Yeah... The Colors of Vietnam ... indeed

Colors of Vietnam---when I wrote this title on my blog I think of nothing but the travel, the scenic views, the people I encountered and the diverse cultural experience I had in Vietnam.
Traveling was my only comfort to beat the odds in life.

Reality, however, told me I could not always move around and see places. I need Uncle Sam’s money to sustain my so called comfort. I joined the hospitality industry and landed in one of those high paying jobs for an Asian.

Three months ago, I thought this is it I can go around travel and enjoy life being single, happy and free - no excess baggage so to speak.

But today, I woke up sad with my head pounding like it was going to explode. Worse, deep inside I was already crying. I wanted to shout that four- letter word F-U-C-K billion times until that so called pressure will leave me alone.

I know that sounds silly because no matter how many times I’ll shout, it won’t go away. And that left me without a choice but hide under the bed cover and sleep over it, so the following day perhaps, I’ll wake up well rested and ready to face the challenge again.

Well, looks like the Colors of Vietnam has changed from my point of view now. It’s not only the scenic views I took pictures with when I was traveling, nor the diverse cultural experience I had but also that 6-letter killer word- STRESS- which is already affecting my decisions in life and my dealing with friends.

For those of you who are dying to strangle me for being a bitch and a pain in the ass, just put it this way, it’s one of my Colors in Vietnam, living as an expat. Go ahead strangle me (but sweetly ok?).

Please bear in mind though that you always have a place in my heart and I will always remember you. Maybe you can help me bear the stress from work by just looking at it as one of the Colors of your life in Vietnam. Whatcha’ think?

Hmmmm... actually, I just don’t have anything to write because I haven’t done any traveling for the past three months at all and I need to update my blog... maybe? (Sigh) I wish that’s the case though…

Dalat- Rocking it on the rocks

Escaping from the humidity of the lowlands I head off to Dalat- a summer destination in southern Vietnam. I miss the cool climate of Hanoi during winter and Dalat is just a perfect alternative.

Dalat is just a small place and one visit is enough to have a glimpse of its scenic landscapes and nice looking houses with a touch of European design.

This is my second visit to Dalat, so I was wondering what would entertain me since I am an outgoing person and I don’t intend to stay in my room the entire day.

Although, the comfort and beauty of the place I stayed with gave me reason to hang around. I was in one of the apartments of La Sapinette Hotel and I could just watch TV

and dozed off in a queen size bed or drink on my own in the mini bar, stay in a hot tub or just sprawl myself on the couch at the mini living room and watch TV.

However, my gypsy character forced me to find an activity, so I decided to go out of my comfort zone and joined Groovy Gecko Canyoning Tour.

The canyoning tour is one of the famous sports adventure in Dalat that involves abseiling in a

waterfall, rappelling on the rocks, jumping on the water and sliding on the slippery falls.

Groovy Gecko supposedly would pick me up at 8:30 am but this is Vietnam, so expect that everyone is not on time. With a team of six travelers and three guides Groovy Gecko driver

was on the hotel’s door step at 9am picking me up.

The ride was not far. We get off the car after 15 minutes and started trekking towards the jungle with our helmets, no bags and all our mobile phones, wallets, and cameras turned over to one of the guides.

Because the activity was a bit rough and risky then it is advisable not to bring anything.

Having nothing on hand to worry about, however, turned out to be more fun than carrying something which will only bother me.I don’t have to worry about taking pictures while we were abseiling on a 25m waterfall or jumping on the water from 11m cliff

as one of the guides was assigned only to take pictures of us.

The other two guides were directing and assisting us when we abseiled or jumped.

Here’s something you have to take note though, if you are a novice and you don’t know how to swim make sure you are with a group of travelers who can swim and strong enough to assist you.

Usually travel agency would tell you it’s alright but trust me don’t jump on the water from 11m cliff because your life jacket might not stick with your body from the impact and you’ll be left strugg

ling to get into the shallow part of the water.

How do I know? Well, I don’t swim and guts were all I have, and trust me I felt the danger despite my oozing confidence. The guides will not be on your side but your team mates will be there on the water when you jump.

I don’t know my team mates personally, I just met them there but I kept bothering them for help. I was lucky they were quite nice,

couples from Denmark, Germany and England. Being Asian I’m small and I knew it was a burden to them since they have to adjust their speed for my sake.

