Monday, June 25, 2012

Picturesqueness: Vietnam

Not expecting much from this trip we caught a seat sale and a tour at TF.  In turn it turned out be a hilarious adventure 02/10/2012 - 02/15/2012.
Day 0:  Arrived at Hồ Chí Minh
Day 1: 
AM: Walked around the Saigon District
They are everywhere
Breakfast with the group
One of the many parks in the district
Inside the Reunification Palace
Reunification palace's fountain
Instant Millionaire
Notre-dame Basilica Church
War History Museum
Iced-Coffee anyone?
Fighter planes at Reunification palace 
PM: Shopped at Bến Thành Market 
Bến Thành Market at the background
Saigon's DV
PM: Rode a sleeper bus to Mui Ne
Wasn't able to catch some long Zs here, hayz
Day 2:
AM: Took a tour around Mui Ne, best Vietnam destination if you ask me
Left around 5 am


Our Guide around Mui Ne
White Dunes
looks easy but it isn't. Fun? yes it is, but I was able to swallow a lot of sand after
the fishing boats at Mui Ne
Red Canyon
Red Dunes
Our beach house
With the lovely woman of the house doing her kitchen duties, cuteness
PM: Got a bus back to Hồ Chí Minh, ate Phở and accompanied it with beer


Phở
Saigon beer is beery good
Day 3:
AM: Toured the Cao Dai Temple 
Cao Dai
PM: Continued to Củ Chi Tunnel
tank
I took this picture of Allan, Yeah I did fit in the tunnel
Day 4: 
AM: A whole day tour along Mekong Delta
Mekong Delta: A river, an icon during the Vietnam War
Boat women do the rowing at Mekong
Having lunch with our Canadian companions
The boat ride
Two things to do at the small village along Mekong
either ride a bike around
or bum out, such a no brainer
Our boat
late PM: Flight back to MNL
Thanking our hostel receptionist
Flying back
Thanks TF and Allan for having us, till the next backpacking trip!



Picturesqueness: Touring SanFo in 2 days


Here's a starter, it's best if you have someone to take you around, lucky me I have my dear brother and family near the area.  Obviously you can't cover everything in two days but here's what my friend DJ and I did when we visited San Francisco 08/15/2009 - 08/16/2009.

Day 0
PM: Arrived late night at SFO 

This was before the Delta-NWA merger, we are still working on it during the '09. Thank you Skymiles for the free trip.
Day 1
AM: Golden Gate Vista Points, walked along the bridge and took some pictures.  

ten shots
Korean Pose
AM: Palace of Fine Arts

Runaway pinoys
AM: Lombard Street, walked down then up again, before leaving we took a drive down to experience it in a different perspective.
Crookedest street in San Francisco
PM: Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf, had lunch, saw the lazy sea lions, bay views, watched some street shows, shopped till we dropped.  In and out burger, check!
Pier
In and Out

This place smells, hoping it was not Kenneth :P
Consider visiting Alcatraz, we didn’t but you might want to.  I have no details about the tour though.
Alcatraz from afar; Bayview

PM: This is somewhat out of the way but we still visited the Painted Ladies, Victorian houses in San Francisco before going home.

Did you see the ladies?
Went to Jollibee and Gerry’s Grill but ate dinner at Tribu.  These places are already out of the San Francisco area.
Jollibee
Gerry's Grill
Tribu, a filipino restaurant owned by my brother's friend.  First time I saw san miguel light in a clear pale pilsen bottle
 Day 2
AM: We started late and took brunch before going out.

Fiesta
AM: Union Square, it was lively, colorful and full of artwork. 

View from Macy's
AM: We took the Powell/Hyde cable car line to the Wharf.
Falling in line to catch the ride
PM: Ghirarldelli Square, Fisherman’s Wharf.
Somewhat tired
PM: Hyde Street Pier, Fisherman’s Wharf, enjoyed the beach and maritime monuments.  
Beach!
PM: Chanced upon a cheap limousine ride to China town so we grabbed it, shopping time again. 
Ditched the long line for a limo service, sweet
Shopping around Chinatown
PM: Had dinner at Cheesecake factory, Macy's, Union Square before catching our flight.
Cheesecake factory
Boarding Pass
There you go, thanks for everything kuya Fred, ate Joy and Kenneth!
Thanks kuya! Mishu all!