This tour was completely free and led by a local. Remember the ajusshi I met on the day 3? He said that he would be around Insadong area in the morning, if I wanted to join him, he would pick me up at my hotel and we would go together. On my initial plan, I would spend this morning strolling around Ssamzigil to get more postcards. So walking around would be a good idea to keep me away from spending money again.  

It came as a surprise that the ajusshi was a former Korean Nation University graduate. How could he manage to get there?

The place we visited was Bukchon Hanok Village, a home to traditional houses. Photos look flawless. No Instagram filter, I swear – only a Iphone 5 creates magic haha.

One funny thing about my plane back to Ho Chi Minh city. The plane I booked was on May, 1^st, 2017. In Vietnam, holiday lasted from April 28^th, 2017 to May, 2^nd, 2017, I guessed a lot of people would take the May, 2^nd plane. So my plane was quite empty. Nobody sit in the other two seats in the same row with me. The plane did not have LCD to watch movies so there was nothing I could do except for sleeping. I just laid down, stretching my legs in the row of 3 seats – feel like flying on the business class.

Safe and sound got back to Ho Chi Minh city.

Day 1: Kimchi Museum – Insadong – COEX Aquarium – Han River Cruise – Gingseng centre – Jogyesa Temple

Day 2: Nami Island – Petite France – Gingeng Centre

Day 3: Jogyesa Temple – Gyeongbokgung Palace – National Folklore Museum – Korean Folk Village

Day 4: [PHOTO only] Bukchon Hanok Village

I am truly sorry for keeping you waiting for this third part of my Korean trip series so long. I have been through a pretty tough week after I came back so unable to get this and the final parts done. Imagine people’s brain is a memory on which if we store too much information, will be exploded very soon. I; as a matter of fact, had some difficulties trying to recall sweet memories of my Korean trip by scrolling hundred photos I took. Before they are completely replaced by 19 eastern suburbs of Melbourne, I have to finish writing them down as soon as possible.

Why do Melbourne’s 19 eastern suburbs have something to do here? You will find the answer down in my post.

Life is absolutely a chain of challenges when you have to excel in your career, maintain a social life, drink enough water, exercise, text everyone back and be happy. But I still manage to be too pure, too cute, too fresh and too young haha.

Could not get my joke? That is OK, not your fault. Just sometimes my sarcasm is hard to get.

Day 3: Jogyesa Temple – Gyeongbokgung Palace – National Folklore Museum – Korean Folk Village

On this tour, Sunny was my tourist guide.

Jogyesa Temple

Jogyesa temple, along with Gingseng Centre, is one of the places I visited more than once. Jogyesa Temple is near my hotel, which took 3 minutes walking. This was chosen to be the meeting point of the tour. I was the last one to get there and saw a bigger group than previous days. The day 3 group, without a doubt, was the biggest group with different people from different nations: Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, Germany, Turkey, Philippines and India.

I will skip this one since I already mentioned it in my day 1.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

I had to copy the name of the palace from the tour information, but actually, except for Nami island, I copied almost all tourist destinations I had been before in Seoul. Still I have no ideas how to write them correctly.

We were taken on a bus to Gyeongbokgung Palace, which is the first palace built by the Joseon dynasty and the largest out of 5 places. We came just in time for the royal guard changing ceremony. I heard that there are two shifts – day and night. Get the opportunity to see the guards in their traditional costumes.

I was in Taiwan before and saw military solder changing ceremony which is somehow similar to Korean one, so was not impressed much this time.

Inside of the palace, it looks quite similar to Vietnamese ancient palace.

Sunny told me some funny yet interesting facts about Korean history. Back then when there was no medical technology advancement, the only method that doctors used to check on the king’s health condition was to taste his poo. We all eww-ed but Sunny said it was a highly prestigious job at that time. Also when the king did his private business, there were more than 2 servants besides him. OMG, how could they bear that? They could sense awkward sound and smell. When I do my private business in the restroom, I just want my phone with me. Haha.

National Folklore Museum

This is inside the palace.

I got some nice stuff there

Dorayaki’s making friends

First is the Turkish guy who travelled to Korea on his own. He has been to a great number of countries, including Vietnam. He loves Vietnam and Vietnamese people a lot and that’s why he took good care of me. He showed me photos he took in Vietnam and I could tell that he went from the North (Ha Long Bay) to the South (Sai Gon and Mekong Delta). He helped me take nice photos and bought me water. He went around, telling people in the tour that I am his daughter and I could sense people’s eyes staring at him with a big question on their face “But you are Turkish and she is Vietnamese”.

I also met a nice Japanese guy who is a medical doctor on the tour that day. On Nami island, I could see  Japanese people there but did not have an opportunity to talk to them. And this was my perfect time to boast my Japanese ability.

 Me: “Hello, what’s your name?” (in English)

Yuuta: “My name is Yuuta. What’s your name?” (in English)

Me:”… watashi…” (What kind of language is that?)

Yuuta: Yes…watashi… go on… go on (*encouraging voice*)

Me: “…no…” (Still could not get the kind of language here)

Yuuta: Yes… no (*still very patient)

 Me: “…namae” (???)

Yuuta: Yes… yes.. good… namae

Me: “Oh forget it. My name is Dorayaki” (in English)

That is how I failed. I took a Japanese course in August last year since my then company was Japan-owned one but I got a new job offer in an Australian company. There is no point studying Japanese but I made a promise to Yuuta that I would get back to studying Japanese again, if I have time (it sounds impossible though).

We passed by Blue House. Since Park Geun Hye was impeached and is in jail now, the vice president was in charge; that means the Blue House was not left empty. On the previous day, I was told that the former president was Korean’s embarrassment since never before did they have a president who was currently in office and had to be served in jail. Though some people, just like my father, still believed that she was only used by people with bad deeds. This is still being debated in South Korea.

Suddenly, I feel like missing my dad. I have never found such a kind hearted man like him, always choosing on the positive side to believe. That is unfortunate that his daughter could not inherit his good characters. Some loyal readers who are also Dorayaki’s friends will help to defend her by saying that she has bright and cheerful character too but Dorayaki is just narrow-minded and does not expect bad things to come haha.

National Folk Village

After lunch in a local restaurant in Insadong, we split into 2 groups: one went to the National Folk Village and another stayed in Insadong and Myeongdong district for shopping.  I had to say goodbye to Yuuta and my so called Turkish daddy to go to the National Folk Village with a German guy and an ajusshi.

And I was very happy to have Winnie as my tourist guide the second time.

Ajusshi told me that Samsung is among the largest corporations in South Korea and if a family has a daughter/son that works for Samsung, it is the family’s pride (*For your information, my Cheese used to work for Samsung in Vietnam, I am so proud of my Cheese). The National Folk Village was built by Samsung to enhance awareness of Korean’s traditional culture to local and international people. It is also a film location of many well-known Korean dramas, e.g.: “My love comes from the star”, “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” and so on.

There were 2 must-see performances: martial art on horseback and Jultagi (tightrope walking).

We spent an hour there discovering pottery making, basket weaving and the hand-making of winnows, musical instruments, embroidery and bamboo, wood and brass wares.

