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MUSLIM MOSQUES » Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City (Otherwise Known as Saigon) » Things to See in Ho Chi Minh City (A-Z): Chợ Lớn » Cao Dai Temple » Chu Chi Tunnels » Parklife » Reunification Hall » Saigon Zoo » Street Markets » Suoi Tien Amusement Park » Temples » Things to Buy: Vietnamese Modern Art » Things to Eat in Ho Chi Minh City: Restaurant Guide » Places to Party in Ho Chi Minh City: Bars and Clubs » Places to Stay in Ho Chi Minh City: Saigon Hotels » Getting There: Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport » Further Afield: Phu Quoc Island » Buying Real Estate in Vietnam? » Learning Basic Travel Vietnamese » Media in Vietnam |
Trumpetted /// SUỐI TIÊN AMUSEMENT PARK
Just before I made it to Suoi Tien Amusement Park in December 2010 I was coerced into sitting for a paper exam for the Soka Gakkai Buddhist organization in Japan.e. All about the Three Obstacles and the Four Devils and the Ten Cold Hells and the 3000 Worlds in a Single Moment of Life. Soka Gakkai should look to Vietnam if they want to bring life to their esoteric concepts. We shouldn't fall into the trap of thinking of way our thinking is the best, it is all just culture. In Iceland and Japan people hunt and eat whales, while in Australia they are revered as spiritually enlightened beasts. Whether or not they are spiritually enlightened beings has never been shown, and if they were, why would they allow themselves to be hunted? I read a story in the Guardian recently about a zoo in China which serves hippopotamus foot meat and other exotic fare for visitors. It made me wonder if Chinese go to zoos to salivate at all the animal flesh on display, rather than marvel at the evolutionary biodiversity, like we apparently do in the West. My countryman Lost Laowai lost in China has some interesting observations to make on this matter, and I agree with his take. Saigon Zoo is not quite the circus you might find in the Middle Kingdom, but the behavior of some zoogoers may disturb those from the West. Shouting at animals and even throwing objects at them to elicit a reaction is common. .
THÍCH QUẢNG ĐỨC MONUMENT // intersection of Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Street and Cách mạng tháng Tám Street, Quarter 3. I have walked right past this place a few times this year (2010), and even stopped to take a few photos, all the while completely oblivious to the chilling event which happened here nearly 50 years ago. They really need to put up some signs or a plaque or something, I suppose there is a plaque but it is in Vietnamese only, so most foreign tourists won't understand it. As I have recently discovered, this is the grave of a Buddhist monk called Thích Quảng Đức, who set fire to himself on the street in 1963. In the process, he set fire to his religion, his (shortlived) nation... and in fact the entire world! Nominally at least, Thích Quảng Đức killed himself to protest against the new government of the then Republic of South Vietnam, which was pro-Catholic and supposedly biased against the Buddhist majority. The event was captured by photographer Malcolm Browne, who went on to win a Pulitzer Prize for his work. When (Catholic) American President Kennedy saw the image he was said to have exclaimed: "Jesus Christ... This sort of thing has got to stop." (According to Famous Pictures Org.) Thích Quảng Đức was 66-years-old when he committed his very public suicide. Upon his death, he was proclaimed a boddhisatva ("enlightened one"). While Thích Quảng Đức martyred himself his for Buddhism, he has since become a hero in Socialist Vietnam. They have a lot of heroes in Ho Chi Minh City; practically every street is named after one of them.
CHOLON MOSQUE
If you do go in for animals, there is a fair selection here. There is a pair of white tigers behind a glass wall, and the white tigers have blue eyes. Another exhibit claims to hold a pair of Indochinese tigers (although the name is somewhat of a stretch... is Myanmar really part of Indochina?)
