Jet Setting Day With Marga: Around Manila's Malls

- April 21, 2012, Saturday.

- I was looking forward to this day since a week ago, since I'd be seeing a bunch of friends whom I haven't seen in a long time. I also realized that I would be with Marga the whole day.

- My first agenda was a get together with Clarisse and Marga at Lucky Chinatown Mall. We decided to eat at Uncle Cheffy, and had a banquet - "it made up for all the times that we weren't able to meet," Clarisse said (the bill seemed to have said the same thing.)

- Since the mall still didn't have a lot, we decided to visit Instituto Cervantes de Manila to attend the Dia del Libro 2012, and for me to say hello to some old colleagues during my internship days back in 2010. This year's Dia had a slightly different format, and didn't contain as much as the previous Dia del Libro's. I saw many new faces, since there was a change in the administration lately. The office looked a lot different than it used to as well.

- It was nice visiting Dia 2012, and Instituto, and it was unfortunate that we weren't able to find books that suited us. We decided to stop by at Robinson's Place Manila to have some ice-cold milk tea.

- We settled at Gong Cha, chatted, and made the most out of the cool air-conditioning system of the mall. It was so hot outside, Marga's and my head started to ache.

- Clarisse parted ways with us after she had to go home at 4pm, while Marga and I went further south to SM Mall of Asia for our last agenda; we were going to watch a movie with our friends Venus and Mary Grace.

- While waiting for Venus and Grace, Marga and I bought tickets to the movies, and had a big mango sorbet serving at Lugang. We also had a nice Korean 101 session.

- Venus and Grace soon arrived, and Marga and I were too full for dinner. Venus and Grace bought some light take-out dinner, and at their food inside the theater.

- The four of us watched "The Lucky One," starring Zac Efron. I honestly think that the videography was done well in most "scenic" parts, but as for the story, I felt that the writers could have shaped the characters more. The story had the potential to be touching, but it didn't "hit the spot," as far as I am concerned.

- We ended around 10:30pm, and spent the next hour driving through street-loaded Manila. I realized that I left the house at 9:15 this morning to attend my piano lesson, and came home more than half a day later. I felt like I didn't do much today, and still I wonder, "how much did I do today?!?!"

Infestations and Visitations

- April 17, 2012, Tuesday.

- I decided to bring my camera today, just in case some of the butterflies would come out from the cocoons I saw last week in school. To my surprise, the number of cocoons were ten times as much as before, and more caterpillars were eager to make their own cocoons as well.

- I wasn't able to catch a newly-"hatched" butterfly, wet wings and all, but I was able to see some butterflies that had just come out of their cocoons, with wings almost dry, if not dry, and resting gently on their now-empty cocoons. I was even able to take a picture of a butterfly, still resting on the leaves of a small plant, waiting for the right time to spread its wings and fly like the rest of the yellow-green butterflies that resembled fluttering summer leaves.

- On a really unrelated situation, my college blockmate Gershom decided to visit me at work, since he needed to pass by another department to look for a professor. Since my cubicle was being cleaned to perfection by the maintenance, even making me evacuate as they cleaned, I couldn't use my computer and couldn't work, so I agreed to accompany Gershom to the cafeteria. We talked for a while until it was time for me to go home, and for him to search for the professor.

The Big Break (??) : Quiapo With Teresa Sickert

- April 15, 2012, Sunday.

- My German friend and former classmate Teresa Sickert sent me a message via Facebook a week ago, while I was in Vietnam, if I would be available one of these days to give her a tour in Quiapo. I told Teresa that I'd be available today, and arranged for us to meet at 11am at the Carriedo LRT Station.

- We met today at the back exit of the LRT Station, and promptly started our Quiapo tour. I found out soon enough that Teresa would feature me in a German radio travel show, since she works for a German radio station in Berlin. Teresa asked me to speak in Filipino and translate the stuff I said to English right after the Filipino version. (Teresa would also feature other Filipino friends from the other places she had gone to, and will go to in the Philippines.)

- My recording-while-walking session was briefly interrupted after Teresa met her German best friend, who was accompanied by her German boyfriend, in the middle of Quiapo. Teresa didn't know that her friend would be in the Philippines, so the brief encounter was priceless.

- I toured her around just as how I would tour the other people I have toured in Quiapo, just this time with a tape recorder following me. Teresa wanted to find out the kinds of people who went to Quiapo, some introduction about the place in general and the marketplace, and what a person could get for 500php and 50php.

