This is what so called my birthday journey...making a first stop in Saigon...this is the longest solo trip, five days...four nights...solo...
First day of my exploration was the iconic parts of Saigon, those Ben Tanh Market and so on and so on....glad to found this old man called Mr. Dung, he is such a genuine and knows everything that I need for my curiosity of old buildings...yeap he is a motor taxi driver I found just right out side of the market, smiled, showing off his tiny pocket book filled with opinion about him from his former clienteles :-) voila!!
He was showing me around this beautiful old houses, buildings, shop houses and temples, Cholon the China Town...from the Opera House to People's Committee to Post Office to HCMC Art Museum to all beautifully crafted buildings...again I was smitten!
Opera House...like most of the former capital of European colonial city have this beautiful building, Saigon not to mention also has it...in terms of scale this opera house not so big but it's beautiful and stand out in this luxury area of Saigon...very well maintained...I went here twice actually!
People's Committee Building, another french grandeur...in one of the most luxury area in Saigon side by side with Opera House and array of this high end brands...yeah yeah yeah...Chanel, Cartier, Burberry, Chloe etc etc...Chanel got a big place here...bet that is the flagship!
Another very interesting building is the Central Post Office, oh soooo nice....big and grand, the tiles, the facade, those old maps on the wall and those giant and nice picture of the founding father of the country HoChiMinh all so nice!
And Mr. Dung also taking me to this wonderful Chinese temple built in 1740, breathtakingly belle...old, quiet, just superb...lastly he was taking me for a lunch at the Chinese Traditional Market...for a yummy Nasi Ayam!
I found many old tiles here in Saigon...once I found it I am such a collector now...every single and different interesting tiles I snap...this is like when I was in Paris when I found those Space Invader icons all over Paris....I am soo addicted to it :-)
L'USINE...a brilliant and cool yet quirky shop...I found this shop as I was walking around this cool area and I was got dazzled with this 1930s typo and those clothes...I walked around and seeing this art arcade leading to some old bit creepy stairs and there you go a big signage leading to the second floor...I was so excited...I saw those giant glass doors and windows...right exactly and old building...when I entered the shop/cafe...youngsters most of the clientele were cool...and yes cute cupcakes, quirky stuff, clothes, old goodies, all and all...I just love this shop....bought book about Saigon here, ate their cupcake, the vanilla...so delicioso!
Oh I know I was soo bored as I walking around this city alone...on the 3rd day which is today I am seems gaining my excitement as I visited this HCMC Art Museum...goodness I got smitten by the charms of the building and the collection...the building just amazing...the ornaments, the 1st elevator to be existed in Saigon, the tiles, the stairs, the windows, pillars...gosh this building just beautiful without overly grandeur...the building itself used to be a townhouse owned by this great family from China who made their marks in this city as one of the most celebrated businessmen...you can still see who is living in which floor...and you also still seeing this family signature in every doors!
This Art Museum has the greatest collection of modern art era of Saigon...you may see great collection of paintings, sculptures and all...galleries not only one but more than three galleries...
Lastly for today...I am visiting this boring Presidential Palace...
Now I am sitting here at this cute cafe called Au Parc overlooking to the parc near the Notre Dame!
What a nice afternoon!
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