Asia Photo Trek

I have been in Saigon for 4 days now and must say that I think the place is pretty cool....but not literally, as it is sunny and hot every day.  Yes, there are a lot of people, lots of traffic, poverty lurking around every corner; however, the city does have a certain appeal....after you get over some of the visual shock(s).  Anybody that has never experienced this part of the world needs to jump on a plane and see what they have been missing, especially North Americans that just do not appreciate what they have.

On day 4 of my trip I took a hydrofoil ride to the town of Vung Tau.  The trip in the hydrofoil takes 90 minutes and only costs 160 Dong ($8 USD).  The ride in the old Russian hydrofoil is pretty cool, fast and smooth compared to traditional boats.  A definite must if you visit Saigon.

My time in Vung Tau was only 4 hours, which really was not enough to check out all the sites.  However, it did give me the opportunity to check out a few interesting places and warrant me putting this destination on the list of places to come visit for a couple of days in the future.  Vung Tau is known for it's  beaches, which I did not visit as I not a big beach person; however, I do like to see take photographs of  that tell a story.  For example this photo of the fishing boats tell a story of hard working people.

In addition to the beach Vung Tau is known for the large statue of Jesus standing high on a  hill and looking out to sea.  To get to the statue take a short taxi ride from the ferry terminal. The cost for the ferry is very reasonable and a much better option than walking, as it too hot and way to far from town (at least on a hot day).

Unfortunately, upon arriving at the destination you will have to walk up a lot of steps to get close to the statue.  Trust me, the views from the top are worth the hike.  Hikers will also be rewarded with the opportunity to climb more steps inside the statue and out along one of the extended arms (inside) to yet another great view.

Day 5, and a side trip across the river to visit Thu Thiem.  This urban part of Ho Chi Minh has no beaches, fancy museums or large parks.  Words cannot explain the living conditions in Thu Thiem; therefore, I will rely on these photos to try and explain what I experienced after getting off the ferry from Saigon.

Note that Thu Thiem is only a 5 minute ferry ride across the river from Ho Chi Minh city, but the differences between the city and Thu Thiem are huge.

 

I tried to focus on good people of Vietnam and their humble lives rather than emphasize the living/environment within which they are forced to live.  I hope people see the beauty in the photos.  More to be provided in the gallery(s) that I will create and publish at the end of my trip.