Phu Quoc

A recent half-term, and a short trip to Phu Quoc, a third visit to the Island in Kien Giang Province.

We stayed at the SeaStar resort, a place I stayed over New Year in 2005. Back then it was a little less developed and certainly less busy, and I seem to remember getting the bungalows on the beach for $30. One thing that hasn't changed is the road. Despite this beach (Long Beach) being the main beach for tourists on the whole island, it is still unsealed and at one point just past the Saigon tourist resort is horrifically pot-holed (is that a hidden message?). Beach bungalows now go for $60 per night here, a fairly standard price along the beach for such accommodation. The Garden Bungalows, set a little further back, are $45 per night. Some pictures of the resort.

Garden Bungalows

Our Beach Bungalow





View from the restaurant:



The beach



I don't intend to advertise for SeaStar, but it is fairly typical of the accommodation on Long Beach, which is a 10 minute drive from the airport. This beach is also a short motorbike journey to town and it's selection of restaurants, the nightmarket and the collection of dive shops. Other recommended stays are Cassia Cottage and Mai House.

Alternatively, Ong Lang beach is about a 20 minute drive from town along in places a very bumpy road. We visited Mango Bay one afternoon to check the place out. It boasts secluded bungalows built with an eye on sustainability , and most are lofted up into the foilage, set back in a garden, with views out over the private bay the resort is situated on. Mango Bay raises too many questions in my mind for a comfortable stay. No where else to eat without a long journey by bike or taxi. Very isolated and quiet. But of course, this is what some people crave, and sitting on the decking at one of the two resort restaurants supping a cocktail and watching the sun go down in absolute tranquillity wasn't that bad...

Chen La is another posh alternative nearby this part of the island. Chi and I also stayed at Thang Loi on our first trip to Phu Quoc, much cheaper but the same isolation. - this resort is just the other side of Mango Bay.

As for our own holiday, Louisa decided to develop a bizarre rash which made her miserable and spread from head to toe over three days, finally clearing up on the last couple of days. Whilst other tourists spent their time posturing on their hired automatic bikes and really trying to look like they weren't possibly going to crash, visiting pearl farms, snorkelling and diving, sampling seafood cuisine and getting lost on inland island dirt tracks, Chi and I were back in the bungalow battling with a raucous, unhappy and uncooperative 11 month old baby. Finally, we settled on a solution that everyone was happy with.

Connections Vietnam: Cook has a new menu

Our flagship Saigon cooking class 'Cook' has become very popular and we currently are working with some of the biggest tour operators in Vietnam providing this service for them, as well as through our website, http://www.connectionsvietnam.com/.

1)
Chả giò(Spring rolls – mince pork/shrimp and Indian taro with garlic and onion in rice paper rolls, then deep fried in cooking oil, served with lettuce and sweet fish sauce)
Phở(Beef noodle soup)
2)
Cuon Diep(Diep Rolls – Pork, prawn, and fresh soft noodle in lettuce rols served with sauce)
Mi Quang(Quang Noodles – Pork noodle oup with prawns and fried peanuts on top, served with raw vegetables)
3)
Banh Beo(Steamed rice cake with shredded shrimp topping)
Bun Bo Hue(Hot Hue style noodle soup with beef and pork, served with raw vegetable)
4)
Goi Cuon(Freash rolls – pork, prawn, lettuce and fresh soft noodle in rice paper rolls, served with soya bean sauce)
Bun Thang(Soft noodles in chicken soup with egg and prawn)
5)
Goi Buoi (Pomelo Salad)
Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Pancake)
6)
Cha Gio (Spring rolls – mince pork/shrimp and Indian taro with garlic and onion in rice paper rolls, then deep fried in cooking oil, served with lettuce and sweet fish sauce)
Bun Thit Nuong (Pork BBQ salad with fresh soft noodle)
7)
Goi Ngo Sen (Prawn and pork with picked lotus rootstock salad)
Com Sen (Steamed rice with lotus seed wrapped in lotus leaves)
8)
Goi Ngu Sac (Five colour salad)
Ca Chem Chung Gia Vi (Steamed Seabass with five spice sauce)
9)
Goi Thom Tron Hai San (Pineapple with seafood salad)
Cá Dieu Hong Chien Sot Chua Ngot (Fried fresh water fish with sweet sour sauce)
10)
Ca Loc Kho To (Mullet fish cooked within caramel and fish sauce in clay pot)
Canh Chua Ca Loc (Sour mullet fish soup)
11)
Goi Xoai (Mango Salad)
Mien Xao Tom Cua (Stir fried vermicelli with prawn and crab meat)
12)
Goi Mien Tron Hai San (Vermicelli salad with seafood)
Cha Gio (Spring rolls – mince pork/shrimp and Indian taro with garlic and onion in rice paper rolls, then deep fried in cooking oil, served with lettuce and sweet fish sauce)

Veggie Menu

1)
Banh Xeo Chay (Vegetarian Vietnamese pancake)
Bun Gao Xao (Stir fried rice noodle with mushroom, tofu, egg and vegetable)
2
Cha Gio Chay (Vegetarian sping rolls)
Pho Chay (Vegetarian Pho Noodles)
3
Bi Cuon Chay (Vegetarian rolls – tofu, soft noodle and herbs rolled in rice paper)