Highlights of the day

Self discovery at Myeongdong

I left one night to go freely where I would want to go. On my first day, I asked Lena if there were any bookstores near my place, she told me “Yongpong” and “Kyobo”. I visited these two places, expecting to buy some cute stationery for onee san. When getting there, I was a bit disappointed as there were no scrapbook materials available. Both of two bookstores were huge and filled with a thousand of Korean books.

Leaving the bookstore, I passed by Gwanghwamun Square where you would see a huge statue of King Sejong – the creator of Hangul writing. By the time I got there, it had already been almost 18.00, so neon lights were lit. The square is home to a memorial of victim of Sewol Ferry in 2014. We may have known about Sewol – one of the worst maritime disasters in South Korea– that took the life of 304 people most of who were high school students. The Sewol sinking disaster deeply traumatised South Korean people. Even me felt so hurt when walking by the square.

I read the news that Jo Eun Hwa – one of nine missing passengers was finally found after 3 years. From the news, I learnt that the 17-year-old student, when she was still alive, was a nice girl who always thought of her parents first before herself. Today is Mother’s Day, so I wish the best to Jo Eun Hwa’s mother. Even though her daughter could not get back to life with her, at least, her body was brought out of cold and deep ocean.

I continued to go to Myeongdong. Previously, I went to Lotte Department Store, this time I would go to Avenue and Lotte Young Plaza. I found at B1 a whole place dedicated to SM lovers. Did you know that I was a big fan of Dong Bang Shin Ki and even went to 2 of their concerts? I saw a lot of DBSK merchandise and believe me if I had been 5 years old younger, I would have found every single way to bring all these stuff back home with me. But the 25-year-old Dorayaki still stood there calmly, took photos and left the place. That’s why growing up sucks, I hate it when all passion has died out.

Imagine if Yunho appeared in front of me now, OMG. I. WOULD.DIE.

Dinner at Myeongdong

End of day 3

#photowithyourtourguide

 So you have found the answer for “Melbourne’s 19 eastern suburbs”? Not yet? Yeah, congratulations, you got trolled.

Day 1: Kimchi Museum – Insadong – COEX Aquarium – Han River Cruise – Gingseng centre – Jogyesa Temple

Day 2: Nami Island – Petite France – Gingeng Centre

Day 3: Jogyesa Temple – Gyeongbokgung Palace – National Folklore Museum – Korean Folk Village

Day 4: [PHOTO only] Bukchon Hanok Village

It somehow reminded of another film locator I visited previously which is The Hobbit in New Zealand. Oh my New Zealand feels~

Day 2: Nami Island – Petite France – Gingeng Centre

Nami Island

Winnie was my tour guide on my second day. This time, I went with a group of 5 people in the family who are all Filipino. One thing I love the most about my trip is that I do not need to wake up so early haha and we started at 8.20. Since it took us more than 1 hour to get to Nami island, we had fun time chatting on the car, from showbiz to politics. I really like Winnie, she is cute. She spent one year studying in the US and met a Vietnamese lecturer named Van. That is why she loves me so much. Her knowledge of Kpop/Kdrama is so great that I think I can spend hours after hours talking with her. How could we skip Sandara Park? She is an iconic figure in Philippines and of course, my bias in 2NE1. If you want to know how old you are getting now, just ask a simple question: “Who is your favourite Kpop band?”. You lovely readers do not know how embarrassed I was when telling that DBSK, Super Junior, 2NE1, and Girls Generations while the little Australian girl said “BTS”. I had no ideas who they are. Oh I feel so old now.

Before getting to the island, we had to take a 5-minute ferry. Winnie told me that Nami island is just a like a small country (Naminara Republic) that has their own stamp, currency and even flag. We arrived at around 10 and had 2 hours there before having lunch at the local restaurant. Nami island is such a nice place for a stroll. As a matter of fact, people come here to go camping as I saw a lot of groups sitting on the grass, preparing their meals and chatting. This place is beautiful, peaceful and huge. I bet that when autumn comes, it will be extraordinary. One of the biggest shames is that I missed the signature Winter Sonata statue, which is nowhere far but on the right of Janggang and Hwangha statue. I watched “Winter Sonata” more than 10 years ago so was so unsure if the main couple had their first kiss. In the Nami map, I was supposed to see that famous place right after the ostrich cage but failed to do it. Anyway, it could have been that I passed it without any ideas.

I took a walk by the lake to get back to the meeting point. It is so great.

The downside, however, of going travelling on your own is that you just can have photos of your half body, unless you ask for people’s help for photos.

Do not believe it? Let me show you. All is my face and my pink sweater.

Selfies:

Photos taken by people:

Got a lot of nice cards

Lunch at the local restaurant. That was chicken; it actually tasted like frog though :P.

Petite France

We continued our tour to Petite France which was 10-minute driving from Nami Island. Winnie told me that everything in Petite France, from building materials to decorative items, was imported from France. That’s why it brought me my French feels. I took a couple of photos and bought nice postcards to friends. There was a puppet show at the central stadium but there were too many people, I was unable to see. I left the show, as a result, and continued to take more photos.

Oh scary doll

Gingseng centre

No, I came to this place again. Not fun at all *cry a river*

Tour ended.

Highlight of the day

Sushi and Nanta show.

Instead of my hotel in Insadong, I request the driver to drive me to Myeongdong, which is the shopping district in Seoul. In Vietnam, as netizens highly recommended a performance “Nanta cooking show” as it is internationally acclaimed and has come to many countries around the world, I booked the show on 20.00. I was dropped at Lotte Department Store and got 2.30 hours before I got to Myeongdong Nanta theatre. There were a lot of international and local brands that I really got dizzy.

And here came my sushi. Walking from 1^st floor to 13^th floor only for sushi, you must have some ideas that I was desperate for sushi.

I came to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. It was based on the colour of your sushi dish that you would have different prices. I finished 5 dishes and got the bill of 24,000 won. OMG

Leaving Lotte Department store, I passed through the underground way to get to the other side of the street for Nanta show. I had to get there by 19.30 to get my ticket and my google map told me that I was close to the theatre, so I strolled around the street, dropping by some cosmetics store until 19.15. It, however, turned out unexpectedly that I was lost for direction. How can I put into words my situation? It was not like I was lost, I just could not find the Myeongdong Nanta Theatre. I asked for local help as my last resort, but I asked “Can you show me the way to Myeongdong Theatre?”. Yes, they showed me it. Myeongdong Theatre, which is also another theatre next to the Nanta theatre but closed at 18.00. I felt like being cheated. I continued to count on my google map. It took me back to the place I was before and the Myeongdong Nanta Theatre is actually located on 3^rd floor of a building. It showed on a tiny board, if you do not pay careful attention, you would never see it. It was too bad that I did not bring the book guide along with me. If I had done that, I would not have freaked out that like.

Something a bit unforgettable to me is that I happened to see a group of Korean girls on Myeongdong who crept me out with their heads covered with bandage, with only eyes and mouths visible. According to Winnie, plastic surgery clinics concentrated in Gangnam district so I did not expect to see these people in Myeongdong. I got so damn scared. Perhaps you have no ideas that even though I am a big fan of horror movies, I could not dare to watch “Goodbye Mommy” because the mother in the film had plastic surgery and had a bandage-head. This just activates my imagination and I could not help thinking what is underneath the bandage, a face full of blood? NO!!!

