HCMC Training

Photo courtesy of Ms. Yasmin M. Dizon

Photo courtesy of Ms. Yasmin M. Dizon

Photo courtesy of Ms. Yasmin M. Dizon (napakagandang dalaga po nya;)



@ Mekong Delta



Ha Ha, nakatakas kami, sa wakas



Have you ever been fluid that you just went off a flight to a destination without second thoughts, with five of your best girlfriends and their husbands in tow? Without much ado, I booked in online one late night armed with thy pals’ credit cards, and off we went in July. Going without expectations, except for our ideas on how the place looks like seen through pictures on the internet, perhaps made it the more exciting. Upon our arrival at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport, we were all just eager to see on what lies ahead of us, but perhaps the next day, since it is already late. Outside the airport, a van driver offered to take us to our hotel, at a triple the price of a regular taxi on broad daylight. Though we have it in our itineraries, we let it pass as we are already tired from the flight and just want to take our rest. That being, we were surprised to be brought to a narrow street full of catering peddlers similar to Quiapo streets in Manila. I had thought all along that it will be this new big hotel, because its pictures on its website appeared so. But it is rather a scanty boutique hotel, though only five months old, is still a bit undersized for our range. We even had a problem with our bookings at first, though we have made our confirmations as attested by our vouchers, the reservations agent still assigned our rooms to walk-ins thinking that we will not turn up. Until at last, we agreed to a resolution, and was finally presented our miniature cradle spots. We made ado about our lodgings, and the hotel made it up to us with our splendid breakfast. And I must say, that Vietnamese coffee is the best in the world. In spite and despite of the troubles, we had a good morning, and even better mornings during the next three days of our stay in the city. Sampling pho soups everywhere, and sapodillas, and fruits of their sweetness origins. Ho Chi Minh is such a small place that every thing is just walking distance. We are fortunate to have had a convenience store and tailor shop just right outside our hotel, which we go to for our quick necessities, and went for our tailored suits. The only thing that scared me are the scooter bugs frolicking its major boulevard and avenues. They have no care if you get incensed while careening past you. It is like playing the Filipino game of “patintero” on its streets at its worst, as we  navigated at too rapid pace across the streets so as not to get knocked by them.  We were in search for a birthday cake for Lucy, whose birthday fell on the day of our arrival to the city, thus we encountered the fast-paced motorists during what seemed to be the rush-hour in central Vietnam. Though we survived in one-piece, thanks to pedestrians who helped us cross the streets as we have been waiting for a break through the traffic for hours already, hehe, we will never forget our love affair with Vietnam’s motor bikes, or "kutos", as how ultrarunner Precy fondly baptized them. We found our teeny weeny cake at a secluded bakeshop, and we made every one present blissful who joined in the singing and eagerly indulged in the quality food served us in this scruffy diner. With a follow-through of beer anonymous matched with any other kind of street food available. All through out, we had our concluding enjoyment of the Viet iced coffee, along with more of the pho, hu tieu, mi quang, spring rolls and more Trung Nguyens, and cherished memoirs.