- After the short interview, and successfully braving the moderate crowd, we found ourselves in Muslim Town, and ate some halal food at Mofara's. We also went around Muslim town and the souvenir stalls under the bridge ("Ilalim ng Tulay,") and visited the heritage houses at A. Bautista Street (Bahay Nakpil and Boix House.)

- Since Teresa treated me to lunch, I took her to the San Sebastian Church, a 5 to 10 minute walk from "mainland" Quiapo, and the even farther Ocampo Pagoda.

- We went back to Carriedo and window-shopped, before strolling through Sta. Cruz, Escolta, and finally, Chinatown. Because the sun "had too much to give," I asked Teresa if it would be OK to stop by The Tea Life to rest, have some air-conditioning, and some ice-cold green tea milk tea.

- Teresa and I had a nice cultural conversation at The Tea Life. Teresa's stories in Germany made me want to visit Europe more, and experience something non-Asian for a change. Teresa also assured me that this would not be her last time in Asia, since there is still more to discover in Asia.

- We both walked to Recto, where I dropped Teresa off at the jeepney terminal, where she rode a jeep to the Recto LRT. It was nice seeing Teresa again since early 2010, when she was still an exchange student to Ateneo. Hopefully, I'll be able to encounter her again next time, and I really really do pray that that next time will be in Germany. HAHA. (It's always free to wish.)

Cool-down Saturday at Chinatown

- April 14, 2012, Saturday.

- I wanted to meet someone today, and asked if my friend Audrey was available. She was, fortunately, and so I arranged for us to meet in the heart of Chinatown.

- I first dropped by some friends' house to drop off some things before meeting Audrey at Shoppers' Mart. After meeting, we both checked out the milktea place called "The Tea Life" if was already opened. The store was under renovation for several months, and what used to be a "shoe box" is now a bigger milk tea place, with air conditioning, chairs and tables, and a menu thrice the size of the original. I ordered my favorite green tea milk tea, and added another vanilla milk tea, a new flavor. I forgot which one Audrey ordered.

- We both spent the afternoon enjoying the air conditioning, and our ice-cold milk tea. Audrey tried her hand in learning Korean from me, and quite enjoyed it despite the initial difficulties of language-learning.

- We stopped by the grocery after finishing out milk tea and lesson, and then proceeded to the Korean grocery to buy something as well. I stopped by my friend Shirby's store after Audrey and I parted, and yes, I took the opportunity to take a photo of Shirby and me with the same position since 2008. Haha.

- I hope the wind will be kinder and blow some air across Manila. It's too hot. Haha.

Friday the 13th: A "Lucky" Day

- April 13, 2012, Friday.

- I was looking forward to today, other than being my second favorite day of the week, because I knew my day was going to be packed with a lot of awesomeness despite today being a "normal" work day. I knew that despite being a Friday-the-13th, I would have an awesome day.

- Ateneo was moth-and-butterfly infested, and many cocoons have stuck themselves to anything they can stick to - lamp posts, trees, walls, stairs, ceilings - as if they don't really care about camouflaging themselves. I took a photo of some interesting ones, and I really hope I'd be able to take a picture of an emerging butterfly one of these days. What I didn't like about this "infestation" is that the walls outside the Department of Communication, where I work, became a hub for small brown moths. I'm not really fond of flying things, big or small.

- Despite the insect invasion of the school, as well as the power outrage during the early afternoon, I looked forward to meeting my Nepalese friend Dinesh, a journalist based in Kathmandu, and an MA Journalism student in our institution. I accidentally stumbled upon his blog last November while trying to look for Nepalese restaurants in Manila. While the blog did not show me what I searched for, I felt it was interesting to read about a Nepalese's experience in Manila. What surprised me was his picture with some classmates in the Ateneo cafeteria, and so I messaged him, asking of his whereabouts. He later told me that he was a student of the Asian Center for Journalism, and I told him that I worked there. We exchanged messages occasionally, until he told me that he'd be back in the country this April for his on-campus sessions; most of the classes are conducted online.

- I met Dinesh brieftly, code-shifting between Nepali and Hindi, and I knew I could've said more if he wasn't in a hurry to attend his class; he had already missed half of his class because of his arrival from the airport. I hope to see him around more while he's in the Philippines.

- I also met Kyra today; she dropped by the office again. Kyra is a batchmate and coursemate during college. She's the only coursemate-and-batchmate I sort-of-regularly see.

- After work I rushed off to Lucky Chinatown Mall (LCM) (wow, talk about "Lucky" for Friday the 13th.) I was just in time to catch Singson and Nicole as I entered the mall, and they were on their way home. We talked for a few minutes, and told me that Camille and the others were still near the cinema.