The show lasting for 100 minutes is exceptionally good, worth the money. It is hilarious and relaxing. I admire how Korean people cleverly promote their traditional culture in the form of musical performance. It is indeed of an awesome show which tells the story of three chefs receiving an unplanned wedding dinner by 6PM from their manager who also requests them to teach his nephew on how to cook. Oh it is non-verbal show, so completely comprehensive to foreign audience like me.

Some cut parts of the Nanta cooking show

Thinking that I may have missed the show really scared me haha.

Oh, I came to Seoul in the event of celebrating Buddha birth, so the street was crowded with people, lanterns and of course, the performance.

End of day 2

#photowithyourtourguide

Day 1: Kimchi Museum – Insadong – COEX Aquarium – Han River Cruise – Gingseng centre – Jogyesa Temple

Day 2: Nami Island – Petite France – Gingeng Centre

Day 3: Jogyesa Temple – Gyeongbokgung Palace – National Folklore Museum – Korean Folk Village

Day 4: [PHOTO only] Bukchon Hanok Village

Before getting down to the Seoul trip, let me explain to you a bit why I chose to travel alone. After conducting several surveys which I would take as conversations with interviewees (friends), I categorised into main 3 theories:

Theory A: “Dorayaki has a secret boyfriend with whom she promised to meet in Seoul, Korea and they planned on going a trip together”

Theory B: “Dorayaki desperately needs a full package of a face job (nose job, jaw job and eye job, blah blah). She must go to Seoul, taking plastic surgery to save her face and even her future”

Theory C: “Dorayaki has become a psychopath recently. She is filled with hatred towards the world that she needs to leave to another country to find peace”

Which one do you think of among 3 theories? Let’s come to the answer of each one.

Theory A: “You overestimated me. Perhaps I get one once I finish my trip”

Theory B: “The only problem I have found with my face is my excessively unnecessarily disgustingly big eyes which are the result of my wearing thick glasses since secondary high school. If I can find a way on how to reduce it, I will do it, otherwise, no plastic surgery”

Theory C: “Hmmm… 50/50”

My loyal readers, I am trying not to make you feel like you are reading a blog of a mentally unstable but sometimes I just feel lost and even, broken. I had no ideas where negative emotions came, and they came like a flood that I just stood still, feeling helpless. I had a couple things in my life that went off track and felt nothing but tiredness. So I think of a way to get rid of it and that is travelling to another place, to feel “me” again.  Now you have learnt that Dorayaki is much more complicated than you think she is!

As a matter of fact, Seoul is just an alternative plan after my plan to Tokyo failed. I am not going to mention it here though :D.

Day 1: Kimchi Museum – Insadong – COEX Aquarium – Han River Cruise – Gingseng centre – Jogyesa Temple

I got to Seoul around 7.00 AM and it took me around 1 hour and 30 minutes to get to my hotel, which is located near Insadong. Since I booked a half day tour starting at 12.15, I got a plenty of time visiting Insadong and some of the places I got to were Kimchi Museum and Ssamzigil. There was nothing spectacular about Kimchi Museum, except for free kimchi tasting samples which were put there in a refrigerator for you to try. I ate many and of course, kimchi’s sourness has exceptional effects on your digestive system, but in my case, it did not come on the right time. I had to stop it before feeling stomachache.

I left Kimchi Museum to get to Ssamzigil. This special place is a shopping complex featuring café galleries, stationery shops, handicraft stores and restaurants. I saw a lot of highschoolers there shopping and eating. So fun!

Lunch in a nearby restaurant:

Lena was my tourist guide on that day. She is so nice and her English is excellent. Before that, I heard a lot from friends that Korean people are not that good at English but I was surprised at how good they are actually. They speak pleasant English accent which is much clearer than Singaporean speaking English to me. So no language barrier here!!

Together in the tour were two brothers from Australia. Lena told me much about the Korea’s current situation now when it has to deal with many political issues that not only come from North Korea but also Japan and China. She mentioned the tension between China and Korea, which could not be left out the Lotte Mart’s being shut down in China. That’s why I did not see many Chinese tourists in Seoul.

But it remained a question for me that how come DMZ (the boundary between North Korea and South Korea) is still one of the most popular tours in Seoul haha.

COEX Aquarium

A huge number of cute sea creatures, including beavers. I had to show Cheese, that’s her haha.

Han River Cruise

Gingseng centre

This place was plain boring and I did not take any photos, not a single one. Oh, hold on, they do not allow taking photos either.

Jogyesa Temple

This temple is the last stop on the tour and it is also opposite my hotel. I came on the event of Korean’s celebrating the birth of Buddha. So they hang colourful lanterns on the tree with wishing papers attached to each. As far as I remember in Jogyesa temple, there are two black and white pine trees which represent Chinese ying yang (“balance”).

Inside the hall are 3 giant Buddha statues and they even have a section dedicated to spirits tablets of people who have recently passed away. People come there, reading Buddha scripts and praying. In Vietnam, we have similar things. It is not my interest so pardon me for skipping this one.

Highlight of the day

Meeting unnie after almost 10 years.

Minkyung sshi was my friend and we went to the same English class together in around 2009 ~ 2010. When I got to Seoul, I wanted to meet her so had her contact through a mutual friend of us. Our meeting point is Jamsil so from Jogyesa temple, I took a train there to meet unnie. After all these times, unnie is still so nice, and even aging backwards. She just got married last month and has a happy life. Unnie took me around Jamsil where I saw Lotter World park and Lotte World Tower, which was inaugurated in April, 2017 and recorded as the tallest building in Seoul. We got a pleasant strolling around the part and stopped by a mall nearby to have dinner. I even got a cute gift from unnie.

I was genuinely happy to see unnie again, but somehow, there was nostalgia in me that made me sad at the same time. Any possible way that I could turn back time to live in 2010 again, but I would not want to wear braces again

Unnie instructed me how to take a train to get back to Anguk station which is 10 minute walking to my hotel. But damn, I safely returned from Jamsil to Anguk station, but from Insadong I was unable to remember my way back to the hotel haha.

End of day 1

#photowithyourtourguide

Day 1: Kimchi Museum – Insadong – COEX Aquarium – Han River Cruise – Gingseng centre – Jogyesa Temple

Day 2: Nami Island – Petite France – Gingeng Centre

Day 3: Jogyesa Temple – Gyeongbokgung Palace – National Folklore Museum – Korean Folk Village

Day 4: [PHOTO only] Bukchon Hanok Village

Do I love pomegranate the fruit? Oh forget it. I am never patient enough for it.

The #1 reason: Bà nội has a beautiful name.

Every member of my family has a beautiful name, if not, then it is unique. I have one-of-a-kind name that my friends call me “Ms Global” since my full name is a combination of 4 countries. My bà nội is not an exception. Rough English translation of her name is “scented pomegranate”- An elegant and beautiful name, not to mention that her last name sounds like royal Chinese (she is 100% Vietnamese) and that cannot even be better. My bà nội’s name just makes you keep on telling her name and say “Wow”.