The least I can do to compensate them of their effort to rescue me on the water when necessary, was to stay friendly and to never utter a word of complaint.

The canyoning program, however, was well planned for beginners. We started with moderate rappelling, jumping and sliding to practice us. The second leg was a bit rough, higher cliff, longer water sliding and rappelling on the rocks with water at the bottom.

The last part was the hardest, abseiling on the 25m waterfall, getting into the middle where water will push you down and

the rocks were quite slippery. I had to invest a lot of effort to control, balance and guts to let go of the rope and jump where I can get lost on the streaks of water.

Then there was the jumping on the water from 11m cliff and the so called “washing machine” where I’ve abseiled on the waterfall with water grinding me down.

The activity ended with a 2k uphill climb back to the highway where the car was waiting for us.

And if you ask me what was the most fun part of the adventure, it was the unavoidable intake of water when you

abseiled or jumped plus the dimples forming on my legs and butt from the exercise.

Shanghai at a glance

Alright, let’s take a break from my backpacking activities and hear what I have to say with my luxurious trip to Shanghai, China. I said luxurious because I stayed in a 5-star hotel combined with the pleasure of having a chauffeur driving us around, which were all perks from work.

To make this more helpful to travelers especially for Philippine nationals, I’ll start my story with my Chinese visa which I obtained in Saigon. Here’s one important thing to note, if you are a Philippine passport holder with a tourist visa in Vietnam applying for Chinese visa, forget it you’ll just be frustrated of being denied.

Before applying for a Chinese visa I made my inquiries to the Chinese consulate office through emails and I was advised to present some document, including proof of onward travel. The inquiries were made through email since the first person who screened my questions was the security guard who can hardly finish one paragraph of explanation. The Chinese consulate office answered my inquiries, a day after I sent them email. But by the time I finished preparing all the requirements, I don’t have much time left for the target date of travel, especially that they’ll only accept visa application in the morning. The regular visa processing is $30usd but mine was rushed, so I paid $50usd which was issued to me within 2-working days.

I left Saigon with a group at 1:30am on April 7, a red eye flight of Shanghai Airline which I was not fond of. I don’t mine the wee hour schedule but I have a trauma with turbulence, so red eye flight usually makes me uncomfortable. The flight, however, was not as rough as I was expecting and I was just too happy to land in the Chinese territory at 6:10am. I was happy too that the English literacy of airport people in Shanghai was high, it made things easy. Except for the nail nipper on my make-up kit alarming the airport security scanning machine, everything went smoothly.

I stayed at Grand Mercure Hongqiao along Xian Xia road with the group, a 5-star hotel but since my stay doesn’t cost me a cent, I don’t have to worry at all. The truth is I never stay in a 5-star hotel if I’ll pay. For a 5-star hotel, I can say Grand Mercure is ok. I have a room overlooking the city, which comes with basic kitchen amenities from microwave, kettle, fridge and stove. There was also washing machine and iron that I don’t have to pay extra for my laundry or fix my crumpled clothes. There was only one thing that bothered me, the water which I have difficulty adjusting between hot and cold. I am not used to cold weather, so having a hot shower was just great but the water fluctuated aggressively that I kept adjusting. Other than that, Grand Mercure was a nice hotel although not really located within the central area. However, it is just within walking distance to the zoo and the French concession area, which are recommended for sightseeing.

Shanghai is all about big buildings, a metropolitan place for shopping, nightlife, conventions, and meetings. In fact, Shanghai’s number one attraction is the Bund where the skyscraper, the Jin Mao Tower and the Oriental TV tower are located. The Bund depicts a well-developed Shanghai. Soon to open next month is the widely- talked Expo that again showcases a very developed Shanghai. I don’t have problem looking into the map as the street names and establishments have English translation below the Chinese character. Also, I took a taxi once and I don’t feel being ripped off or overcharged compared to taking a taxi in Vietnam.

As for getting into the attractions in Shanghai, I can only say the hotels offer tours from half day to full day with prices ranging from $35usd to $50usd. I usually challenge myself in going into places on my own using public transportation but like I said it was a company sponsored trip, so the visit to different places was with a private vehicle. One thing I want you to remember though, Shanghai is getting expensive with the development that’s taking place. Take off the notion that because it is located in China, it is cheap from food to shopping but trust me it’s not, unless perhaps you know how to bargain seriously at the flea market.

