墨城玫瑰: 11月 2016

2016年11月30日星期三

Mekong River Day trip

湄公河一日遊！

28/11/2016

MrG made an impulsive decision and booked a day trip to Mekong River through our Airbnb host Minh while we were checking in day before! It wasnt expected but nice to be included in this HCMC visit as we missed out Mekong 3 years ago! Kind of looking forward to meet this famous mighty river!!!!!

前一天Checkin時 Minh我們Airbnb的屋主很熱心的告之附近商機外也幫提供一些旅遊咨詢，未料甘先生約好了請他幫我們安排隔天的湄公河一日遊。得知後我有點訝異不是不想去嗎！但也好。Minh說會一起去！我想這樣更好，有個會說英文和越南話的人在旁邊同行也許比較不會被任人宰割，反正我們家上次來錯過了湄公河。我還蠻期盼近距離看到大名鼎鼎的湄公河雖然飛機上看到的黃澄澄的河水沒想像中美！不知為何也同時想起黃河的水應該也是黃的。😅

It was a day trip only. Our airbnb host Minh came along with us. We first took a Uber to the meeting place at the backpacks street/zone, awaiting to be picked up by the tour guide, then going out as one big group with all tourists booked from whichever hotels/travel agents. It reminded me the Khao San Rd in Bangkok!

所以一早按約定我們準備好7點跟Minh在門口會合，搭一小段Uber去到背包客區, 再等⋯待跟一大團會合，再出發！耐心是跟團旅遊的必須！

It's 90mins to 2hrs drive one way depending on the traffic flow of the current hour. On our bus there were 2 different groups that would split at the end of day by Mekong 1-day tour or Mekong 3-day tour!!! MrG was really jealous of those people who went on for 3-day tour. I wouldn't mind that I guess..but we really did not have planned it well beforehand.

終於要出發，我們一群人跟著綠色小旗子走了一段路到達一個停車場，去各個目的地的遊客在此再度分發依照目的地上大巴，去湄公河？柬蒲寨？會安？。。，我們去湄公河的旅客上了同一輛大巴士，上了巴士才知道裡面還有分一日遊跟三日遊的旅客！但不管一日遊或三日遊，今天的行程都绑在一起。一切很有組織，看起來遊客量很大。從市區到湄公河單趟車程從90分鐘到2小時不等，一切由當下的交通狀況決定。導遊小姐英文還不錯適時的充分的解釋了我們需要知道的旅遊景點訊息。

•Mekong River

There are four islands in Mekong River which are Unicorn, Turtle, Dragon and Phoenix. On this tour we mainly visited the Unicorn Island.

•Honey Tasting ! /Unicorn Island

Its famous for their Longan Honey! Then we walked to board our 10mins rowing boat. 首先我們靠岸來品嚐龍眼蜜茶和點心，接著要走過一段林子去坐划船

• Rowing boat/ Unicorn Island

This 10 mins was the highlight of my day! So I put a lot of pictures in.:D

今天我最開心的10分鐘，（被）划船💗

•Coconut Candy Factory /Unicorn Island

椰子糖工場參觀試吃也可以購買

•Lunch in a huge restaurant with gardens & recreational areas

午餐時間

• Local sweets + Folk-art Instrumental & Songs

The last activity of day, we boarded our boat for a little ride & called on different wharf to have Longan tea & some fruits accompanying by local folk music & singing entertainment. 最後節目，點心時間配上當地的傳統歌謠和樂器。

回來後想起我問甘先生倒底他付Minh多少錢？他說一人15USD ！我在心裏自言自語：漲價了嗎？一樣的湄公河一日遊我在不同網頁部落格裡讀到的好像都才每人10元不到！剛開始本以為是包車我們一行5人坐7人座的車去，但並非如此, 我們是參加團去到背包客街跟會合許多散客坐大巴去了。莫非我們無知地被屋主坑了，默默地幫他付了旅費？啊！啊⋯實在不能想的太複雜這樣就破壞旅遊的心情和對人的信任，他看起來是個實在的樸實好青年雖然有現代青年的冷淡氣質但做為Airbnb的屋主算蠻熱誠的，可是。可是。。我好想知道事實哇！關於「真相」連資銖必較的甘先生已經放棄去尋找，他說都已經過去了，那⋯我還是就此閉嘴吧🤐🤔 。整體而言所有的費用都包含了，我們其實不用再多花任何錢除了額外的飲料或購物，所以一天約澳幣20元一人其實是不貴啦，這樣來想就好多了。（就是慿這概念玩完了後面的會安。。不然只要想到我們都是當地人的大肥羊心情就會很糟啊。。）

Vietnamese High Tea @CaravelleSaigon，

plus the VN🇻🇳 style foot massage😭

就算熱到炸還是要來當一天貴婦💆🏻💅🏼

29/11/2016

This was our last day in HCMC, last chance to do whatever we needed/wanted to do in our lists prior NOT to coming back soon! We were in two groups today. After our VN style foot massages in 137, mrG & Gamble3 went to shop at Ben Tanh Market to sharpen up their haggling skills in the heat while Gamble4 agreed to come along with me to the high tea extravaganza at Caravelle Saigon!