The #2 reason: Bà nội thinks I am perfectly perfect as far as she can see.

“You are so fat that your double chin is so obvious”,

“Your skin looks like burned fried chicken”,

“Your hair is messy, not that curly, not that straight either”,

“You should grow up”,

etc.

These are some examples of what people tell me and I am so used to it that I have gradually become numb. Bà nội is too good for my ego though. I never hear any harsh words to put me down from her. In that old lady’s eyes, I am always a fair-skinned lady (just a bit chubby) who is capable of doing things well. For many times, bà nội has boasted with my relatives how much I make my monthly income. When receiving my salary, I take out a part for her, so she can buy things she wants. That is why she thinks I make much money and am rich enough to buy her cakes two times a week. She does not know and will never know the fact that I struggle to pay the debt of my credit card on a monthly basis. It is enough to boost my self-esteem though. Sometimes the only thing you need is someone’s support this way or another. People see what they want to see and my bà nội sees me as a nice grown-up lady who works hard to make her money – A flawless image that I have always wanted to be. Now I do not feel like trying anymore *crying in Spanish*

The #3 reason: Bà nội makes me laugh hard.

I remember one day I felt so dead bored. I did not know what to do and I could not find anyone else to talk to either. The most powerful lady of the Phan family was my last option. I opened my Ipad, googling “Handsome [insert nationality] guy” and here we go, there was a long list of handsome guys as I wished. I told bà nội this guy was my boyfriend, and that guy was too. Boyfriends lived all around the world (Brad Pitt was included in the boyfriend list). Bà nội padded on my shoulder and proudly said “Good job. Good job”. I laughed really loud. I am a type of person that is easy to laugh, even at stupid things. But when a person makes me laugh hard and naturally like that, I must genuinely love them much.

On another beautiful day, while I was having dinner and reading news on my Ipad about the most dangerous clown on earth that killed hundred innocent boys, the lady walked downstairs to pick up her medicines. When passing on me, she looked at my Ipad’s screen and said “Your boyfriend? Take him home. I will cook for him”

Bà nội asked me to take a serial killer home. She must have a genius sense of humour.

The #4 reason: Bà nội treats me like princess.

Believe or not: no matter how badly life has treated you, there is one person out there who treats you the prince/princess you truly are. It is just a matter of time to find that person and I am one of the luckiest people on earth to have completed that task. Of course, my parents love me but bà nội spoils me as much as she can. We Vietnamese have the famous saying among couple, the boyfriend would say to his beloved girlfriend “You just need to be my girlfriend, I will take care the rest of the world”. And that could not be more true giving the situation of me and my bà nội. When our lovely housekeeper went back to her house for a couple of days, we took care of each other.  Since she did not know how to use the electric stove, I helped her with that and she did the rest. She did not allow me to touch anything, just wait for the food to get ready. The 90-year-old lady brought food to me, asking me if it was hot enough, good or bad. Oh my royal feels! At first, I felt uncomfortable seeing her do all the things, but if anyone offers to help, she will get angry. That is why I let bà nội do what she likes.

Oh yes, the princess had to clean the table and wash dishes after dinner.

The #5 reason: Bà nội teaches me precious lessons.

I believe that every person we meet in our life, more or less, teaches us a lesson that we may thank them later. What does bà nội teach me? She teaches me if you truly care for someone, just tell them. What is the point of hiding our feelings? Is that we have special feelings for someone a thing to be ashamed of? Bà nội has her own way to show her love for me. On my first day to work, I came back and found her sit on the stair waiting for me. Me and my aunt had to stop her from that. She was so worried when I had to travel almost 50 kilometers to work and back (I actually did not drive, so did not feel any tired either). She feels happy when seeing me as if I was “sunshine on her cloud day” (The Temptations’ My girl is my favourite song, FYI). Now she stopped waiting for me but I really appreciate her making me feel happy for my own existence.

So, what I have learnt is that relationship is easy to break, and you do not know if you have missed opportunities to meet people who mean so much to your life. As long as we can live, why not show our love to them? It – however- still has its downside. I think people around me may be getting so damn sick of hearing me say “I like you”/”I love you” repeatedly and unstoppably. So, it is best not to overuse it.

Bà nội uses her money wisely and only spent on necessary things (milk, medicines and food) and I am in process of learning it from her. But considering a large amount of money I have to spend on stationery, clothes, food, perfume and so on regularly, I think it is going to take times to master it *cry*.

The #6 reason: Bà nội turned 90^th this year.

Her birthday is December 12^th. But it was until 2 weeks later that we celebrated her 90^th birthday. Relatives from Australia and America flew to Ho Chi Minh city for a family reunion. It was super fun.

(From left to right: unknown #1, auntie Kec, unknown #2, Bà nội and Helen)

(From left to right: Auntie Kec, unknown #1, unknown #2, auntie Thu, Bà nội, Helen, sugar Daddy, pretty Mommy, Daddy’s friend’s wife, Daddy’s friend, auntie Keo, Chelsea and Cheese) 

(From left to right: uncle Teo and sugar Daddy)

(From left to right: Helen, Chelsea, Jason and Auntie Thu)

(From left to right: Bà nội’s favourite grandchild, bà nội and Auntie Kec)

(Bà nội with her two princesses aka- party late comers *cry in Spanish*- Oh I got to the wrong restaurant)

PS: I feel so much sorry for my misleading title post. I make it up for my readers by my favourite song.

Yes, I do admit that the pain, however, still a bit aches since I still blame myself for making unwise moves in spending money.

#1. HCMC is a heaven of cuisine

Situated in the south of Vietnam, this populous city is a melting pot of different cultures and that means if you want to have different culinary experiences coming from variable countries, just come here. There are a variety of Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, French and Italian… dishes with staple food for your options. You do not have to be afraid of your rumbling stomach when coming to Vietnam. Of course, if you are not picky on food or keen on making comparisons between the original and the remake, it is not bad at all since the flavors have been changed to suit with the Vietnamese’s appetite.

Besides that, you should come to term with the fact that Vietnam’s living cost is low, in other countries, with $1,500, you can only make both ends meet, but, with the same amount of money, you live like a true king in Vietnam. Actually, I make 1/3 of that money every month but am still able to have sushi in Tokyo Deli with friends at weekends. So, it is all concluded that you can eat any type of food that you want in Vietnam as long as the restaurants are not considered 5 – star luxurious or you do not have to worry about your wallet in the end. As far as I know, restaurants on central districts are more expensive than others and cafeteria in department stores can be a good reference. I am pretty sure that they bring you taste bud!

Noticeably, if you choose middle – priced restaurants or even street food, you can save more money for other activities.

**Personally, as a Japanese culture maniac, I will be more biased towards Japanese cuisine. If you want to try Japanese food, go Thai Van Lung or Le Thanh Ton street – which is also known as little Japanese town!!!

#2. HCMC is a therapist for those shopping addicts

Why do I recommend street food for you? Simply, you have to save money for another exciting activity – shopping. HCMC is a concentrated area of all types of shopping that definitely serve your wishes. If you want luxurious shopping experience walking like queens with shopping bags on your hands and red carpets under your feet, let’s head to Vivo (this one is my favourite since it is near my house), Vincom, Diamond Plaza, Crescent mall, and Takashimaya (this one is newly opened) where you will be able to see stores of Mango, Guess, Top Shop, Warehouse, Valentino and Furla and other high-end fashion brands and not to mention – cosmetics, shoes, and bags.

