Our neighbourhood

Now that you’ve been treated to the very pretty sights of Ho Chi Minh City’s District One, let me take you on a little tour of our neighbourhood in Binh Duong (pronounced, bun yung). We drive into Binh Duong, to our residence and later, explore the neighbourhood. This place is very different from Ho Chi Minh City, as you’ll be greeted by the feeling of space, peace and absence of traffic jams.

SNI (SaiGon North International Joint Stock Company) has built our neighbourhood. Oasis 1, 2 and 3 are beautifully built row houses and bungalows of varying sizes, with each of the three having their own independent swimming pool and gym facilities. In a way it reminds me of our old neighbourhood back in Navi Mumbai, except this neighbourhood has more space, better security and the  a lot less traffic. Apparently, this is being developed as a new city area – a dynamic economic center Thuan An, Binh Duong, which is part of the Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park. That explains why we see so many manufacturing plants in the expansive area as you move out of/into the residential area.

Trees on either side of the road of the manufacturing hub stand at attention giving you a ‘green guard of honour’, as you’ll see through this windscreen. You’ll have to really look to find even one single person; that’s how underpopulated this place is. Besides manufacturing, there’s no other activity you’ll see here.

The entrance to the manufacturing hub in Binh Duong

These are manufacturing plants

You see what I mean? No other activity.

Just one of the many roads in the manufacturing hub

It’s green in this new city!

I’m sure you’ll have a smile like I do, when I enter Oasis.

The SNI-built Oasis

The residential complex

You see the three pillars in the centre? That’s the width of the row house and the parking area is included for every house. If you or your guest, except a cab, were to park outside on the road, you’ll have the security walk up and request you to park in the designated area. So, obviously there are CCTV cameras that work and are watched by the security. That’s also the reason why doors and windows are glass and without grills. Hmmm. Nice.

Inside any Oasis complex

We’ve just stepped out for a walk

Most families here are at this stage in their family life cycle – couples with toddlers or older children. Haven’t yet seen anyone at our stage of the family life cycle – empty nest. Though there are residents from close to ten nationalities, we have Chinese neighbours, so language is a problem. And we may have spotted Americans – too busy in their world; we also have Indians, but haven’t met them, yet.

Wonder why this palm tree turns grey?

When people usually stay indoors (foreigners), unlike Indians in India who step out of the houses and ensure they know their neighbours, there’s no way we can try to break ice. Where are the people?

The Oasis club house

The club house does get crowded at times with kids and parents enjoying a dip. Kaustubh has enjoyed more than a dip, but seems to have caught the cold after two days in the pool. It’s not surprising, as it is hot and terribly humid through the day and even later in the night. Sometimes there’s a heavy drizzle after a day of heat and this can fluster the body temperature.

One corner of the market

We enjoy our evening walks here and often reach the market, about less than two kilometers from home. Sometimes we pick up our daily provisions, veggies or fresh fish. The prawns here have a fresh prawny taste that’s missing in the city markets back home. There are squids, clams and crabs in plenty. The best part about buying a coconut is you get it cut and grated in less than five minutes!

A handcart visual gives the feeling of home; but guess what…it’s a mocart!

To get them to retain the moisture, I like the way these guavas are wrapped. More than a handcart, it’s a mocart – a term I just coined. See the motorcycle on which he has the wooden carrier?

Street food is very popular among the locals

Someday, I may be able to tell you what she’s selling. Hmmm.

Bhuttawala! Yet to taste the bhuttas here.

And yeah, so what if he doesn’t roast these like our own bhuttawalas back home, having one of these corn cobs, when we are not on our evening walks, is definitely on the agenda.

Look like grapes, but likely not

It’s the mad rush hour for the next 45 minutes or so. Dinner time is 6.30pm, remember?

Another corner of the market

I’ve rarely seen anyone without a helmet on the motorbike. Not the rider, nor the pillion rider. Two-wheelers is the mode of transport for the common person. And each common person makes it a point to wear the helmet. Common people in Vietnam have a lot more of the common sense than the common person back home.

I quite like the local flavour of this market

You’ll see more fruits than vegetables

You won’t find a variety of vegetables as much as the rich variety of fruits in the market. A woman in shorts in the market place is not uncommon, here. It’s wonderful to see how safe women feel here. See their eyes and there’s peace that comes from a basic sense of trust in the other. Quite different from the feeling you have in an African city.

DIY (Do It Yourself)A roadside cycle mechanic is a very common sight

Home mechanics such as this one keep the wheels of the country moving. By the look of the extent of the dismantling he’s done, you can be quite sure the bicycle has been completely overhauled, to be handed over to its rightful owner, virtually as a brand new piece.

This is rush hour in our neighbourhood!

On a usually quiet road, the rush hour traffic can be a bit of a distraction from the pace you have picked up during your walk. At the crossroads, you need to start becoming more careful than usual – the usual being – you take a glance and you know at once there’s no vehicle on the road and hence no break in the momentum you’ve picked up.

Not that you need to watch your step as you walk, but I watch the road beneath my feet for the sheer pleasure of a clean, pot-hole-free road, as you can see here. Notice the gradual bump of the speed breaker? This is the quality of the roads in Binh Duong.