我們都差不多該中暑了。今天是胡志明市的最後一天，把想做的吃的買的⋯取捨一下趕緊做了。我們兵分兩路，說服了妹妹跟我來酒店喝下午茶，姐姐跟爸爸走他們的行程去Ben Tanh Market磨煉殺價技巧。

•Vietnamese High Tea @ Catavelle Saigon

http://www.caravellehotel.com/restaurants-and-bars/cafe-de-opera

First high tea experience for Gamble4, she was wrapped and did enjoy it. She wanted to try out the traditional high tea.

千里迢迢來到這裡就應該來品嚐一下當地享譽勝名的越式下午茶。妹妹則挑選了傳統英式下午茶，也好。

The food presentation of my choice of Vietnamese high tea had changed from those pictures I had viewed on net which was indeed what I expected for before I walked in! Never mind then, it was still a unique high tea experience luncheoning with Gamble4! It's first come first serve, so there's no need to book in advance, and you can't do it anyway. 我的越式下午茶端上桌時我並沒有哇噻的驚喜，因為沒有用期待中的傳統越式籠子裝盤，小失望。不過食物還是很有意思。下午茶採取先到先服務，不能也不用預約。（我想是生意很好才可以這樣做生意吧!!!）

We had to ask the menu back to find out our what we were eating..... Which was really necessary as we were familiar with the spices and vegetables in VN cooking.

我們跟小姐要回菜單好比照我們吃入口的美食。很高興陪我來的是妹妹，比起挑嘴不愛吃肉的姐姐，跟妹妹吃飯真的比較有趣。

The look out of our seating area was the Opera House view that Caravelle boasts about on their high tea venue. But currently there was the MRT underground construction going on beside it that ruined the grand view! Shame.

我們座位的落地窗戶面對歌劇院，這也是下午茶的賣點！可是這建地鐵的工程大剌剌的把這面美景破壞了⋯=_=。換個角度想多年後如果再走訪胡志明市就有地鐵了不但會更方便遊走城市，票價透明化後也減輕不少被敲竹槓的負面心理負擔，玩起來也輕鬆自在多了。加油胡志明市。

•the VN style 👣foot massage!!! 怕痛者慎入😢

This foot massage salon only sells one type of service, there's no other options!!!we didn't know it until we walked in. I wish I studied the photos well that printed on the back of cards!

這幾家足浴店是我們每天來回必經的路上的其中一家。在早餐後和下午茶中間，我貪圖了不用在陽光下走遠路的小便宜，放棄網路上大家推薦的miumiu spa和健之家，約了女兒一起去足浴，一心期待著久違的精油按摩放鬆⋯，連女兒也躍躍欲試。結果一進門穿著美麗奧黛的小姐說只有一種選擇，沒有其他選項，那時我就應該放棄！可是不瞭解越式足浴的行程的我還傻傻的問女兒好不好，買了單，VND400,000/1人（真的自動上門的3隻傻肥羊！好貴呀），然後我們就跟隨進去更衣了。

On the back of the cards it actually had step by step explanation of this 90 mins massage! I did have a good look before we walked in though.卡片背面的確有印上圖片解釋按摩療程。。我們都看的了卻感受不出來實際的痛。

Mate! this was heavy duty job to perform and (for the people laid on the bed) to endure.. it was so painful!!!!!!! And I learnt my lesson here, in future I need to keep look out on SPA instead of foot massage! 😢

痛啊⋯⋯這一番折騰！這90分鐘的越式足浴真痛，也真讓我大開👀界呀。女兒到現在還在喊疼哈哈她們也應該畢生難忘了吧。我全程都在幻想著泰式香精按摩來減輕身體的疼痛，哎唷喂呀，相形之下泰式足浴算是很enjoyable！我真花了大錢找罪受。不過我必需承認小黃瓜膚臉和熱石頭還算舒服！我雖趴著但我可以感覺到這些嬌小的女孩用膝關節？或也許腳掌？來按壓穴道很精準也很痛也令人紧張。或許這跟折來折去的泰式按摩類似吧，（我怕痛從沒試過泰式但朋友都說做完了很舒服）。如果您喜歡強烈的按摩手法這越式足浴應該會滿足您！

•Dinner at Bitexco tower

I was looking for somewhere nice to take kids out for dinner and realized the Bitexco tower was just across the road from our Airbnb place!!! And so we went along, but we weren't super hungry at the time and kids were craving for chips... So we had 2 big fries & popcorn chicken nuggets in KFC, pretty YUM ^^. Inside the tower there were also heaps of shops cafes restaurants and cinemas of your choice. Or you could purchase tickets to go high up to the Sky deck to enjoy the night view of Saigon. 最後一晚了我才發現這Bitexco離我們的Airbnb超近，就過條大馬路而已（而且有紅綠燈和班馬線無须冒著生命危险過馬路！）本來是要帶女兒去吃餐廳但女兒卻只想薯條，好吧，再加上小雞塊，皆大歡喜。然後慢慢逛下樓，滿意了再回家。

http://www.bitexcofinancialtower.com/