And if you feel like having enough of these brands in your own country or are in search for specific products, try Vietnamese markets such as Ben Thanh market, An Dong or Dan Sinh one… where you can have only-in-Vietnam shopping experiences and have some little chit-chats (it could be longer, depending on your transaction) with vendors. Since I am not good at bargaining, these markets are the last places I think of when going shopping.

Recently in HCMC, flea markets which specialize in selling handmade stuff (clothes, accessories, and decorations) have attracted a lot of young people. They are held in district 7 and district 1 every month. Try there if you want to collect something unique for your own or friends.

Last call for those shopaholics out there, HCMC has you covered.

#3. HCMC makes you a better person

 A Vietnamese-born and raised myself cannot help it when sometimes I feel as if my heart has fallen out of my chest when crossing the streets. HCMC has many streets and all types of vehicles, for example: motorbikes, bicycles, buses (I hate them the most), cars, trucks, tricycles and even cycloes. 25 years living in this country, I have learned that you either keep on walking or wait for other people to come and walk together with you, or you just cannot get to the other side of the street. The worst case is that you already walk half way there and are too afraid to go on, the chances of being hit or yelled at your face are high. So, this surreal scenario may somehow remind you of classic lessons that we have learned from books or teachers: “Never give up. Walk to the end of the street where you see the light of life”. Want to experience Fast and Furious? Just get down to the parks where you will see middle aged men lying (?) on their motorbikes and waiting for their customers who we call “motorbike hugger “ (of course, hugging them is optional). If you want to challenge your bravery, why not giving HCMC a try?

Also, the fact that pickpocketing happens around popular destinations never allows you to let your guard down. So, being nagged for your carelessness? This is such another good reason for your presence in HCMC.

I can recall a couple of months ago when Conjuring 2 came to Vietnam and swept all of its competitors in theatre. Despite hiding my face behind my hands almost all of the running time, I still remember dancing scene with “Can’t help falling in love” as music background and the main character’s saying something about facing your fear. It sounds cliché though, we just cannot deny it. What is the best way to deal with your fear? – Face it and you become invincible – It can never go wrong. As a person with trypophobia, noisephobia, germophobia and reptilephobia, I cannot thank HCMC enough for giving such opportunities to face my fears and get used to them (I cannot help some Ewww moments though).

Yes, settling down in HCMC and without a doubt, you will finally manage to have characteristics that all mothers on earth have ever wished for – determined, firm, of never-give-up spirits, careful and fearless.

#4. HCMC helps you master the art of nudity

Probably you are learned from your geography class that the south of this tropic country in general only has two seasons: hot and rainy. Hmmm, I would say it is half true, in fact, the south has two seasons: hot and super hot. When walking down the streets, you may catch a lot of motorbike drivers, especially women, equip themselves with masks, gloves, socks and long dresses in order to avoid sever sunlight and definitely have some ideas of how hot they would feel. Whenever I go out and get back home, I feel like a volcano inside of me and cannot stop myself from taking out all of my clothes and jumping into a shower. I take a shower 3 – 4 times a day even when not going out because it is too hot. I do not like to sweat and have uncomfortable smell. Now, I have trained myself a skill of removing my clothes very fast which takes around 10 seconds; as for button apparel, it may be 30 seconds. If a competition like that is held, I would go for it.

#5. HCMC is too good for offspring production

HCMC at night turns itself from a business oriented city into an entertainment hub. Noticeably, at weekends, if happening to walk around concentrated areas in HCMC of the young, you will be able to find someone there. Even though the chances of love at first sight are not high, you may strike up friendship first and develop it later. Trust me: They are dynamic, sweet and of course, so good looking that you may feel weak in your knees, begging for their DNAs. Oops! I am taking it a bit way too far. But, Vietnamese people have their own facial features that are not mistakable, not to mention their cool personality.

Below are some representatives. Let’s Tinder and Super Like them.

Dorayaki Phan

Dorayaki was once a novelist but now is walking on a career path of a website content writer after realizing she was too bad to be a novelist.  Normally, she is clueless and harmless but when her OCD gets worse, her acting out of control somehow reminds you of a patient trying to make an escape from the mental institute. Her on/off personality would make you either hate her or love her, depending on how you take it. If repetition bores you to death and you expect a life full of surprise, Dorayaki is not a bad choice at all!

Lan Pham

Coming from a wealthy family, Lan is a modern Juliet who knows how to play piano, appreciates aesthetics, loves to draw, and wears dolly dresses and shoes. You cannot help falling for her intelligence. With her admirably wide knowledge, you can talk to her any kinds of topics, let alone the fact that she is an easy-to-talk-to type. Definitely recommended for those who are in search for a brilliant girlfriend who can sometimes act as your advisor! Together with her, you can be another perfect Obama president couple!

Thanh Quyen

Thanh Quyen has some Scarlett O’Hara vibes that drive you crazy. Normally, she stays loyal to her “cool” image. Looking matured, Quyen is not the type that makes you fall in love for the very first time. The more you get to know her, the more love grows on you. She shows her tough and edgy sides on the surface but deep down Quyen has tenderness and sensibility of an ordinary woman and you just cannot walk away from her.

Tam Dang

Tam has what makes a typical IT guy – I mean he is smart, of a quick bug solver, calm, muscular, and indeed adorable. As his nickname “Ai” (Love) reveals somehow, he is super lovable and sweet. If you are into guys that never complain about your shopping bills or having to wait for you to try different dresses on stores hours after hours, look no further than Tam. He, however, is not an easy type who still has his own principles to follow too. Sometimes, you should let him have his own time and he will surely give great times in returns.

Uyen Vu

Her career as a Digital marketing gives you clues to her personality – she is down to the earth, flexible, easy going and smart. As a writer like Dorayaki, she is definitely not an intense case, though; on the contrary, she is sweet and looks like a cutie cat with her Tinkerbell –liked body, which brings out fatherly instincts from you. Uyen is into K-dramas and makes best film reviews so far using her critical thinking ability. Uyen knows how to enjoy the fun and her limit. A typical girlfriend in the era of the digital world!

Tien Nguyen

Graduated from an elite university in HCMC, Tien is now working for a global shipping firm and quick at numbers. As a well-mannered guy, he knows how to behave with women. Of course, his premium sense of fashion and food is something adding so many sweet flavours to your date. His softness and trustworthiness make you never want to let him go. One thing you probably feel pressured when going out with Tien is his forever young face. So, my advice is that you should know how to do proper makeup, girls!