- My friend Camille will be migrating/going back to Singapore next week, and I knew I had to make it today since it may be the last time I'd see her in a long while. The rest of them had been in LCM since 1pm, and I just rushed to look for them after work. They had just finished watching a movie when I got there.
I was able to meet Camille, Thomas, Charmaine, and Julienne at the cinema, and we proceeded to Bon Chon to eat and talk.

- We went to Bon Chon after meeting up, settled down, ate, and talked. Camille gave us letters and souvenirs from her recent sidetrip to Vietnam. Funny, she was in Vietnam the same time I was. It's just that she was in Hanoi far up North, and I was in Ho Chi Minh City/ Saigon far down South.

- After Camille and Charmaine left, Thomas, Julienne, and I talked some more until around 6, when we all decided to go home. I had a lucky Friday the thirteenth, and hopefully, my luck will continue for the rest of the long weekend.

Through Ao Dais and Sampots: Cambodia and Vietnam 2012

- April 4-8, 2012, Wednesday to Sunday.

- My mom and her close friend, Auntie Judy, were able to hunt for a nice promo tour to Cambodia-Vietnam (Siem Reap- Saigon) during the recent travel expo in SMX. I was quite happy (OK, excited) since I had been longing to visit the Angkor Wat, and to buy an ao dai. Well of course my friends would know that India comes first, but that I had done last year, and yes I would want to visit that majestic country once more. After all, Cambodia's pre-colonial culture was mainly Indian-influenced.


I. Almost There

- After almost two months of waiting, I could not believe that I was in NAIA 2 waiting for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon.) We'd be having a connecting flight to Siem Reap. Because it was the peak season for traveling, flights kept on delaying as more people crowded NAIA. I saw my friend Mark, and her sister Leanne, waiting for their flight to Shanghai; their flight was delayed thrice I think.

Hi Leanne!!

Oh Mark.

I'd like to think so.

Congested Manila.

- Our tour was made up of seven people: my mom, sis, and I, with Auntie Judy and daughter Jaryll, and two others whom we tried to look for in the airport, but we figured that we might be able to see each other during our stopover in Saigon. While trying to look for the other two tourmates, we had a nice time celebrity-hunting (saw Dingdong, Marian, Edu, etc.,) but on the other hand, we were surrounded by boisterous mainland Chinese people who seemed to own the airport. I think they were supposed to be in the same thrice-delayed Shanghai flight as my friend Mark's.

- We were able to meet Ms. Ana and her daughter Ms. Reeca in Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Saigon, and went around the airport before our flight to Siem Reap International Airport.

Xin chao Vietnam!!

On the way to Cambodia.

II. "Reap" Offs and Bargains

- After arriving at the airport, we were greeted warmly by our tour guide Sal, and immediately led us to our van. We were driven to dinner while Sal gave us some information about Cambodia and Siem Reap.

In the airport.

Shesh Naga.

Photos of the royal family.

- After dinner and a little getting-to-know-each-other, we were driven to our hotels. After checking in and placing our things, my sister, mom, Auntie Judy, Jaryll, and I rode two tuktuks to the Night Market. I loved how our hotel was just a ten-minute drive to the night market. We were a bit overcharged, since the hotel person was the one who called our tuktuks, but it was quite difficult to call a tuktuk from our hotel; a lot of tuktuks passed by there, but none were parked near our hotel.

My mom in the tuktuk.

Whizzing by Siem Reap.

- After getting off at the Night Market, and getting some great bargains (with help from my very minimal knowledge Khmer,) we realized that the bigger Angkor Night Market was right beside the smaller "Night Market." Some stalls have already closed, but at least we'd know where to go the following night.

Ready to shop!!

He was selling some sort of sausages on a stick.

It wasn't too special, but it tasted good.

- Random: We saw a man being beaten up with a plastic chair by other men, and I assume that the guy being beaten up was a small-time criminal. It was best to stay away, but after the hype died down, my mom asked one of the vendors about the incident. The vendor apologized because she couldn't "describe" the incident in English, she said.

Our hotel.

Shiva outside our hotel.

- After our first night, I realized that this is the first time that I have experienced a serious language barrier. I don't speak Khmer, and although the Khmers speak some functional English, not of a lot of them have a good command of English. I felt helpless not being a able to communicate well with the Khmers, but it was interesting to experience this in my oh-so multilingual life.