Goi Ngo Sen (Prawn and pork with picked lotus rootsstock salad)
4
Goi Mit Tron (Jackfruit salad)
Cuon Diep Chay (Tofu, egg and fresh soft noodle rolled in lettuce)
5
Goi Buoi (Pomelo Salad)
Bun Cha Gio Chay (Vegetarian spring rolls with fresh soft vermicelli)
6
Cuon Diep Chay (Tofu, egg and fresh soft noodle rolled in lettuce)
Com Sen (Steamed rice with lotus seed wrapped in lotus leaves)

See pictures of some of our dishes and more information on our 'Cook' page.http://www.connectionsvietnam.com/experiences/cook/

Yoga in Saigon

Yoga is an incredibe way to stay fit and feel good physically and mentally. If I could I would be in the studio every evening after work, however parenthood and location precludes that.

Many years ago, waiting in a bus queue at Bangkok airport, I got chatting to an Israeli guy. Turned out he was a conscientious objector and one of the many young Israelis who refuse to serve their time in the army. He had just returned from a Vispassana Meditation retreat in Myanmar, this one I believe. We had an enlightening chat on the bus and he passed me a short book which covered the philosophical angle of Vispassana. Reading through the book really struck a chord with me and sowed the seed of exploring spiritual avenues in the future - and yoga seemed the natural way to do this.



When I fist started going to classes it was with a Dutch teacher called Tessa who practicied Bikrim Yoga. Bikram is the famous 'hot yoga' usually conducted in a 40 degree heated studio. In Saigon, all you need to do is close the windows, turn off the fans and you have steamed mirrors,a lot of sweat and close to 40 degrees. After that first class of intense exercise I literally floated out of the room, the oxygen tasted sweet, my senses sharpened. That was the start of my yoga practice. There is nothing quite like unkotting the knots, ironing out the crimps and wiping the mental slate clean through 90 mins of deep breathing and stretching.

Yoga in Saigon is alive and well after what might be described as brief slump. Saigon Yoga closed its doors to its main studio after 6 years in the business. During that time it was the focal point of yoga for expats in the city. In recent years despite demand obviously growing growing no one seemed to have their act together. Those days seem to be over.

Yoga in Saigon

Daniel Degrood, ex teacher of Saigon Yoga, is now working on a new project at The Yoga and Meditation Center. I made my first visit there on Saturday. The studio doubles as a tea room during the day and is situated on Dien Bien Phu just before CMTT. It has a comprehensive schedule of classes.

Another teacher at YMC, Michelle Lloyd, also has an extensive freelance schedule and her own site, http://www.michellelloyd.com/. Classes include Saturday mornings at 'The Deck', a restaurant with wooden decking down by the Saigon River in Anh Phu, and Saturday afternoon classes in Phu My Hung. She also teaches at DanCenter Vietnam.

Saigon Yoga still exists in a smaller more personal format and modest timetable.

Yoga Living Vietnam is another relatively new space to open and has regular morning and evening classes at its District One location on Pasteur.

L'Apothiquaire, the upmarket spa and wellness center, has a small yoga studio and classes.

California Wow has a 'Planet Yoga' and have recently opened in D1 right next to Ben Thanh market.

Other places include Star Fitness at The Manor and of course numerous clubs catering to Vietnamese only students. If anyone is interested I can certianly post the details to those too. Chi, before being pregnant, regularly practiced with a group of trainers who work in various places around the city.

Anything I have forgotten please remind me in the comments section.... As a final note, a quote from a Huffington Post piece for those cynical about yoga - well here is a 'yogi' getting cynical in return - 10 reasons not to do yoga.

As a longtime yoga teacher, I remember when part of my job used to consist of talking resistant people into trying it for the first time.

Then maybe they love it, they lose weight, look better, feel more awake and aware, their relationships transform, blah, blah, blah. But most never set foot in a studio, never take that first step onto a sticky mat, sure from what they've heard that they won't like it, or won't be good at it, no matter how in pain they are physically, mentally or emotionally.

Well, I'm done with all that.

Yogis are fond of saying, "save your breath to cool your porridge". And let me tell you, my pot o' porridge bubbleth over.

After 15 years of conversations with two types of people--those who crave personal growth, and those who don't, I have come to believe that for many people, there are some darn good reasons not to do yoga, beyond the obvious ones, like a body cast or a deep aversion to lycra.

If you fall into one of these categories, then you shouldn't ever let some chipper, well-meaning yoga teacher like myself convince you that yoga is the right choice for you.

Facebook groups:

Michelle Lloyd Yoga in Saigon
The Yoga and Meditation Center
Yoga Living Saigon Vietnam

Saigon Smog

This morning for the first time in a while the sky was blue and the sun was shining. The smog cloud hanging over the city was clearly visible, the first time I've ever seen it (or noticed it)...

Infrastructure Improvements

How many other people get excited about new roads and bridges? Come on, hands up...