Phng vin David Halberstam viết trn tờ New York Times[22]: I was to see that sight again, but once was enough. Flames were coming from a human being; his body was slowly withering and shriveling up, his head blackening and charring. In the air was the smell of burning human flesh; human beings burn surprisingly quickly. Behind me I could hear the sobbing of the Vietnamese who were now gathering. I was too shocked to cry, too confused to take notes or ask questions, too bewildered to even think.... As he burned he never moved a muscle, never uttered a sound, his outward composure in sharp contrast to the wailing people around him. born Lm Văn Tức in 1897,Thich Quang Duc was a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk who burned himself to death at a busy Saigon road intersection on 11 June 1963. Buddhist orders in South Vietnam were in the middle of a war with the new President Ng Đnh Diệm, a Catholic. Across the road from that is a hotel or something with a cafe/bar on the ground floor. The gate into the zoo is adorned with blue letters proclaiming: "Thảo Cầm Viên". The act itself occurred at the intersection[b] of Phan Dinh Phung Boulevard and Le Van Duyet Street. In the satellite image (1046′31″N 10641′13″E / 10.775159N 106.686864E / 10.775159; 106.686864) of the Saigon intersection where Thch Quảng Đức performed his self-immolation, Phan Đnh Phng (now Nguyễn Đnh Chiểu) Street runs NE-SW and L Văn Duyệt (now Cch Mạng Thng Tm) Street runs NW-SE. On the western corner of the intersection stands a memorial to Thch Quảng Đức. For many years a Petrolimex fuel station stood on the northern corner, but this is being replaced with a memorial park for Thch Quảng Đức. The Central Mosque is located at Dong Du Street in Ho Chi Minh City. Dong Du Street is located between Dong Khoi and Ba Trung Streets. It is about one kilometre (to the north) from Ben Thanh Market. You need to follow Le Loi Avenue and turn right to Dong Khoi Street and look for Sheraton Hotel. The mosque is quite old and had staircases. The monks claim that his body was reduced to ashes except for his heart which while singed was still intact. The organ was declared Holy and is still kept as a holy artifact by the monks. Before Duc died he composed a letter to explain his actions and asked people to unite and work towards the preservation of Buddhism in Vietnam and around the world. This became known as the Letter of Heart Blood.
Thich Quang Duc was quick to point out (in letters left for the press) that his self-immolation was not an act of suicide, which would go against his Buddhist beliefs. Instead, Duc viewed the burning as a wake up call, a way to call attention to his cause. His death has been termed a "religious suicide" by Chinese Buddhism scholars, who state that it was religiously justified based on texts found dating back to the 5th and 10th centuries BCE. Others think the opposite, that this suicide was not at all religiously driven and was instead a political act. Duc had burned himself in order to bring awareness to his cause, which was the belief that Vietnam was suffocating Buddhist tradition. He wanted the ban on flying the traditional Buddhist flag lifted, wanted Buddhism to have the same rights as Catholicism did, and wanted Buddhist monks to have the right to practice their religion, among other goals. Thich Quang Duc's self-immolation, along with the picture it created, did have some impact on these goals, including the overthrowing of the Catholic Diem regime that was in possession of South Vietnam..
ON TO THE ANIMALS Wide leafy promenades make this the ideal place for a stroll. The construction was started on Feb. 23, 1868 and completed in 1871 by the French Goverhe first stone. From 1871 to 1887 it was called the Governor GeneralEfs Palace of the South Part. Often it is more interesting to watch the people watching the animals than it is to watch the animals themselves.
A solitary hippo entertains the crowds.
A bear in her/his enclosure. RESORTS AND THE PLANTS EATING AND DRINKING The Gatromoner says: "After wandering for a bit, it was time for snack! The park is dotted with food stands and deep-fried meat on a stick appeared to be the zoo's specialty. The Astronomer ordered the fried pork dumplings on a stick with hoisin sauce. Eating animals in between seeing animals was sort of difficult for me to reconcile, but The Astronomer had no qualms about it. He commented that the texture was nice and crispy."