III. Reaping Miles in Siem Reap

- Our full-day tour in Cambodia the following day was all about walking. Walking, walking, resting occasionally, and more walking - oh, I forgot climbing high stairs. I normally enjoy walking, or cultural adventures like this one, but what bothered me was the intense sunlight and heat. The winds were not cooperating, and there were a few places where we could buy water. This is also a problem since I drink a lot of water (since I sweat a lot.) Pounds and pounds of sun block helped a little, but at least I had a good decision of wearing my ultra thin camisa de chino, aka my "farmer's outfit." It did help get some sun off my skin. Despite these natural nuisances, I was set to discover as much of Siem Reap as possible.

A. Ta Prohm

- Our first stop was Ta Prohm, a big Mahayana Buddhist temple complex built by King Jayavarman VII in the 12th to 13th centuries. The temple complex was notable for the big iconic trees that grew through the temple walls after it was abandoned after the fall of the Khmer Empire. Yes, it is also the place where Tom Raider, Angelina Jolie, was shot.

(Dis)abled musicians.

Cool!!

Our tour guide.

Ruins, ruins, and more ruins.

Jungle fowl.

"Trees as old as time, true as they can be."

- I accessorized my farmer outfit with my big golden Maranao necklace, that was fancied by a lot of other tourists. One old mainland Chinese man came to me and talked to me about my necklace. He talked to me in Mandarin, and I don't know if he knew/guessed I was Chinese, or maybe he had no other choice:

Man: How much is the necklace?
Gilbert: I bought this in the Philippines. I am from the Philippines.
Man: Oh, it's a nice necklace. Maybe it's for protection or something?
Gilbert: I think? This was made by one of the ethnic minorities of the Philippines.
Man: Ah I see. Maybe I should try to go to the Philippines then.
Gilbert: Please do!!
(Philippine promotion for the win!!)

The famous Ta Prohm.

Under restoration.

Even though the structures look like this, anyone can still see the intricate designs carved on the stones.

Apsara (heavenly nymphs.)

Our guide.

The trees have covered the structures through years of neglect.

More carvings.

Light at the roof.

Temple guards marveling the work of a local artist.

Holy man in one of the altars.

More of Ta Prohm.

Another apsara.

A rather erotic tree, as claimed by our guide.

More pieces from the structures.

Can't get enough of these carvings.

My shot.

He's a really good artist.

A random marionette hanging by the tree.

Another selfie.

- Before we left Ta Prohm, I was able to buy a tro che, a Cambodian two-stringed fiddle that looks very much like the Chinese erhu. Yes, I know how to play such instruments, although not as proficient as the piano or the violin.

B. Angkor Thom

- Our next stop was Angkor Thom, or "Great City," the last capital of the Khmer empire, and also built by King Jayavarman VII. The great city was so big, but we had to walk through the whoooole city - left, right, up down, in, and out. This, I guess, was the most difficult part of the day.

- Our van entered the West gate of Angkor Thom to avoid traffic and "people traffic," the South Gate was the more popular entrance point of the city complex; all gates looked similar anyway, but I think the statues that were lined up in front of the Southern Gate were the better-preserved ones.

1. Bayon Temple

- Our first stop in Angkor Thom was the state temple Bayon temple. The many heads of the Bayon carved from stone, and placed on the temple roofs/domes "oversee" the city. Like most temples, the Bayon temple was altered from Buddhist to Hindu or vice versa, depending on which king reigned, and which religion was preferred by the king as the state religion.

Picturesque.

- While Sal was giving some information about the temple, a coconut fell nearly a mere two feet away from my sister. It nearly killed her. I didn't know whether to laugh or be shocked - everyone felt the same way, even the two Caucasian foreigners seated under a palm tree behind us. (I laughed in the end. HAHA.)

The coconut that almost hit my sister.

Apsara carving.

Cham people.

I still cannot believe how the people of before were able to do these structures perfectly.

Depiction of the war between the Chams and Khmers.

They say that the divine heads of the Bayon resembled the kings to legitimize the religious affiliation of the king.

Shiva linga.

Framing.

Altar inside one of the halls.

Such fine details on stone.

Do we look alike??

Empty halls.

Leper king.

A rather colorful tuktuk.

- The nearly 90-degree stairways of the Bayon - and other structures that we were to visit - tired us more, and right then we were already looking forward to a heavy lunch. Sal told us that we had to walk through the whole city in order to see the other structures. "Each step is a step closer to lunch" became Auntie Judy's mantra, and I think this encouraged us to endure the prickly hot morning sun.