Pictures are used without the owners’ consents. Please contact me for their Facebooks ^^

]]> http://dorayakiphan.com/life-5-things-make-ho-chi-minh-city-worth-living/feed/ 0 http://dorayakiphan.com/qing-fei-de-yi-5-things-that-i-cant-help-falling-in-love-with-new-zealand/ http://dorayakiphan.com/qing-fei-de-yi-5-things-that-i-cant-help-falling-in-love-with-new-zealand/#comments Sun, 12 Jun 2016 16:35:00 +0000 http://dorayakiphan.com/?p=265 I just got back from 2 week vacation from New Zealand – Australia trip which to be exact took place at the end of April (You must be wondering why it took me so long to write this post, I will explain everything in my next post). It was such a memorable and costly trip (worth it though). If any of you wants to plan for an overseas trip, I would love to recommend New Zealand). Personally, I prefer New Zealand to Australia (but Melbourne is definitely a love) and here are some reasons.

PS: Ok. I have been busy and missed writing a lot of wonderful trips including Taiwan, Binh Chau and Vung Tau… Qing Fei De Yi (Can’t help falling in love with you) was originally the title of my Taiwan trip which was a shame that I did not remember anything, except for buying a phone charger which burnt my Iphone battery. It is just too good to be skipped, so I name it my New Zealand trip, which sounds a bit random! Of course, Cheese is always my best travelling buddy!

#1. Food and drink

I am just an ordinary girl who has a big love for food. During my trip specifically in New Zealand alone, I had opportunities to experience different food coming from Western and Asian cuisines. I just would not say that food was authentic but did come in variation, e.g.: oysters, grilled salmons, grilled meat, beef and other. As New Zealand served all manner of food, I would love to give the spotlight for dessert which I was utterly amazed at how delicious it was. I have never tried any dessert better than New Zealand’s one. As a person whose sweet tooth never comes loose, I would die for passionfruit cheesecakes, ice creams (I tried cookie milkshake in Ben and Jerry’s), and macaroons. They just made me feel like having real orgasm ^^. Wine is New Zealand’s specialty but this topic should not be raised with me. Before joining the tour, me and my sister took a trip to Waiheke where we tasted different wines in different vineyards. If it hadn’t been for it, I would have never known that there is a variety of wines which are also used in different occasions such as for desserts, or seafood… Since I have 0 experience when it comes to alcohol, I could not tell them apart.

Even strawberry milk I bought in a convenience store near my hotel was super cool too. It could be probably because I loved dessert too much, I paid less attention to food. Generally, food was ok and compared with one I had in Australia, it was too way better (My tour served Vietnamese food cooked in a Chinese way).

#2. People

From left to right: Me, Cheese, Jessie and lovely Huyen

They are super nice! They just gave off a friendly vibe and this made me feel like a warm welcome to their country. Even though I got some difficulties hearing their English first (I was so used to Japlish), I could tell that they are genuinely kind at heart (or it could be that people I met were nice). I met Cheese’s friend who was her former colleague in Vietnam – Ms Huyen. Lovely Huyen and her husband generously took us out for sightseeing and we ended up heading to a restaurant near the beach for lunch. Needless to say, it was super delicious and detectable dish I had ever tried. Anyways, New Zealand people are nice and gentle which I had my onee san who was a Victoria University of Wellington graduate confirm. By the way, local people did teach me a precious lesson that I highly appreciate. Here the story goes: At the last stop of our Waiheke trip, we had fun chatting with the owner’s vineyard who asked us about our plan in New Zealand. We said we could not wait to go to Hobbiton – the film set of The Hobbits and asked her if she had come there before. She said “Not yet” and then I realized that local people do not bother to come to so called tourist destinations in their own country. Have I ever gone to Cu Chi tunnel? Not yet.

#3. Guys

(Sorry, I do not take any pictures of guys I know, so it is just an illustration)

I should have included them in #2 but I truly believe New Zealand guys deserve their own slot. At the very first moment I arrived at my hotel, the hotel’s steep and small stair gave me such hard times carrying my almost 30kg luggage. Then, a random guy passed by and asked me if I needed any help. That kind and muscular guy with a beautiful smile finished his business quickly and left an overwhelming me standing there and waving him till the end of the road. Silly me! I should have asked him for coffee and then hang out for dinner. No just joking! He had a girlfriend waiting for him. Such a cool couple!

What did I do in the past life to be blessed in my current one? Did I sacrifice to save my own country? I do not know. Meeting a lot of good people make my heart beat in delight. Once, on our way to get back to our hotel, Cheese wanted to stop by a convenience store to buy strawberry milk. I could clearly recall that it cost 3.30 NZD. I got a small pocket where I kept all chances and coins miscellaneously. I sort of messed them up and no idea that I mistakenly gave the Indian guy in the counter 3.20 NZD and 0.10 SGD. I could not believe him when he said it was not NZD. As I did not have any chances, he finally gave us strawberry milk with the price of 3.20 NZD ^^. I guess he probably did not want to get involved in any troubles with my Goddamn-are-you-kidding-me face.

How come I forgot Tinder? I have enjoyed this app lately which Cheese addressed as only-for-the-desperate app. I give no crap since I met wonderful guys there, even in New Zealand. Put things in perspective, sis ^^.

Finally, sweetie Benny – onee san’s college friend. His name has three initial letters from “Bentley” the supercar, that’s why he is so precious like that luxurious car brand. Ben was super busy with his upcoming exams but still spent time taking me to my meeting point with sis Huyen. Gentle Ben had driving license but was unable to drive us (he did explain to me how driving license in New Zealand worked, my peanut- sized brain did not allow me to remember it though). We took a bus there which was 10 times cheaper than taxi. Oop, I did forget to say the taxi fare from airport to our hotel was around 100 NZD. We are rich kids, aren’t we? LOL.

#4. Sightseeing

(Waiheke island)

(Auckland Domain)

(The Hobbiton)

If you are nature lover or just look for places where you can make a sweet escape from bustles and hustles of big cities, make it to New Zealand. Even when I stay in cities like Auckland, I just could not feel the same way as Ho Chi Minh city where hot temperature makes you feel like stripping off your clothes and staying naked all day. Luscious plants, far-away hills with white dots which are actually sheep, cool breeze and enchanting view of the countryside definitely took my breath away. My favourite place went to the Hobbiton – the hometown of Frodo in Lord of the Ring. Houses are small but enough for me to get inside. My lovely local tourist guide informed that the Hobbit are just around 1.58m in height. That means I am the hobbit and have no difficulty entering the house. Ginger beer was good because it was non-alcohol.

(The Hobbiton)

(Wai-O-Tapu Thermal wonderland)

My least favorite is Wai-O-Tapu Thermal wonderland. This whole area is associated with volcanic activity which results in colored pool. Basically, I dislike something that smells bad, that’s why I put this so called rotten egg smell area the last in my list.

(The Kiwi village)

Kiwi! Kiwi! New Zealand is the place of kiwi which is the name of not only a fruit but also native people in NZ. Whenever I see kiwi, it just reminds me of my allergic-to-kiwi bestie whose face gets swollen after eating this kind of fruit. I should have given her a package of dried kiwi tagged with a heartfelt message: ”No matter how your face turns out to be love, still remember that I love you unconditionally”. We visited a kiwi garden on a rainy day, I did not enjoy it much though.

#5. I looked great in every single photo

I don’t know if there is something called chemistry existing between a person and a place. It could be that in my past life, I was a supermodel living in New Zealand, hence, it came as no surprise that I looked perfectly fine in every picture I took with my Iphone. Even though I knew all along that I did not have any photogenic features and was not a narcissist myself, I just could not help staring at my photos and falling in love with me LOL.

