Water Puppet Show in Saigon

Sorry guys for not updating this blog for a while....

Anyway, the last i stopped at was this Bonsai Cruise which we sat. Next on my list will be this neat little "Water Puppet Show" which i recommend to all tourist going to Vietnam to at least see this show although the whole segment of this show is in traditional vietnamese language but one can still figure out what is happening in the background.

These little Puppets are man-handled by their masters behind the screen. Puppets are then waved in and out in the pool of water. I heard that its quite famous in the parts of Saigon and Hanoi, the stories are basically folklores enacted by the water puppets accompanied by musicians acting out the background voices, singing and at the same time playing the musical instruments which made the show more lively as well. Something everyone especially tourist will get to enjoy their local folklore music enacted by water puppets.

Me camwhoring at the entrance

The sign-board

A few of the pictures which i took while watching the show.
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Bonsai Cruise in Saigon

Moving on, we went onboard a dinner cruise called the Bonsai Cruise. At first, i didn't think much of it, thinking that it could be just another cruise where we just makan and make merry with one another whilst onboard.

No, it was fun in this cruise, there is a buffet spread and a special band to entertain you. There are magicians there to entertain you as well, but the live performances were the real best highlight of the day.

These two gals dressed in beautiful costumes will dance with a cup of fire on their heads, next bamboo pole dancing as well. Quite interesting and all in all, it takes an hour plus before the food is finished and it arrives at the berth again. The cruise will sail around the bay of Saigon and comes back again. There are other cruises around too, but i still like this one that we hopped on. LOL...

PS - Drinks are on your own account.

Saigon, here i come

Moving on, we left for our next destination - Saigon. You repeat the same old procedure for checking in and then flying for less than an hour to Saigon by VN. When we reached Saigon, the guide gave us a slight commentary on this city and finally, we reached our hotel in the heart of the city - Caravelle Hotel, a five star property in District 1.

My room

Mother duck and its two ducklings

Measuring my weight, ooops up by alot...LOL

District 1 in Saigon is like Orchard Road to us, you will see LV, the other branded stores, espirit, etc....There are also cute little stores selling souvenirs and stuff that any tourist can just bargain and buy. But the fact is, you can always buy them at Ben Thanh Market where the prices are better and perhaps more variety. But beware, see one and you see all (all the stores are about the same and sell the same stuff)....LOL

One thing, i noticed that there seems to be alot of fastfood chain Pho (Vietnamese rice noodles) popping out from everywhere. I guess its a chain store and every tourist or the local people are also eating in the restaurant. We enjoyed our Pho alot and it was a nice little restaurant that can seat around below 50 pax with up and downstairs at the one that we went. Pho also comes with alot of vegetables which you can add into your hot bowl of Pho and i like mine coupled with lots of tou gay or beansprouts. You can also add in mint leaves and many other leaves which took your fancy as well. The Pho comes in either chicken, beef etc... and i like mine in beef stock.

Okay, enough of Pho. Tonight, we are taking the Bonsai Night Cruise which i will update later. Now, back to this hotel Caravelle, i love its five star location and its right in the heart of Saigon city. All the famous five star accommodations are within reaches, believe it or not, this hotel also have this hip little alfresco bar situated right at the top of this hotel called Saigon Bar. Any tourist or the locals can just go up and chill out in the comfy areas that this bar offers, its view are incredible and i guess if you bring your love ones, it will kinda feel romantic, i think. There are live bands as well playing in the night time and i believe alot of Angmohs patronise this place as well. I didn't come up to chill out though, coz i was shopping like a mad dog in the vicinity. I took a tour of the whole hotel's facilities, courtesy of Caravelle's management staff.

Saigon Bar

Saigon Bar - Signature Bears, i got one of those...hehehe...

Caravelle hotel has all the usual facilities that any hotel can offer to its guest so i'm not gonna talk about their facilities here. But nonetheless, if you are looking for a five star accommodation and location, this hotel is one you mustn't miss out!