2. Baphuon and Phimeanakas

- We visited the Mayan-pyramid-like Baphuon temple next. The trapezoidal temple was dedicated to Shiva, and had a relining Buddha made of bricks at the rear side of the temple. We spared our breath by not going up the temple anymore, knowing that much of it will be empty, so we decided to save our energy for the day's highlight - the Angkor Wat.

Buddhist altar on the way to Baphuon.

Baphuon.

There was a moat in front.

It was very hot that time.

Framing again.

Abrobatics.

Phimeanakas.

It really looks like a Mayan pyramid.

Sleeping tourist.

- We walked through the jungles and found ourselves in Phimeanakas, another Mayan-pyramid-shaped Hindu temple, made by King Rajendravarman, and rebuilt by Suryavarman II. We walked through the palace swimming pools (one big pool for the women, and one small one for the king,) the empty old palace temple, and found our way to the exit, where two other structures were to be seen: The Terrace of the Elephants (Jayavarman VII's viewing deck,) and the Terrace of Leper King (a judgement deck.)

3. Terraces (Elephant, Leper King)

- The Terrace of Leper King was called as such because the god of death/judgement, Yama, who is seated on the deck, was covered with moss, and resembled a person with leprosy. An added touch was the god's missing finger after someone stole the weapon the god was holding.

Elephants!!

Yama, the "Leper King."

TIRED.

- We were driven off to lunch afterwards, and I was able to finish my whole lazy susan. We were all hungry and tired, but at least, after lunch, we were already up for an afternoon in the majestic Angkor Wat.

On the way out of Angkor Thom. 

Before.

After.

C. Angkor Wat

- The Angkor Wat complex was a few-minute drive from the restaurant. We were greeted by an even harsher sun, as we all treaded the long bridge that was built over the manmade moat, symbolizing the seven seas. I also put out my red sash, to make my costume look more Cambodian.

- We first had a long walk to the famous pond outside the temple, took a few photos, before going into the ancient temple. The Angkor Wat is also one of the "confused" temples, shifting from Hinduism to Buddhism and back, depending on the reigning king.

There it is!!

Oh wow a hot-air balloon!!

Plenty of tourists.

More pre-nup shots.

Vishnu.

The distinct corn-shaped pagodas of Cambodia.

My photoshoot.

Funny tree.

- I was ecstatic, happy, and on a high after seeing scenes of the Reamker, Cambodia's Ramayana, carved on to the walls of the temple. After walking some more and marveling the carved inscriptions and images, we were asked to stop by the tour guide, and explained some more about the temple. He also pointed out that the center of the Angkor Wat was exactly located where I coincidentally stood. The center was marked by a red square-shaped stone.

Reamker!!

Blazing sun.

More Reamker carvings.

In ancient Khmer.

The old library.

Where I stood coincidentally.

The very center of Angkor Wat.

Going up.

Complaining about the heat.

- In one open-air part of the temple, I was a group of people with costumes, and I thought they were going to dance. I was told that they were just there for photo ops, and I rushed to have mine taken. I nearly could not believe that I was able to take a photo with them, because I had been hoping for this opportunity for so long - taking a photo with the locals of whatever place, with all of us wearing the local costumes. It just so happened that I wore my neo-sort-of-minimalist Cambodian costume, and I fit in perfectly with the others. One dressed up as an apsara (heavenly nymph/fairy,) another as Hanuman, and two as peacocks (for peacock dances.) I gave a small donation afterwards, and other tourists followed my lead, and had their photos taken too.

Tada!!

I feel fortunate to have had a photo with them.

More apsaras.

Buddhist monks in saffron robes.

More holy statues.

Ancient library.

Like the statues.

Touch touch touch touch.

Good bye Angkor Wat!!

- After our Angkor Wat tour, we waited for Sal and Reeca to fetch Ms. Ana, who chose to stay in the small shopping place lined up in front of the Angkor Wat to rest her legs. Meanwhile, we bought some Cambodian "dirty ice cream" to cool us off. The popsicles didn't do much since the coldness merely stayed in our mouths, and after swallowing, we couldn't feel the ice cream at all. Either that, or maybe the weather was too hot, so much so that we may need a gallon of ice cream to cool us off-- just a bit.

D. Bakheng Hill and the Rest of the Evening

- We were driven next to Bakheng Hill, where a Shiva temple was to be seen after a rather not-too-short-but-tiring hike. The Shiva temple had an observation deck where tourists crowd to see the famous sunset. Only three hundred people were allowed up the temple, and since we came two and a half hours before sunset, we were able to make it up the deck.