Also, don’t forget to visit Yuan Garden if you want to see Chinese inspired design commercial buildings. It’s quite crowded but it’s a nice place to see real Chinese or let's put it this way, the Yuan Garden manifests the reality that there are indeed great number of Chinese population.
It's like a more enhanced China town in your place, if you have one of course or let's say a more authentic Chinese lifestyle.

And to end my story, there’s no facebook, no twitter, no youtube, and I cannot even access to my blog when I was there. I'm just too glad to be back in the land where I can see rice paddies and hear the unending horn of "motobike" while playing around with the so called social network in the cyber world. :-)

2009 Christmas holiday cruise with Bhaya

Pham Ngu Lao before the eyes of her lover

If you are not a Vietnamese, try walking along Pham Ngu Lao Ward at night and get a taste of its real face beyond those lighted alleys, sparkling disco bars, and western restaurants.

Don’t be surprised when a motorcycle driver approaches with marijuana packs and says “motobike you 5dollars”, or a cigarette vendor with their colloquial pronunciation “mawiwana”, if not bystanders on the streets saying “ecstasy madam eight dollars”.

Locals are selling these stuffs blatantly like pancakes that in almost every corner of the bars you can smell weeds or see tourists having pot session.

On Fridays and Saturdays, grab a chair in one of those Vietnamese noodle and seafood shops in De Tham and Bui Vien streets. There you can witness the drama of those gorgeous Vietnamese ladies clinging to those white guys from all ages hoping to get passport outside Vietnam or hoping to earn money for the night, the so called “boom-boom cheap cheap” (prostitute very cheap).

Sex tourism is condemned in this country but one says “this is Vietnam just speak English and the authorities will leave you in peace”. Could it be because they cannot understand when these foreigners start speaking English? Or could it be because these visitors are spending money that benefits the country’s economy? Or could it be a deeper reason behind that? Or if it is true or not at all.

For whatever reason, one should wonder the statistics of HPV cases or other sexually transmitted diseases otherwise the neglect of responsibility to protect their health, might end up in desperate needs of antibiotic shots.


Sitting on a small chair in one of the “bia hois” (local shops offering alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages) is interesting as you meet a lot of different people from fake to real ones.

In those “bia hois” at Pham Ngu Lao, one can claim to be a doctor, lawyer, or journalist but turn out to be a mere traveler who will go home jobless to their own country.

Light is breaking up as the sun rises. Tourists coming out drunk from disco bars will shake the entire Pham Ngu Lao village, shouting, if not run half naked on the streets.

This scenario is coupled by foreign lovers fighting like cats and dogs, or a local girl complaining for not being paid for her service, or worse white drunk guys punching each other as they fought who can take home the local girl they met at the disco bar.

Morning comes, stores, souvenir shops, hostels, and travel agencies open up for their daily business operations.

Getting a bowl of “Pho” (Vietnamese noodles) at the corner of Pham Ngu Lao street is famous among party goers and late night observers alike. However, expect a Vietnamese Pho wait staff slamming the chopsticks, fork, and spoon holder in the table as they served your order. Customer relation aspect in this tourism area of Vietnam is not commonly practiced.


Walking back to my room, I saw tourist buses already lining up on the streets while waiting for their guests having coffee or breakfast in one of those western restaurants at Pham Ngu Lao village. Normal daytime activities go on- with Vietnamese nationals from vendors, tourism executives, plumbers, utility workers, "xeom" drivers, and lineman- make a living while tourists are busy with their holiday activities.

Ahhh...Pham Ngu Lao, I’m already getting familiar of your face, your nagging nature, and aggressiveness towards unregulated “tourism pleasure” activities.

Hot weekend in Nha Trang

It's hot, hot, hot! And I am not only talking about the summer weather or the typical Vietnamese spicy foods but all the things a tourist can do in Nha Trang at night.

Tired of seeing the busy streets of Saigon, I took a nine-hour bus ride out of the city to spend a weekend in Nha Trang. Full story was originally published here...

Hue’s royal tombs showcase culture and history

If you are interested to get a glimpse of Vietnam’s royal past, Hue is the right place to go.

Located at the central part of Vietnam, Hue is the country’s ancient capital and the stronghold of Vietnam’s royal families some 60 years ago.