And this is the famous Qing Fei De Yi – Main theme of my favourite Taiwan drama starring F4…

Thanks for reading *bowing head*

On this day, we left Dubai for Abu Dhabi.

(Views from the world’s highest tower)

We did visit the highest tower in Dubai which was used as background for Mission Impossible. It was really stunning. I wanted to purchase some souvenirs there but the price was out of the question. There is an available shooting service which takes your pictures and photoshop-s them with funny background. Me and Cheese took a couple of pictures and queued up to receive our pictures. It turned out to be that one picture costs us nearly 2,000,000 VND (What the heck). We gave up on it. Price was unexpectedly high. But it came no surprise to us because we were in Dubai- one of the most luxurious place that ever existed on earth.

Then we got to Dubai and the world’s largest shopping center which consists of internationally known brands such as Armani, Dior, Gucci, Forever 21, H&M, Rolex (I felt so close to this brand- My created character in fiction wears a Rolex watch, every time he touches his partner, he makes her chill to the bone), and Levi’s (Oh man, he wears Levi ‘s jeans too)… We felt kind of lost in shopping world. It offered free wifi. How could we expect more? I told Cheese that I would love to visit Candylicious to buy some candies for friends and Bath and Body Works for Secret Wonderland (In Vietnam, this product was nowhere to be seen, I wondered if it was still available in Dubai), then I would follow Cheese to any stores she wanted. After paying a short visit to a couple of stores, her feet started to feel hurt and she decided to sit and wait for me. I could get to the first store but never made it to Bath and Body Works. On the way to back to the meeting place, I visited a few more shops to buy some small souvenirs (stuffed toys and key chains) with reasonable prices (of course). Only 1.5 hours for shopping could not satisfy me. As people in my tour came outside to take pictures with the world’s highest building, I wandered around shops nearby and got excited at finding a souvenir shop where I bought for me and Cheese beautiful hanging decoration accessories. Take a look at it.

But I came back late as a result of it. The tourist guide who thought I lost somewhere tried to find me outside. Oh I am so sorry for that. My bad

The next destination was the ice coffee. Before entering it, we were given heavy coats, headphone, and hats to keep our body warm. It was warned that the main coffee hall was 6 degree below, which did not turn out to be a joke. It was exceptionally cold. In spite of the coat I was wearing, I felt chilled to my bones and frozen. Luckily, we were offered free hot milk chocolate. I had to take my gloves off to take a few pictures. After approximately 10 minutes, we got out of that freaking cold place. OMG. The ticket was so high and for an individual who couldn’t stand low temperature like me, it was a waste of money.

The next stop was filled with fun. We visited a garment workshop where they sold Persian carpets. I believe that the Persian have mastered the level of the art of making carpets as one carpet does not resemble each other and each one has exceptionally beautiful features. Carpets’ textures look so fine. It was such a shame that I couldn’t take photo since I was not allowed to. They even attach gold to carpets to make them look super luxurious. Of course, the price was as high as Dubai’s Khalifa Burj. But we can still bargain. One family in my tour gave $350 for a medium sized carpet whose original price was $2500. You know what. The seller accepted and transaction was made. I didn’t know if it was a rip-off or not. Anyways, it was none of my business. When me and Cheese were walking around the store, we bumped into a salesman who had all features of a typical Middle East men: black beard, stunning eyes, spectacular heights, sweet voice, tanned skin and super polite manner. It was so nice talking with bae. Then we played a little game called: ”Can you guess my age?”. He said that I looked like 17-year-old girl. Oh, what a bae! You had a really expressive sales skill.

We kept on talking but the conversation started to get weird.

Bae: ”Where is your mother?”

Me: “She’s living in Vietnam” (*Thinking: Why does he ask me about mother? Is he going to ask for my mother’s permission to take me out for a date?)

Bae: ”I thought she was on a tour with you. If she’d been there, I would have sold the carpet for her”

I laughed so hard but felt butter inside. His sales skill was so good that went beyond my expectation. Anyways, it was fun and so refreshing. That story became a legend to me that i couldn’t help telling my friends about it.

After 2 hour driving, we finally got back to Abu Dhabi and stayed at the same hotel- Novotel. As tomorrow, we would fly at 8 AM, so it was better off leaving at 5 AM. That means we had to wake up and pack our stuff at 4 AM. Since we had to get up early in the morning, after dinner, Cheese got back to the hotel room to take a rest while I went shopping with another lovely family in my tour. The mall was rather big but we just couldn’t have enough time for all. The best option was to wander around it. I bought a candy jar for my girls in Vietnam.

The fourth day had nothing to tell as we got nothing to explore except for 6-hour flight. So, I decided to attach it together with the third day. But I got something to entertain me, besides available films and music in the flight.

Seriously, if I do some works like this, my boss would beat the hell out of me.

Why don’t you ask me, I can do it for you, especially it’s free of charge. So embarrassing!

After a so-so buffet in the hotel, we headed to the museum and market for shopping. Before that, we paid a quick visit to Al Bastakiya, which is a historic district in Dubai.

According to the local tourist guide, no one lived there anymore. It has grabbed tourists’ attention for picturesque sight and one of a kind design which is made of sand. Because it was left empty, the whole place brought me a state of peaceful mind. It just started to get noisier when other foreign visitors came. I read that the history of Al Bastakiya dates back in 1890s, so, the design was heavily influenced by traditional Islamic architecture. There were elegant houses, hanging oil lamps, small lattice, and sophisticated windows… I really appreciate effort of Dubai Municipality to bring back historic buildings back to life.

Then we took a short walk to Dubai Museum which displays history of Dubai to public. It was so hot that I couldn’t even enjoy this place, plus, it was full of people. I felt better when we came inside of the museum. It was cool but dark, which freaked me out a little. Imagine in the dark there was a man whose face was unseen cutting a piece of wood. He was moving. The vision was unclear. Everything was dark. I almost shouted my lung out when just seeing. Even though it was just a video, it just chilled me to the bones, which made me want to get out of it ASAP.

The part I enjoyed the most was the souvenir corner where I bought some stuff for friends and me. Back home, I had a small decorative bowl which was a gift from my beloved Hong Kong teacher. I thought she/he would need a partner, so, I bought another one to be his/her partner. LOL. Look at them.

(On my way to Golden Souk and Spicy Souk)

We did a couple of shopping tasks around Golden Souk (Golden market- a market specializing in selling golden jewelries, necklaces, rings, and even clothes) and Spicy Souk (Spice market). We even passed by a store which displays the world’s largest ring. There was a store putting golden dress and related accessories on display.

Then, it came to my acknowledgement that in high class family, it was a custom that grooms have to purchase that valuable dress for their wives-to-be. It was so nice and elegantly made but I wonder if it was heavy to put that dress on. It didn’t look really light. Then, we went around the market to buy some souvenir. I even got a “I love Dubai” T-shirt. Really cool!

We had lunch at Thailand restaurant. It was so much better than Shanghai one. Thailand curry and noodles were my cup of cake, so, I did enjoy my meals. The dessert was good as well. Sweet soups tasted so good. I hoped my mother who loved sweet stuff had been there.