More musicians.

Stupa in the middle of the jungle.

Nandi, Shiva's bull.

- With much time to spare, I hid myself under my umbrella tent and cooled myself, until it was time for the sun to give rise to the moon. People started to make small commotions of excitement after the sun changed the sky' color to fiery amber. It was hard to take photos of the perfect sunset because of the amount of people wanting to do the same thing, but at least we were more or less able to get a shot of what we wanted. Before going down, I took some photos of the temple, and saw a doorway where the moonlight and sunlight were supposed to meet. I didn't know what it was, or what it measured, if ever it were used for measuring something, but I found it amazing that someone was able to calculate something like that. (The door was aligned right in the middle of the sun and the moon I swear.)

No. More. Energy.

Why must you burn me Mr. Sun??

Allll....mosttt....sunset.

Finally!! Sunset!!

On the way down.

Trying to get as much sunset photos as I can.

Celestial door.

- I took pity at the other people who were not allowed to go up anymore; they didn't make it to the 300-person limit. One granny tourist forced her way upstairs, resulting to four guards blocking her way, with the other tourists cheering for the granny. Still, I realized that there were other points along the way up/down where people could get a nice or even perfect view of the sunset without going up the observation deck.

More sunsets!!

Daddy and his kid.

Elephants!!

- As a reward for out full-day walkathon, we were driven to Angkor Mondial Restaurant for out buffet dinner and cultural show. The show exhibited Khmer court/temple dances, folk dances, dance dramas, and the graceful, highly-detailed, and subtly-emotioned apsara dance.

Emcee.

Khmer court dance.

Close-up.

Musicians.

Such expression.

Courtship dance.

Hanuman teases Suvannamacha.

Farmer's dance.

The finale: the famed apsara dance.

- We were dropped off the night market again after dinner, and did some last minute shopping. The streets were also guarded by more policemen, most probably from a report of the incident the previous night. We also had a taste of a "higher end" Cambodian ice cream, quite similar to budding gelato stores around Metro Manila. I was also surprised and happy to see my friend Jan Bendric Borbe in the middle of Cambodia.

Borbs!!

My one-day pass for the archaeological sites.

- We went back to the hotel in a tuktuk, prepared our things for the flight back to Saigon the next day, and finally, rested all the body parts that had to be rested.


IV. Holy Ho Chi Minh

- We had an after-lunch flight to Saigon, and were met by our tour guide Phuc (aka Steven.) Steven reminded us of Kuya Kim; he talked fast, had the same sort of safari attire - complete with the hat, and of course, had loads of information to tell us about Vietnam. He also had many jokes and songs, and sometimes I felt like we were little kids going to summer camp, as portrayed in typical American shows.

Last moments in Cambodia: this was in our hotel, a wood carving of the "Churning of the Sea."

Vishnu.

From the hotel across ours.

Buddha in our hotel.

Hello Vietnam!!

So it is true, Vietnam is a land of motorcycles.

- We first went to our Lady of Fatima Church, a Russian-Vietnamese collaboration project -- from what I understand. Steven was not able to give us information in this church only, since that church is not a common tourist place. He even asked how come we knew about the church, and we said that it was just part of the tour package. Steven tried to ask the nuns about the church, but the nuns didn't want to say anything. After a few photos here and there, we told Steven to take us to the other church - Huyen Sy Church.

Our Lady of Fatima.

It's an interesting church I must say.

- Huyen Sy Church was located in Saigon's first district, and is a popular place for Vietnamese Catholics and tourists to visit. The European-Gothic-style church reminded me of some churches I saw in Korea last year, such as the Myeongdong Cathedral. Huyen Sy was the grandfather of Vietnam's last queen.

Huyen Sy.

Gothic style.

Grotto.

- We were driven to our hotel afterwards, battling a few - no - a battalion of motorcycles, freshened up a bit, and were driven to dinner. We asked to be dropped off at the night market after dinner, which was located outside the historical Ben Thanh Market. (Ben Thanh Market itself is a day market.)

Broccolli soup.

A rather awkward presentation.

Another creative but awkward presentation.

Ben Thanh at night.

- I had better command of Tieng Viet, or Vietnamese, than Khmer, although I spoke very basic Vietnamese. Still, it was an edge to get better bargains, which I successfully did. I was also able to buy an ao dai (FINALLY!!) and other things to give to people I love so dearly. I also got to taste Vietnamese coffee, something my sister craved, and although the coffee was too sweet from the condensed milk, I like it. The coffee was cheap too.