I had almost forgotten these toys

I simply had to put up this photograph, as it reminded me of a childhood I left many decades ago! Associations? Happiness,laughter and times spent with my Father at the Juhu beach or the Lion’s Garden in Santacruz. The gush of happiness I had for a moment, erased the boundaries of time and space and I was back there pointing at a toy and being happily indulged.

A nursery just outside our complex

This nursery reminded Kaustubh and me of a friend who befriends her plants at home and would have loved to take home most of these beautiful plants. We await your visit here, dear friend. While it won’t take long to explore Binh Duong, the real treasure is in exploring Ho Chi Minh City District One. HCMC is like a magnet, pulling you to discover its wonder, every time.

Ho Chi Minh City, District One: a historical showcase and Vietnam’s financial centre

I noticed a sense of pride in the gentleman who was taking us around Ho Chi Minh City, in our first few days in the city. Specially, about District One.

As our feet beat the tar and our eyes glided from one visual delight to another, I understood his reason to be proud. Proud people make great ambassadors of their neighbourhood. That’s who I thought he was. If not any one else, I had crowned him HCMC’s District One ambassador during our mid-morning exploration! As you watch these photographs that I have put together, you too will realise why District One is such a popular place for international visitors and for photographers – professional as well as camera phone photographers like me!

Hope you enjoy this day with me!

The Ho Chi Minh City Hall

The City Hall which has the statue of Ho Chi Minh seems to be popular among visitors, with a tour guide explaining the significance of the monument and much else.  After all, the city has his name, now. Though locals still refer to it as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh District One is a visitor’s delight! Its well preserved buildings that have held great significance in the country’s history, hold their ground firmly amid the most modern structures in glass and steel. While I was feeling the trickle of sweat roll down the tip of my nose, I saw an old lady tourist who reminded me of old Rose from the film Titanic. Yeah, there she is! Except, that the real “Rose”, Gloria Stuart, passed on in 2010.

Doesn’t she look like old Rose from the film, Titanic?

While I was focusing my phone camera at “Rose”, I decided to take a closer look at this building at a point close to the traffic signal; and I think I may have clicked a representation of District One – the architecture with the greenery. As you view these photographs, you’ll find every frame has a generous body of green.

Shopping plaza at the Ho Chi Minh Square

The traffic is pretty crazy this part of the city, yet the trees and the shrubs; the flowers and the garden lawns provide the heart and soul, besides cool, fresh air to the city.

View of the city through the branches

The Vincom Centre

I overheard a tourist say this building here looks more like a railway station and less like the General Post Office that in fact it is; and I had a smile, as that was the exact same thought going through my mind as he spoke. It also reminded me of another significant building back home, maybe because of the clock – the Victoria Terminus in Mumbai. Though this city experiences some rainfall almost everyday since we’ve been here, I am amazed at the cleanliness on the roads. Sadly, this is where the comparison ends. Getting yourself clicked in your wedding gown, posing on the road sitting with your white gown…that would be completely unimaginable in front of the Victoria Terminus in Mumbai, unless  you wanted to ruin your gown!

A newly wed couple photographing themselves…in the hope that the General Post Office in the background will carry their picture to…wherever??!!

I agree, the Notre-Dame Basilica offers an interesting backdrop for a wedding day photograph.

Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica – maybe auspicious for another the newly wed couple?

Close by, we stopped to take in the beauty of this Municipal Theater also called, The Saigon Opera House.

The Saigon Opera House where music performances are held regularly

I just had to click the ornamental entrance to the theater.  I’m sure you would have gasped at its beauty!

The Saigon Opera House up close

Each tree big or small is numbered

As we were passing by in the cab, I noticed that each tree, big or small, was marked. A country with a tropical climate, where regeneration of plant life is taken for granted, to see this kind of care for trees was an eye-opener. Several gardens offer you peace and quiet even as the rest of the world scuttles around.

Clean garden managed by the women in “masks”

For those less inclined for a world of silence, the gardens are a fabulous hangout for the young.

Disciplined civic sense never stopped friends from having fun!

Many tiny and high end coffee shops dot the city’s hot spots. Vietnamese are proud of their coffee. And indeed, the flavour of Vietnamese coffee is exquisite, provided you are willing to make a few adjustments, such as getting used to having black coffee served with ice, chilled water and straw!

Coffee, anyone?

On our first quick tour of District One, I promised this lady vendor that we would return to buy some cards from her. These can make great, light-weight gifting ideas.

The paper craft vendor

The Basilica paper craft

This one, particularly caught my attention, though I hadn’t seen the Notre-Dame Basilica, yet.

Send The Basilica as a card

Walking down what seemed to be one of the most affluent shopping roads, I couldn’t help catching the inside of this art gallery.

Art Gallery in District One

It wasn’t one of those lazy afternoon strolls that we could afford in the sweltering heat of Saigon; yet, even as we walked briskly, we couldn’t help notice this magnificent design and realised it was a mall;  rather, more like an exclusive arcade for luxury brands.