Then, we got back to the hotel to take a 15 minute break before the next destination- Desert Safari. We were divided into two groups: one group would go straight to the desert and another would take Land Cruiser for a dune drive to the desert. It was shameful that the first choice was recommended for pregnant women and the elderly. But me and Cheese chose it. I am not a big fan of extreme games so, being on a crazy car driving ups and downs is a huge off to me, which eventually led to our decision to go straight to the camp safety on a wide and flat lane.

(Sights along the road)

(Imagine how scary it would be to be lost in a big desert)

It came as no surprise that we were the first group to come (of course, other people were busy surfing the desert). We were offered free soft drink and food (at that time, food was still unprepared and raw). Here came camels. It was my first time seeing that type of animal, thus, I felt awkward, especially at their heights which exceed horses’ ones. This is an 11- year-old camel. He was gentle, harmless and cute. I didn’t get why they locked camels’ mouths. Later I learned that it was used to prevent sand from entering their noses (it’s not good for them) and camels from being sunburnt. The camel owner urged me to ride on him and promised to take me nice pictures. But I couldn’t dare do it and ended up sitting on the back of him. Oh, I love him so much, my little camie.

We came back to the camp where I tried Shisha which is a water-pipe smoking tool. It allows us to smoke flavored tobacco which is not as heavy as ordinary tobacco. As a normal girl with two exceptional abilities which are transforming oxygen into carbon oxygen and getting under my boss’ skin, I failed to smoke shisha miserably. So, I quickly moved out of that zone and went to paint Hena which is an artistic painting technique. I had an Indian girl paint a beautiful flower running from my waist to the top of my finger.

The sunburnt hands- i used to hold- Autumn leaves

Sunset in the desert

Before we had dinner, there was a special performance, which was pretty impressive. But at that time, I was so hungry that I couldn’t bring myself to enjoy the show. Much to my disappointment, food tasted really odd that I gave up eating soon. In the campaign, there was available food, and soft drink, everything was at your fingertips, but it was just No- No. Then my beloved tour partners gave me a couple of sandwiches, cheese and fruits, which helped me survive that night.

It was until we got back to the hotel that I got really sick in my stomach, to the point of vomiting any times. It was relatively shock on the way driving back home and I was playing Cheese’s Ipad. That’s why. That’s what I got.

*Pictures of the day:

It was a 5-day and 4-night trip and began on Tuesday. We took a 6 hour red eye flight to Abu Dhabi, which is the capital and second populous city in the United Arab Emirates. I couldn’t bring myself to answer why night flights are called red eye ones. Now I know. When your back really hurts and you can’t sleep no matter how sleepy you feel, your eyes turn really red. LOL. I don’t know. But my eyes were red the day after that I thought I had an eye sore. Never mind. Vietnam is 3 hour ahead of UEA. So, by the time we got to the hotel, it had been already 3 AM in the morning, which means we had 4.5 hours to sleep before our exploration trip began.

On the first day, we headed to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the most iconic landmarks of Abu Dhabi. This Aladdin’s palace-looking-alike was named after Sheikh Zayed, who brought Emirates into federation and initially came up with the construction. The structure was brought into completion in 2007- 3 years after the ruler’s death. Covering an area of 12 hectares, it has been considered the largest mosque in UAE. Moreover, it has risen to public’s prominence as the most celebrated grand mosque, with a large number of pilgrims. Noticeably, during Eid, it can even come up to 40,000 people.

As it is a holy place, we have to wear formal clothes. It is not really formal, as long as your top and bottom cover your wrists and ankles and are not transparent, you are allowed to access the mosque. One more thing. I heard from my tourist guide that hair is considered sexy. So, you must wear a cloth that covers your hair as well. If you don’t follow the rule, you will get expelled. So, you’d better not play with it.

Ok. I was permitted to enter the mosque. The large structure was just breathtaking, spellbinding, just a pure pleasure to my eyes. It is all covered in white theme, so, sophisticated golden designs are quite prominent. There is a way leading to the main hall. I was overwhelmingly impressed by two crystal clear water ponds that I was even able to see my reflection. It is never wrong to say that Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the living proof of modern Islamic architecture and design. It is a brilliant mixture of different architecture styles, which makes it a popular tourist spot.

Before entering the main hall, I had to take my shoes off. It was really cool to put my bare feet on the floor. It is said that the mosque was made of gold, precious stones that are able to withstand 500C (really impressive!).

I was surprised even more when reaching the main hall. I am not really a huge fan of Swarovski but they just did an excellent job of creating sparkling and shining crystal chandeliers. It comes to term with the fact that the largest chandelier weighs 80 tons. They, along with sophisticated and large carpet, bring the main hall luxurious feel.

I like walls and windows too. It was such a brilliant design. On the main hall, you will see 100 flowers with 99 names respectively on the wall. As for one left unnamed, you will know when you go to the heaven. It was easy to catch palm tree pillars around the mosque since palm trees are the symbol of Abu Dhabi, which significantly adds its charms. I heard that they were made of gold too. Abu Dhabi is so rich in gold and oil, and they know how to make best use of them. As for the restroom, I could say that it was on par with 7 star hotels since it smells so good and clean. I am not allowed to take pictures of the restroom, I am not even allowed to speak when going to the restroom (I know it’s strict, but it is the rule).

(The best I could do was to take the picture of drinking sink)

So, we left Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to head to Dubai, which took us 2.5 hours by car. Along the way there, I took many pictures of Abu Dhabi’s renowned structures and skyscrapers, including Capital Gates- which is the world’s furthest leaning towers.

By the way, we did visit a Shanghai restaurant for lunch. I am not that into Chinese food and it was just acceptable. The lunch was considered an informal get together meeting with other people in tour. Me and Cheese made friends with a nice middle age couple and other two member family. It was good. I took a picture of rice which was imported from India. It was so different from Vietnam’s and of course, not as good as Vietnam’s.

The place we first visited in Dubai was Palm island- a Dubai based man made island. It was home to richest and first class people in the world. In addition to hotels, there are high class restaurants, water park (oh my dream), shopping mall and entertainment center… Small kingdom for them, right? The sky monorail we got on allowed us to have a bird eye view of the whole island.

The local tourist guide named Honey said that the price for 1 house here is 100 million USD (if I am not wrong). If you want a one day stay, then pay 1,500 USD for average class. Other levels must be higher. I can’t help feeling jealous with the rich, so ended up feeling so bad for myself. Hey wait, if I cannot own a house there, maybe my husband could. Hence, it means that I have to marry a rich guy. No. No. Couldn’t let myself drawn in negative and material thoughts. We stayed there for 2 hours ( I think). It was around 7 PM (Vietnamese hour), thus, we dropped by a fast-food restaurant where a really handsome waiter served me. He asked me if I enjoyed the food, and where I came from. I just didn’t like the way he addressed me as “madam”. Too polite, I would say. After satisfying our grumbling stomach, we went out to take pictures of the beach and a 7 star hotel.

We ended up reaching to the hotel which I didn’t know the name. By the way, it didn’t matter much since I didn’t go out that night.