The visa/work permit saga continues and I headed to Saigon today to visit the Australian Consulate with the hope that all can finally be sorted out. Got the early morning bus from Thu Dau Mot (TDM) and met a lovely Vietnamese lady who turned out to be a lawyer living in TDM but works in HCMC and commutes each day who very kindly helped me get to the consulate with a minimum of fuss. My business was completed quickly but had to plead to get my papers back in one day......so had at least 3 hours to kill in Saigon.....decided to play tourist :)

As I was already in District 1 I figured it was time to revisit the usual tourist haunts that I had seen on previous visits to Vietnam to see if things had changed. First stop was the Notre Dame Catherdral which is a direct replica of its namesake in France. Built between 1877 and 1883, Notre Dame Cathedral is set in the heart of HCMC’s government quarter. The cathedral faces Ð Dong Khoi. It is neo-Romanesque with two 40m-high square towers tipped with iron spires, which dominate the square here. In front of the cathedral stands a statue of the Virgin Mary.

Next stop was the Central Post Office - one of HCMC most popular tourist attractions. It is the largest post office in Vietnam built between 1886 and 1891 by renowned architect Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame!). The vaulted roof and arched windows are reminiscent of early European railway stations. An enormous picture of Ho chi Minh overlooks the daily proceedings of this working post office. .

I then visited the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City which I had not visited before. Built between 1985 and 1890 it was designed by the French architect Fouhoax. The building now occupied by the museum was built during the French colonial era and was the residence of high-ranking French colonial officers. Called Gia Long Palace before the fall of Saigon, it was the last residence of President of the Republic of Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem. During Nguyen Van Thieu regime it was used as the supreme court. From the outside it is a beautiful, impressive building that houses an exhibit area of about 1200 square metres. Unfortunately the displays are vaguely interesting but uninspiring hence why this museum is not on the usual tour routes. A pleasant way to spend an hour or so but only if you have time to spare in Saigon - there are far more interesting places to visit for the tourists!!

After collecting my documents from the Consulate I headed to the iconic Ben Thanh Market which is conveniently located opposite the bus station for my return trip to TDM. Ben Thanh market is the largest market in downtown Saigon but certainly no longer the cheapest anymore. However I put my bargaining skills to the test and made a few purchases!! Got myself a traditional Vietnamese silk au dai ( a tight-fitting silk tunic worn over trousers) and now waiting for the right occasion to wear it.

Finally found where to catch my bus back to TDM. The bus station is chaotic and buses seem to randomly pick up customers with no designated area for each bus. I thought my bus was not going to come as the departure time came and went....however I found out that buses run on "Vietnamese time" which means being late is the norm!! Next challenge was to work out where to get off the bus but I managed to make myself understood and the conductor kindly called me when it was my stop.

Got back to TDM late afternoon and ran into a couple of fellow teachers - one of whom was celebrating her birthday so we decided to go the the spa for some well earned pampering. I thoroughly enjoyed my pedicure and foot massage (all of $9) sipping on some French champagne which the owner gave us to celebrate Charlotte's birthday.....he then drove us back to our hotel....all at no charge!!

After a short rest we headed out for a birthday dinner and ended up having a rather late night for a work night. Decided to go with western food and got a wonderful roast chicken dinner downed with bottles of wine and followed by cocktails......guessing we will not be feeling too good for work tomorrow!!!


Bye for now. xx