Starting at the Camlette bridge in District One, one side of the East-West highway is now open, running into the city from Highway 1A, which enters from the South-West. Now instead of having to negotiate districts Binh Chanh, Seven and Four, traffic can cut up the new stretch of highway, through Q6, Q8, Q5, Q4 and straight into Q1. Probably takes about 10-15 mins from the highway to the heart of the city. That is a huge improvement.

At the moment it's like a deserted runway with traffic flitting up and down and people unsure where they are going (literally).

That's 8 lanes, M25 style.

I suppose one thing I like to see with new roads and bridges is the alternative perspectives they provide on the city. I can't say how wierd it was coming from D1 to see a turn off for Cholon 5 minutes later. Forget Tran Hung Dao or Nguyen Trai from now on!

I remember when I first arrived in January 2005 I stayed at Co Bac Street, just a short walk from the canal that seperates D1 and D4. It used to be one of the dirtiest places in the city, the pot-holed street partitioned from the no-mans land adjacent to the canal by a green corrugated iron barrier. Now, the old French townhouses provide a stark contrast as they line the new highway.







The road follows the canal as it sweeps through D4 and D5, with the newly laid canal banks and houses in the background, one could almost desribe some of the views as picturesque.



Passing Hoa Binh market:


Before you know it you're through D8 and into D6 heading towards the highway. Eventualy, as mentioned in previous posts, this highway will go under the river, straight through Thu Thiem and come out at the Hanoi Highway in D2.

The Phu My bridge is also open at least for cars and motorbikes, and quite spectacular it is too. So much so it has become a tourist attraction in its own right, the top being a new lookout and dating point for all, complete with photographers if you want a treasured memento. Most residents have probably never seen anything like this huge structure, and the views are spectacular, across the river and ports of District 4, back across Saigon proper. The other way stretches District 7, Nha Be and District 2.






Ports in D7 and looking out towards Nha Be and Can Gio.


Exiting into D2. The road, as on the D7 side, is not ready yet and still a gravely dusty mess. A lot of work needs to be done before the D2 side is ready for a lot of heavy traffic. One of the roads leading the bridge on the D2 side comes out just opposite ACG International School, near enough to the Vista project, also the same place where the East-West highway ends.


Two major projects that improve the infrastruture of Ho Chi Minh City, but still a long way to go!

Cu Chi

Lou took a visit to meet her Great-Grandmother and various Aunts and Uncles in Cu Chi yesterday. Cu Chi is a pleasant county with plenty of paddies and greenery, and Chi and I have tentative plans to build a house there some time. Land will be betrothed by grandma but it needs to split between her seven daughters (the boys already have theirs), leaving around 500m2 each. Not really enough for the palace we have planned. One of the main features, if we did build a house, would be the garden. Growing my own fruit and vegetables is the ambition, and around Grandma's house there were plenty of trees in flower.

Papaya:

Bananas



Buoi



There was also Durian and Mango trees in the garden with no fruits.

A couple came by the house with a bucket containing a smashed up bees nest, bees included, selling the freshest honey you'll ever find.



Uncle's house, with wood pile, pig shed and banana trees. He sold six four month old pigs for $1000. Not bad business I reckon...



Then of course the most important thing of the day, lunch.

Saigon Developement Update - August 2009

This morning I took a drive to town for a few things and stopped on the way to have a look around the site of the tunnel which makes up part of the east-west highway. One of the best vantage points is the Museum of Ho Chi Minh, one of my favourite places in Ho Chi Minh City. Not that you'll find me hanging around there very often, but there is something majestic about its location on the banks of the river, and something serene about the airy building.

Part of the gardens look out over District One.



I then took a stroll over the new Cau Khanh Hoi, under which the tunnel is being constructed. Some workers were beavering on a massive drain - hopefully for when the tunnel cracks and floods when it opens. Just kidding.





Then the tunnel itself, a cavernous opening that eerily plunges under the river.



Some makeshift accommodation for workers with the museum in the background.



Walking back on the other side of the bridge, I snapped these houses hanging perilously over a construction site, forget the name of the building but it's on the corner of HN and TDT. Finally they have started building - good luck to the residents who seem to have somehow constructed their houses on top of another building.



The entrance to the tunnel on the landside - it actually goes under the white building as well.



The no-mans-land of workers temporary accommodation and construction material where the canal has been filled in. It'll be interesting to see what happens on this prime land once the project is done.



The squalor of the living conditions for those working on the site is pretty shocking...



From that, to this:





The first InterContinental in Saigon and the Kumho Asiana Plaza form part of the massive new complex that looks ready to open soon. This is on Hai Ba Trung, the site of the old Saigon Square. I noticed another gaping hole where there shouldn't be one on the corner of Le Thanh Ton and Hai Ba Trung - this used to be a posh restuarant with whitewashed walls.



Another big project underway is around Dong Khoi, Le Thanh Ton and Ly Tu Trong. There used to be a great open air coffee shop and small garden here but obviously it's days were numbered.



I was planned to report from Nguyen Huu Canh as well but it'll have to wait - it's carnage down there at the moment!