Message From NAM

Assalamu'alaikum. I grew up with Danielle Steel's novels and amongst my earliest favorites was Message From Nam, which gave such an impact to me emotionally. Yeah, a hopeless romantic since teenager I've been. But I don't know why on earth it took me so long to actually touch down in Saigon, after all this while. And I finally did just that last week. At last, Nai. At last, that was what I kept telling myself a few days I was there. It felt like a ghost somewhere at the back of my heart. I thought I saw Paxton Andrews there, really, everywhere. I felt so weird but heck, that's me! 

Anyways, I did enjoy Saigon eventhough we didn't get to visit the scary yet historical museum - by choice, actually. We did however went to Mekong Delta, at least. At the very least, of course. Here's how I dressed that day: peacock green lady with pink cap. 

Almost two hours' drive from Ben Thanh Market, we reached at the jetty to get into a boat to Mekong Delta. It so happened that the entire coaster was filled with Muslim tourists from Malaysia and a family of 4 from Indonesia, which turned it into a Halal tour simultaneously - which also turned out that we were given a choice to either proceed with USD1 meal of steamed rice and boiled egg or top up another USD5 for a proper Halal meal at a mosque. It was rather 'surprising' but yeah, what's new? You must expect that kinda surprise element there in almost every single transaction.

Not that I minded it, though. What's an additional USD5 for a proper Halal lunch, right? Hurmm. 

A nice piece of art we spotted: 

And red bananas which were foreign to our eyes.

I must have rumpled my hoodies upward when adjusting my sling bag..

Look at the bees, honey! 

Preparation for tea with honey and peanuts.

Ehem! Mind the peplum cut, miss! 

Perfect welcome drink : added with lime. Nice...!

And we shall have to finish off the route to the next ceremony of enjoying local fruit while listening to traditional music, which means that we would inevitably visit all the stalls lining up there. Hurmm...

I particularly loved the pineapples, if you ask.

Not the music, though. Very cunning, that's why. Everything was meant to get tips and more tips. When something as western as tips giving is enforced with communist-like coercion, it becomes disgusting. That's how I view it personally. No offence - just my two cents!

And at last we were free to hop into the awaiting small boats, whose operators also openly requested for tips. 

This I found acceptable, looking at the hardworks they had to do paddling us to the big boats.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat Gently Down The Stream..

The final stop before going back to the main land for lunch: Visiting The Site for Coconut Candies. But I was out of focus by then. I hate coercions, in case you haven't noticed. 

This pit stop: Everything from and about coconuts...

We watched how coconut candies were made.

This time: Beli Beli Beli. I didn't buy anything, though. Too tired and too hungry already. It was 330pm, for heaven's sake!

Then, off to the mainland. Finally.

Selfie sikit.. ^^

We ate and prayed at this mosque. Sorry I didn't snap any picture of the lovely food. But seriously everything was lovely. The toilet and praying spot were clean and comfortable. Alhamdulillah. 

All the way back to the hotel almost everybody but the driver - even Ah Hung, the tourist guide was asleep. It was a wrap, apparently.

- Nai at Tak Pe Je.