SIN/VN/SIN - Day 2

22 June 2011

First day at 9th ASEAN Ports & Shipping 2011 was pretty crowded... and I have a few breaks in between to sneak back to my room to do some work (reply emails... what else?).  We had a networking session after the event at 5pm (VN time) - Top of the Town located 25th floor in the hotel... the view was not so fantastic and they have the most pathetic pool I ever seen.  I love the breeze up there, messed up my dolly hair.  :(

+++From left: Bilal, moi, Tien Dung and Peter Putz+++

+++Lunch today was tasty because the handsome German with blue eyes sitting opposite me kept smiling at me.  Super handsome with this pose as if he knows I am secretly snapping him into my phone...  James Bond wananbe~+++

+++Paranoma View from Top of the Town, 25th Floor of the hotel+++

+++Ben Thanh Market+++

Found a familiar place while I was walking along the streets - Rex Hotel (where ah Thiang and I had their signature Vietnamese drip coffee on the roof top coffee lounge 3yrs back) and settled down for a decent meal at their Chinese restaurant located on the ground floor.

+++Very old palace feel~+++

+++Vietnamese culture performances [LIVE!]+++

+++Hand-made / customised cookie shop+++

+++Night market located beside Ben Thanh Market+++

Vietnamese are super friendly and helpful.  I was standing at the cross road junction and waiting for my shuttle bus, then this uncle came up to me showing me hand signs and chattering in his language telling me to stand away not anywhere near the road or I will get knock-down by the motorbikes... and forced me to a corner which is super safe and sit with them on the small stool (together with other hotel guest waiting for the shuttle)...  Then another uncle talking in his language again, telling me to keep my iPhone away or it will be snatched away by the motorist...  When the bus arrives, the first uncle will guide us across the road... just like their traffic warden!  :)

Tomorrow I will alight at the 2nd stop from Ben Thanh Market and revisit the night scene of Ho Chi Minh City before heading back our little Lion City...

+++A glimpse of HCM City Hall before the bus do a quick turn back hotel+++