue Diamond and we tried it out. The masseurs chatted the whole time and frankly I felt like battered meat after. USD8 per person.

Day 3
This day was spent travelling from HCM to Siem Reap. We had breakfast really early then left for the bus station. The bus picked us up from Pham Ngu Lao (the backpacker area with lots of cheap hostels).

We had Blue Diamond book the bus trip for us, and they issued us tickets from HCM to Phnom Penh and another one from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. About fifteen minutes after the bus got going, the bus monitor collected our passports. About two hours after departing, we hit the Vietnam border. We all had to get down from the bus to have our passports stamped. After everyone got their passports back, we boarded the bus again, rode for a few meters, then alighted again this time to enter Cambodia. We stopped for (an expensive) lunch at a roadside eatery a few kilometers into Cambodia.

It took us about six hours to get to Phnom Penh (our bus rode a barge too!) and by the time we got there I was getting tired of all the sitting around. We got off at the Phnom Penh station of Phnom Penh Sorya and transferred to the bus taking us to Siem Reap.

Our ETA at Siem Reap was supposed to be 9pm, but our bus took A LOT of stopovers and some parts of the National Highway are under repair. We got to Siem Reap at around 10:30pm and by this time I was utterly and thoroughly pooped. I hadn't eaten anything substantial since lunch, it was raining so hard when we reached Siem Reap, and my butt hurts. I thereby declared that we will not do that road trip again. Ugh.

A free bottle of water is included in the fare for the HCM to Phnom Penh leg. The bus from HCM to Phnom Penh is clean, but the one from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is a little old. We paid Blue Diamond for our bus fare and they gave us a provisional receipt with our seat numbers. The bus fare from HCM to Siem Reap is USD22 per person.

For our three-night stay at Blue Diamond, I paid a little over PHP5,500 (USD 126).

Ran over by a death cab

I was in college. And I was heartbroken. And thus I met Death Cab for Cutie.

Their first song I heard was their cover of Bjork's All is Full Love, from a mix CD called Let Go of Your Bad Days made by my friend Kathy for me. When I heard Photobooth, I decided that I will love this band. This band with songs that are seemingly happy but turn out to be sad when you listen to the lyrics. Happy on the outside, sad inside. Just like me, I thought (Hey, I was in the middle of an emotional revolution!).

And so it was that I found myself in the middle of NBC Tent last March 5th, 2012. Oh man. That night was more than I ever thought it would be. Standing there, legs cramping and shoulders aching, watching one of the bands I love most give the best show I have ever seen. Wow.

 I don't think I have screamed, jumped, sang my heart out and shook my head as much as I did during that night. And when Ben Gibbard said that this is the "start of a long and beautiful friendship" I think I peed my pants a little in glee. Well not really. But I think I almost did.

Every person in that venue sang each and every heartfelt word to each and every song. Why wouldn't you when the band playing in front of you is so good it made me happy for once that I am not a musician because they would make me look bad puny if I was. I have always gushed and gushed about What Sarah Said and how amazingly sad it made me feel. When they played it that night, oh wow, the place suddenly turned very dusty. And then they followed it with I Will Follow You Into The Dark, which made the place even dustier. Ben singing solo with his acoustic guitar made the song sound sadder, and it didn't help that the hundreds and hundreds of people in that venue sang with him as if comforting him. Somewhere after the first chorus, Ben stepped away from the mic and smiled. I'd like to think that it's because he's so touched that Manila loved them so much.


 I didn't get any videos and my crappy point-and-shoot can't get decent shots. But never mind that. I was there! I was dancing! I watched Ben Gibbard sway from side to side, raise his guitar like a proper rockstar, jump up and down! I watched Nick Harmer rock that bass like there's no tomorrow! I watched Chris Walla be charming and golden and be a guitar god! I watched Jason McGerr errrr... drum! I had a solo moshpit during The Sound of Settling! I got hoarse singing and screaming!

I was there. I made this tweet happen.

