Saigon, here I come...

Minggu, 10 July 2011 (This is the time…)

I choose afternoon flight because I knew I would have difficult time to wake up after friend’s wedding a day before. 

Close friend's wedding 9 July 2011

Why 10 July? Because the next day is a special day of a special person and I want to be with that person in Saigon.

At 9.30 am my 2 year old nephew arrived, he and his parents are the new owner of Mya (read Maya, my Yaris car). So they came to say good bye to me and to drive her.

At 10.00 am representing GG (Group nGumpul my best friends), Gustaf, Anto and Niq arrived to say hi to my Mom, drive me to the airport and helped me with my 40 kg luggage!!!

At 18.40 local time, Saigon here I come…. I was welcomed with a flower bouquet.

Flashback, First Visit to Saigon

My first visit to Saigon was in February 2009. As soon as I arrived, I was given a city map and brief info where to go to enjoy fresh Vietnamese coffee. I was introduced to Highlands Coffee.

Purpose of my first trip was just to see how the city looks life. My soul mate had been flying back and forth to this city for business.

I was warned that Saigon is not as modern as Jakarta. However I did not mind, as I have seen how Jakarta grew up all my life... I was told that Saigon looks like Jakarta tempo doeloe in the years of 70's. Is it really?.... 

Nope... It looks life 80's probably... I thought many people is still riding bicycles. It was not the fact. In Saigon, there are millions of motorbikes in the streets... But they do not go fast for two reasons: 1) the traffic and 2) government limits the bikes max to 150 cc only (?).

Parking lots for motorbikes is pretty organized. Some places i.e. restaurants provide parking areas and "tukang parkir" - free for customers. Meanwhile... there is no free parking in Jakarta!


In some other places, we have to pay fee of VND 2000-5000. Fee includes "tukang parkir" services - what I mean is that the "tukang parkir" will park the bikes among many other bikes. When we are done, we give him the parking ticket and he will get our bike. If it is free parking, then it is free... This does not happen in Jakarta.




What's next? Coming up....