The most globally famous affluent brands in this shopping mall

We decided to rest our heels in this top end coffee shop, as I fell in love with the ambiance of the place. Top-end, yet casual.

Chilling out at a high end Coffee Shop

A necessary visit to our service provider to quickly settle down to a connected life. Glad to say, we were pleasantly surprised by their professionalism. If you had a translator, like we had, you’d step out of the premises feeling fully sorted! Couldn’t help feeling, life’s good, in Vietnam!

Highly professional customer relationship agents.

Ho Chi Minh City – first impressions

After a fabulously smooth landing, I find Ho Chi Minh Airport very modest in comparison with KL. Since one needs to get visa on arrival, there was a bit of a crowd at the counter. Visitors’ patience was wearing thin, as due diligence took its share of time. Once out of the airport and into ambient surroundings, a familiar kind of humidity engulfed us. Our thoughts went back to dear old Mumbai. Back into an AC pickup and we were fine, once again. I noticed the vehicles on the streets moved at a steady pace. No overtaking the other, no visible or audible signs of adrenalin spurts that young men subject their machines to, on Indian roads. Even the two-wheelers go at a steady pace! At junctions, unless there’s a signal, you won’t find vehicles stopping for the other; yet they seem to be riding invisible notes of harmony on the roads – neither allowing nor blocking the other. Kaustubh had shared a video on Facebook of a bird’s eye view at a crossroad in Vietnam. You’ll get the picture of what I mean, quite clearly.

We checked into a 5-star hotel formerly, the working palace of the President and PM of the former Saigon Government till 1975. Yeah! Nothing less! Room rents are cheerfully in the range of USD 35-120. Great choice of rooms, too! We decided to live in the old and original building. If you take a look at the photograph, you’ll see the tall new building, which is like any other. The old building (in the foreground) has its own quirkiness – you’ve got to climb the semi spiral staircase, because there are no lifts. I imagine these imperial features would be from a bygone era. The wood has a rich melamine finish over a deep brown teak wood banister. The reception is well managed by two young executives who are friendly, yet businesslike. Indeed, very impressive.

We reached at lunchtime, so after a quick wash we headed to the hotel’s modest restaurant. As we were trying to figure what we could order, we realised how different life was going to be. Vietnamese, though written in English, has entirely different phonetics. So try being scholarly and try those tongue twists to get the right sound and you can be sure you’ll be way off the mark! Finally, after much deliberation, we let the waitress help us out. She started us off with a beer and promptly placed red slices that looked mysteriously familiar yet, left me feeling strange. Keen to find out, I quickly put a piece of it on my tongue and promptly, spit it out. It was the famous red, bird’s eye chilly! I kept cooling my tongue for the rest of the time we were in the restaurant!  Ok, here I must mention that I’m pretty bad at remembering names of dishes, but I’d like to give you an overall impression.

Vietnamese don’t believe in curries, only soups. So if you were to order a fish/chicken dish with rice, as a good well-fed Indian, you’d expect to be served curry. Not so in the land of these brave warriors. So, I had a piece of fish (disappointing size) with just a bit of what seemed like cooking fluid served in a bowl with steamed rice in a separate bowl. I must admit, the fish with the rice was tasty! Just a tad too dry for my curried tastes. Kaustubh’s order may have been a result of mis-communication, as he landed up being served dry fried rice with equally dry chicken.

However, all these first food impressions didn’t last too long, as from the next day we were treated to some of the most delicious Vietnamese food! We’re lucky we relish seafood. But, I’ll let that be another blog.

Vietnam via Kuala Lumpur

On the day of our flight, we heard news of a cyclonic storm brewing in Vietnam, which by the way, hit central Vietnam almost simultaneously as our date of arrival. Kaustubh had to fly to Hanoi the same evening. Our coastal Odisha was already facing yet another miserable fate due to the cyclone.

With thoughts for our brethren, we cruised above the cyclonic clouds from Mumbai, to land at Kuala Lumpur. It was only a transit halt, but the airport impresses a traveler equally from the East as well as the West, as was evident from the several Tabs and Minis that went click! click! Above, the speakers rolled out silky smooth voices announcing departures and sometimes, names of passengers; no jarring loud announcements – couldn’t help compare the ambiance at the airport back home; besides, having to face an immigration officer who likely got off throwing a despicable attitude, of which I do not wish to elaborate.

Click! Click! The KL airport is a visual delight! Young and old; Orientals and Westerners were all trying to catch as many interesting picture frames as they could on their electronic devices, which I’m sure would find pride of place in parties hosted for family and friends, on social networking sites and travel blogs.

Glittering shops, cafes, bars and an ode to the foliage of the land; right in the heart of the visitors’  area (we located at least 3 such places) was this cluster of fully grown jungle trees open to the sky above and seen by visitors through crystal clear glass; a reminder of the very nature of the country. While we were taking in all this splendor, we were waiting for our transit train for our flight out to Vietnam. A fully transparent, mono-rail kind of see through, driver-less train glided us to our airport terminal.

Malaysia,  truly Asia…if this is Asia, I couldn’t help feeling, how long would it take for India to measure up to these extraordinary Asian standards.