A Beginner's Notes on Bikram Yoga

When I first fell in love with Bikram Yoga, I was trying so hard (so hard!) to convince my friends to go to class with me. They all came up with very creative and never-ending excuses not to go. I have since given up trying to get people in the hot room. If they want to, they will come. For the benefit of those who are more seriously curious (is that a thing?) about trying out Bikram, I have come up with the following "tips" from a fellow beginner. :)
1. Remember, "practice to be flexible" and not "be flexible to practice". A frenzied Googling of Bikram yoga would surely yield pictures of the postures. Chances are, those pictures are the ideal. They show you what you can do with several years of practice. There is no pressure AT ALL to do the full expression of the postures on your first day, or even your first month!
2. Water, water, water and more water. Since I started practicing, I have been drinking at least three liters of water everyday. It is a pain to have to always go to the bathroom especially on the days they decide to crank up the office aircon, but hey, think of it as additional exercise. Hehe.
3. Do not eat anything heavy a couple of hours after class. For me, my last heavy meal before class must be at least four hours before the start of the class. I guess some people digest food faster, so for them maybe it can be a little closer to class time. Just remember that practicing on a full stomach is Not Pleasant At All. Those forward bends will drive you crazy.
4. The very first class may be hell but just be a crazy person and come back as soon as you can. Give it a few tries before you decide if you like Bikram or not. Believe it or not, practicing as often as you can would make the yoga easier. When I miss three or more consecutive days of practice, it sometimes feel like it's my first class all over again!
5. Don't expect to see any drastic or major changes with just three days of practice. Don't expect to lose those extra 20 pounds, or for that backache to completely go away. There are no shortcuts and you would have to work hard for it. I have been practicing for about six months now. I haven't lost any weight, but my clothes fit better. The jeans I bought less than a year ago is so loose now. It's either from doing as much Bikram as I can, or I was very full when I tried the jeans on. It was a strange coincidence, but since I started practicing, I haven't had any migraines or lower back pain.
6. If you go with friends, do not practice beside each other. If you do, resist all urges to talk to each other. Especially during final savasana! I will give you the nasty look if you talk. Besides, how can you have the energy to talk after all that hard work?
7. Stop moving! Do not fidget, stop wiping your sweat, stop checking yourself out, stop fixing your clothes, stop touching your hair. Be still and concentrate. It will be easier for you and for those around you. It is very distracting if the people beside you keep on moving. Stand straight with your feet together and arms by your side, look at yourself in the mirror, let the sweat drip.
8. Wear as little clothes as possible. I used to go to class in a tank top over a sports bra; it wasn't until I went without the tank top that I realised it is so much easier to bear the heat. I have flabs and a seemingly-always full tummy, so what? No one's looking at me during class anyway. At least no one should be.
9. Do not wear perfume or cologne. Strong odors in the room are distracting, and can make others feel nauseous. I once practiced beside a guy who seemed to douse himself with a musky perfume. I was so dizzy the whole time.
10. Have fun!

You know you're getting old when...

You have a cup mug of Earl Grey for an after-lunch drink.

Because the Origami

Bus ticket cranes

To say that 2011 was full of surprises for me is an understatement.
At the end of 2010, I was feeling lost and confused. It seemed like my career was going nowhere and I was making wrong decisions left and right. I decided to quit my job and start fresh for 2011. And so here we are.
+ Started the year right with a short Baguio trip. Did nothing but eat and sleep. Walked around in 9C weather.+ Spent lots of time with the mighty fine people of DAS.+ Rekindled my love for board games (which means more stuff to buy!)+ Went to Hong Kong and Macau. Walked around in 7C weather. Went to Disneyland! Discovered Gong Cha, Honeymoon Desserts, Western Market, that supergood bakery in Western Market.+ Saw the Stone Temple Pilots live.+ Watched Zsa Zsa Zaturrnah for the second time. Still as fun!+ Chicken-all-you-can!+ Spent a weekend in Tagaytay, eating and playing games the whole day long.+ Discovered Ugu Bigyan and Casa San Pablo during a family Holy Week getaway.- Waded in knee-high floodwater to go home. Yuck!+ Fell in love with Bikram Yoga. One of the best things I did for myself. Met amazing people. I have never been sporty or health-conscious, but Bikram made me want to sweat it out every single day. So, yay me! (I guess?)+ Went to Bacolod and Iloilo. Attended MassKara and ate probably the best (tasty and cheap!) cake ever from Calea.+ Saw the return of Boldst*r. Favoritest band ever, yo!+ Witnessed friends get married.+ Said hello to people.- Said goodbye to people.+ Acquired more books this year than any other year.- Didn't get to watch Ben Folds. Again.+ I actually got to save a little money. Little lang.+ Got obsessed -- OBSESSED, I tell ya -- with Game of Thrones.+ Learned a LOT of new things at work.
So I guess all in all, 2011 was pretty good to me. Sure, things were looking spotty at times but I'd take that over a repeat of 2005! So thank you, 2011. And hello thar, 2012!

Happy new year!

This 2012, may the Universe grant all your heart's desires and more.

Happy new year to you and yours!