My holiday wandering brought me to this place, which I have been targeting for an educational trip, for quite sometime.

Full story was originally published here...

Mui Ne behind the lens

For photo enthusiasts, Mui Ne is one place for you to snap away and capture various scenic views.

This coastal resort town located some 200km northeast of HCMC, is one of my favorite places in Vietnam. Full story was originally published here...

Halong Bay-a dream wedding destination

Known to the Vietnamese as “The Descending Dragon,” Halong bay remains a paradise that tourists worldwide long to experience.

The bay in Quang Ninh Province in the north is about 170 kilometers northeast of Hanoi and can be reached by bus for over three hours ride.

Its picturesque limestone islets and wonders of nature are now becoming an awesome wedding destination for lovers. Full story was originally published here...

On foot to the rugged north

It had been a long time since I trekked hills, climbed mountains, and walked in the villages. Sometime along my journey as practicing broadcast and print journalist in Mindanao, covering “lumad” (indigenous people) issues was my favorite. I get to walk in the mountainous area, have a close encounter of the people in the villages and learn its culture and tradition. Born with a backpack shoulder, I brought my passion for that kind of adventure in Vietnam. And on foot I toured the rugged north with some independent travelers and a team of professional tour guides of Columbus Adventure Travel & Tour. Northern Vietnam, where Sapa is located, is blessed with amazing landscapes, rice paddies, and a home to diverse ethnic minority groups. It is a place to visit if you want an ultimate experience of Vietnam’s culture and traditional daily lives practice of various Vietnamese tribes. With the number of tourists visiting Sapa, Columbus guides offered us a new place. Instead of the main tourist area in Sapa they brought us to a village called “Hidden Tibet” where there’s not much tourists. The village as situated on top of the hills overlooking the wonderful view of rice paddies and the green lush view of the forest. No one speaks English, so we were all dependent to our tour guides who were so helpful in explaining to us the culture of the “Hidden Tibetians”. However, even with the presence of the guides I always remember one thing, a lesson I would never forget when I was still covering armed conflict, and that is to be sensitive to the culture and tradition of the people I met, so they’ll always treat you like their best friend. Dressed in their traditional costumes, the people assist our guides in showing us around the village. As an Asian myself, surprisingly I received a warm welcome. Well I have to say this, I look like a Vietnamese but my color is tan that oftentimes I got mistaken to have come from the countryside of Vietnam, a farmer color of skin so to speak. If I don’t open my mouth I’ll expect a cold gesture. People here love foreigners. For them, tourists or expats means money, if not someone they can learn to speak English with. True, they’ll be very happy to hear you try to learn their language but you’ll also be the number one target for overcharge. In almost a year of living and traveling in Vietnam, I’ve mastered identifying the “rip me off” taxis and souvenir shops.The people from the villages, however, did not try to sell things like in the market of Sapa, so I did not worry getting bombarded with girls pushing stuff into my face and won’t leave me alone until I’ll buy from them. Girls were all over me, not to sell things but because they find it amazing that I look like them and yet I don’t speak their tongue. I took pictures and showed it to them that attracted them more to hover all over me. It was fun and the most gratifying experience I ever had with the locals in the countryside. I’ve been in the countryside of Saigon, joining a group of expats setting up trail for the weekend Hash Run but camera trick and a Vietnamese look with a foreign tongue didn’t help, I got chased like a goat eating their crops.
The “Hidden Tibetians” that Columbus experts brought us, however, offered blood from the snake they caught and cut in front of us, as a warm welcome. To show gratitude, I didn’t say no despite the fact that I was dying to vomit just by the thought of drinking that unfriendly smell and fresh dark red color sticky syrup look like in front of me. I’ve eaten snake which I ordered in some restaurant in Saigon but it was prepared in the hidden kitchen, not like a ritual to welcome us. I was proud of myself though, I did not vomit and I was still wearing my sincere smile for them. I heaved a sigh of relief and murmured to myself, “Ha! I’m a real backpacker now”. The journey for me was not long. I opted not to join the group for an overnight homestay adventure as I know I will have a lot of that in the near future. Besides I broke my camera and I can’t take pictures anymore. A taste of culture from northern people of the country that hosted me is enough right now. With more time, I intend to get a closer encounter of the real world of Vietnam’s ethnic minority group. North Vietnam promised an exciting adventure yet to be explored.