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY Beauty and the Beast says: "'Leave it to the French to create a cage which is not really a cage,' laughed a friend of mine who, like many, studied French Feminist critical theory and postmodernism in the early nineties. She was referring to the Saigon ZooEs Monkey House, which can be best described as a giant metal birdcage. It has the same plump curvy shape and thin vertical bars of the pretty brass penitentiary that housed your grandmotherEs cockatiel...'" Được quảng co l toạ lạc trn một vng đất thing, cng vin Suối Tin trng tựa như một thin đường Phật gio. Nơi đy đầy rẫy những cng trnh kiến trc đậm mu huyền thoại: tượng cc con cc khổng lồ, tượng long ln quy phụng, đầu rồng nặng 300 tấn Suối Tin cn c thuỷ cung, Vương quốc c sấu, B mật rừng ph thuỷ v đặc biệt l Kỳ ln cung nơi m phỏng lại cc tầng địa ngục The beach in the picture is called Bai-sao and is with out doubt one of the most amazing beaches i have ever seen. We spent the time clearing the jungle and putting up a wall around the block to keep it from being moved in on by the fisherman, the rest of the time was enjoyed by drinking the local rum which at $1.50 a bottle was not to bad at all... Well from what i can remember it was not. Over time i will post more pics from the island.. and keep you posted as to when you can come over and enjoy the white sand crystal clear water and very cheap local rum for yourself."
Services : Swimming pool, tennis, beach games, beach volley ball, massage, 200 place meeting room, restaurant with special sea-food.
Taking and meeting tourist services at Thien Hai Son Resort.
Receptionists are ready to serve visitors with pleasure.
90 rooms and bungalows of the resort equipped with AC air-con, safety box, private bathroom.
Facilities: Swimming pool; Beauty salon and Health club: body, foot & hand massage & sauna parlor; Jacuzzi; Badminton and Foot ball field; Karaoke club.
Water sports: water-skiing, snorkeling and scuba diving. Thousand Star Resort US$18 Check rates online Thuan Thien Hotel US$12 Check rates online Tropicana Resort US$25 Check rates online Yen Phuong Minihotel US$8 "In another story, Tran Minh Phuong, 23, an accountant at a toy-making company in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) says she earns VND1.8 million ($113) a month and has to pay a third of that in rent for her little one-room apartment. "They all dream ofrice sky-rocketing that is simply impossible. "Not only locals but about 81,000 expats in Vietnam have also suffered from soaring rents and greedy landlords, even though their income is much higher..." (For full story click here.)
Saturday, March 10, 2007Sedona Suites (Executive Apartments)local & IDD telephone, bathroom with long bath and separate shower compartment, wardrobes, Intercom, laundry machines, water filtration system, VCR and Hi-Fi System, 100% electricity back-up and safes & security surveillance. King-sized beds are draped with 100% cotton duvets. The fully equipped kitchen boasts electric cooker hood, cabinet and oven.
Sunday, March 04, 2007"Vo also said that high participation of foreign investors would help to reduce the prices of houses in Vietnam, which in recent times, have exceeded the financial capabilities of most of the population..."
AS IN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, LOCATION IS A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR IN CHOOSING WHERE TO BUY OR RENT IN HO CHI MINH CITY. If you are new to this place, then perhaps a geography lesson is not out of place here. According to Easy Property, one of Vietnam's largest real estate agents, there are certain parts of town which are favored by expatriates. They include the CBD (Central Business District) of Districts 1 & 3 (for the convenience, naturally), and the greenery and clean air of the An Phu, Thao Dien, Binh An Wards of District 2 (just over the Saigon Bridge @15-20 minute drive). Other increasingly popular areas are in Tan Binh (around the airport @20-30 minute drive); and around the ever developing Saigon South area of District 7 (20-30 minutes drive)." If you are an expat attempting to establish yourself in Saigon, perhaps you ought to check out these places first.
A little more information about District 2, again from Easy Property: "The area on the far side of the Saigon bridge is, by Saigon standards, a green & pleasant land. Though still true, more and more of the green land plots (and they have all, frequently, been sold many times over by speculators) are now being developed into houses, with a few of the larger plots turned into apartments or more residential compounds. Several hundred expats (most with families) live in the area and there is the usual assortment of expat spin-off services and facilities: a supermarket, sports, leisure & recreation clubs. Most of the villas are two storey and from 700sqm to 1,500sqm gross, with usable areas range from @250sqm upwards, and many with swimming pools. Inside the various compounds, sizes are smaller but with the benefit of communal facilities and landscaping & security. Consequently, for those expats with above average budgets and a longing for some peace and quiet, amid what must be the noisiest city in the world, or with children, An Phu has deveoped a reputation since it still has some large properties with walled gardens or in landscaped compounds, that no longer exist elsewhere in the city."