Finally, an ao dai.

My history prof had our class taste this before. These pack quite a kick!!

Vietnamese coffee at night.

More coffee.

Can't help but feel happy about it.

- We realized later on that the market was literally around the corner of our hotel. A less than 3-minute walk I suppose. The only thing that slowed us down were the motorcycles that reigned the roads of Vietnam.


V. Gone Cultural and Historical in Saigon

A. Cuchi Tunnel

- After breakfast, we were fetched by Steven, and were driven to the Cuchi Tunnels, somewhere in the outskirts of Saigon. It was around an hour and a half away from the city, and it felt like going back in history upon arriving at our destination.

Orientation room.

- The Cuchi tunnels is a network of underground tunnels used as military bases and passageways by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. It was surprising to see how the Vietnamese managed to create many rooms underground where they could rest, cook, eat, hold meetings, cure people, and other things. I tried going under the tunnel, but I had to go up after seeing the first exit, since I was too big for the tunnels. I might get stuck, and may seriously suffocate, and die in there.

Demonstration of the tunnel. I ain't gonna fit in there.

A hidden trap.

Tada!!

Curious kid.

Military bunk.

Where smoke came up when the Vietnamese cooked down below. These holes also serve as ventilation.

Millipede.

Tank.

Different kinds of traps. 

How the Vietnamese lived underground.

Making rice wrappers.

Bomb crater. Yikes.

On the way down.

This kind of millipede is poisonous and was actually one of the reasons why some Vietnamese died while living underground. scary.

I CAN'T FIT.

Had to go up.

AIR.

Cassava.

With retro Vietnamese.

Some missiles.

With Ho Chi Minh.

- The area also had exhibit rooms of how some of the underground rooms looked like. It also had a firing area, but my sister was the only one gutsy to try. I didn't like the concept of guns, or the sound of guns, so I didn't try, even though a part of me might have been curious enough to try. I just took pictures of my sister. Other traps, weapons, and artillery were also exhibited inside the area.

B. Lunch, War Museum, Lacquer-making Place

- We had a nice proper lunch in the heart of Saigon after a long drive, and were brought to the war museum for a short visit.

- The war museum was very much like the war museum I saw in Korea, although I think the one in Korea had more exhibits. As in most, if not all war museums, exhibits on weapons, photos, media, artillery, before-and-afters, were present. It took us around 50 minutes to go around the place.

War Memorial Museum.

Bengali involvement.

Hey sistahhhh. Yoh hairrrr sistahhh!!!!

Vietnamese students.

The funniest/cutest restroom sign I've seen.

Vietnamese calligraphy.

Former war vehicles.

Communist and Vietnamese flags.

- Before going to the highlights of Saigon, Steven led us to the lacquer-making place to see how lacquerware was made. What seemed the most interesting to me was the use of eggshells in making the designs, a common craft in Vietnam.

Lacquerware.

C. Notre Dame Saigon, Saigon Central Post Office

- The center of Saigon hides two structures - The Notre Dame Cathdral, and the Saigon Central Post Office, located right beside each other.

- The Notre Dame Cathedral was made by the French, during the colonial era, and was made to look a bit like the Notre Dame Cathedral in France.

Almost like the French counterpart.

Not too nice inside though.

- The post office was built in a gothic style, and was made by Gustav Eiffel, the man responsible for, obviously, the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Both are still functional structures (meaning the church is still used as a church, and the post office is still used as a post office) and tourist attractions.

A rather nice post office.

D. Ben Thanh Market and Water Puppet Show

- After our city tour, Steven dropped us of at Saigon Square for an hour of shopping. I urged my mom and sis to come with me to Ben Thanh Market, a 6 minute walk from Saigon Square, since more interesting things could be found there. Also, the Ben Thanh Market was a historical market, just like Korea's Dongdaemun or Namdaemun, or Manila's Divisoria area. My mom and sis agreed, and Auntie Judy and Jaryll tagged along too.

A semi-appealing photo of me with the Ben Thanh Market.

- The Ben Thanh Market was one of the historical structures left standing in Saigon. A statue of Vietnamese general Tranh Nguyen Han could be found riding his horse in front of the market. The market's giant interior housed many shops, from wet markets, local eateries, souvenir stores, and other things. Prices there are very cheap (cheaper than the more upscale Saigon Square,) of course, after knowing how to bargain. A little Vietnamese can also help, just like in my experience.

General Tran Nguyen Han.

More Vietnamese coffee.