And regarding District 7: "The formation of the Saigon South urban area on 2,600 hectares is meant to create conditions for urban and rural districts in the surrounding areas of District 7, District 8, Nha Be and Binh Chanh to develop. With the (at long last), construction of a couple bridges, Saigon South is no longer only accessible via the inadequate Kinh Te bridge by the Saigon Port. It is now possible to travel from the Phu My Hung (PMH) New Residential Area (often referred to as Saigon South) to the CBD in 15 minutes. After years of relative inactivity, the 600 hectare @USD$250m PMH Joint Venture have started construction of the first of many planned apartment buildings and houses. Several international schools; the Franco Vietnam hospital; RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) University; and other such ancillary service suppliers & facilities have also committed to a future amongst the landscaped greenery. The gre USD$632m Thu Thiem New Urban Area of Dinam/ngabridge.jpg" width=163><< o n l i n e + r e a l t o r s
Craig's List: http://vietnam.craigslist.org/rfs/.
Like other invaders from the past, Craig is on his way to conquering Vietnam. Well, at least the classified real estate market in Vietnam (and they say that land equals power!) For the latest offerings from Ho Chi Minh City, hit Craig up.
Easy Property: Phone: 848/840 7962. Web: www.izproperty.com/.
"There are similar developments in the central region around Dalat, and in the north, particularly in Hanoi. We intend to expand these pages over time to cover the nation."
h i g h r i s e + d e v e l o p m e n t s ONE OF THE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT VISITING HO CHI MINH CITY REGULARLY IS NOTICING JUST HOW FAST THE SKYLINE OF THIS CITY CHANGES. New buildings go up all the time, transforming this once low-rise sprawling tin shack kind of city into another Oriental supermetropolis -- another Bangkok or Singapore. Inside those high-rise steel and glass needles are often where foreign residents prefer to live. If you want to know about coming developments of a high-rise nature, you are in the right subdirectory.
Before we start, here is a word from San Francisco architect Mel Schenck, who wrote: "Most of the housing in Ho Chi Minh City, like all of the other cities in Vietnam, is four or five stories tall. This is true for new middle-class houses even in the smaller villages. I understand there is some new high-rise housing in Hanoi in the new suburban new urban areas, but I did not get out to see them. In HCMC, some Taiwanese investors built a new high-rise apartment complex in the Cholon (Chinese) area of Saigon. Very few of these apartment or condo units have been rented or sold. In speaking with some HCMC citizens, they felt that they had not sold because the units are too expensive compared to normal units in Saigon, and the Vietnamese much preferred the walk-up four-story houses to the elevatored high-rise housing. This is certainly counter to the Chinese pattern of replacing low-rise housing in all of their cities with high-rise housing.
Interestingly, the density of population per hector or acre for these high-rises is about the same as low-rise housing since these new high rise towers are usually towers in the park with a lot of space (usually wasted, in my opinion) around them. I vote with the Vietnamese -- I prefer my density in active low-rise units rather than sterile units in the sky, unless the high-rises are as dense as in Hong Kong."
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Diamond Plaza: 34 Le Duan St (corner of Pham Ngoc Thach St), District 1. Phone: 848 825 7750. Email: ibcourt@diamondplaza.com.vn. Web: www.diamondplaza.com.vn/.
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Hoang Quan Plaza: 34 Le Duan St (corner of Pham Ngoc Thach St), District 1. Phone: 848 825 7750. Email: ibcourt@diamondplaza.com.vn. Web: www.diamondplaza.com.vn/.
The Panorama.
Saigon Pearl: 92 Nguyen Huu Canh Street, Binh Thanh District. Phone: 848/821 9999. Web: www.saigonpearl.com.vn/home.htm.
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Zen Plaza: 54-56 Nguyen Trai Street, District 1.
c o m i n g + d e v e l o p m e n t s THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON IN HO CHI MINH CITY, SOME NEW DEVELOPMENT OR MAJOR PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT. Here are some of the latest developments and coming attractions:
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Asiana Plaza: 39 Le Duan Boulevard, District 1.
River Garden: Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), District 2. |