- Steven fetched us at Saigon Square an hour later, and dropped us off at the water puppet theater. Water puppetry is one of the unique theater/puppetry forms of Vietnam. The stage is a waist deep pool, with puppets being supported by rods hidden on the the water. The puppet masters hid behind the curtain, and skillfully made the puppets dance and prance about. The narrators, who also happen to be the musicians, are located at the sides of the stage, seen by everyone.

- The show was made by a series of non-coherent skits, from people's daily lives in the farm, courtship, catching animals, mythological creatures, and boat races. Non-speakers of Vietnamese will be able to understand the stories, despite the narrations being done in Tieng Viet, since the puppets show simple scenes that play with color, effects, and humor.

Narrators and musicians.

Water dragons.

A water buffalo....in the water.

Funny cat.

Fish!!

Dancing puppets.

This was unexpected.

They did a wonderful job.

- The show lasted for 50 minutes, and with everyone feeling young again after the show, the audience went out with smiles on their faces, trying to figure out how the puppets were made to move. None of the staff wanted to divulge any information too. I guess that's one of Vietnam's secrets that only a handful will be fortunate to learn.

E. Floating Restaurant and the Rest of the Night

- We were driven back to our hotel after the puppet show to freshen up, and in around an hour and a half, we were again fetched by Steven to enjoy a relaxing dinner at the floating restaurant in Saigon River.

- The ship was docked while we were eating, and while some resident singers were performing in front of us. Just as our group finished eating, the ship started to sail and go around the Saigon River.

A giant boat.

- It was a perfect night to have a cruise. The moon was full, illuminating the whole sky so much that the clouds were very visible, faraway ships also added color to the river, and I had fun using my necklace to contact the moon spirit. (It's an Avatar thing, not the movie with the blue people, but Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.)

"Have you every seen such a beautiful night...."

Perfect with the Vietnamese junk.

Ahoy!!

Connecting with the moon.

One of the captains of the ship.

A non-traditional fire dance.

- The cruise ended around 9:00, after the insane woman dancing with fire, and with some of the people from the other table were half drunk and singing with the singers after the fire dance. After we docked, we were once driven to the night market to do some shopping.


VI. The Very Last Minute

- We had the whole morning off before the person from the agency would fetch us, and drop us off at the airport. Of course, we decided to explore Ben Thanh more, and maybe have an inexpensive lunch there.

- I bought my second ao dai, complete with my khan-dong (Vietnamese turban.) My sister also bought two ao dais, which surprised me since my sister doesn't usually wear such costumes. I guess the ao dai was a bit "tame" compared to other costumes, so she bought two inexpensive but rather elegant ones.

I love this color.

More ao dais.

- We had lunch at one of the eateries there. My sister satisfied her pho craving, while I had some of my favorite fresh spring rolls. We also ordered four drinks, and the total cost was only worth a few dollars.

My rice rolls!!

- We went back to the hotel to do some final packing, and waited for the agency person to pick us up. At around fifteen minutes before the agency person's arrival, my mom suddenly realized that she wasn't able to buy an ao dai for herself. I told my mom that we could go to the market and back with an ao dai in a jiffy. True enough, our trip to the market, the choosing of the ao dai, the fitting the ao dai, and the trip back to the hotel all lasted around 5 minutes. HAHA. That's what I call last minute.


VII. Epilogue

- I had to hand carry my tro and my khan-dong, so I decided to wear my khan-dong on the way back to Manila. I knew people were looking at me with interest, whether discretely or not, because of my "props." Hey, it was the only way I could bring home my stuff. Haha.

- At the immigration counter, it just so happened that the person who handled our line had a lot of questions to ask everyone. She asked my sister about her job, and asked my mom about where we lived ("standard procedures" they say,) but when it came to me, she just said, "nice hat," stamped my passport, and let me go. Haha.

- Welcome back to the Philippines, where the sun is not as hot as in Vietnam or Cambodia, but those two countries will definitely be on my "must see again" list. :) :) :) :)



** As an Avatar fan, and with the hype of the release of the sequel series, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, I noticed how Cambodia seemed to look like the first series, where the set was more ancient, stone-y and "spiritual," while Vietnam looked a lot like Republic City in the sequel series, especially the photo with the Chinese junk on Saigon River with the full moon. My costumes cooperated well too, and so I sort of looked like "one of the locals." Teehee.

** "Ao dai" is supposed to be read as "ao-iai," since the letter "d" is read as a "y" in the Saigon accent. The English "d" as in "dog" sound is represented by a special character: the letter " Đ đ " (sort of like a T/t and D/d combined.)