Wow! Papa and I just celebrated our 13th anniversary! It included a huge surprise! I thought I was meeting Papa for lunch and then a spa treatment. What I didn't know was that we would meet after work at the Pan Pacific Hotel too!!! For an "executive overnight stay"! Our room with a view was extra amazing because we could see the Conrad Hotel with the number 13 on it...I will include a photo later so you can see what I am talking about.
We enjoyed the executive club and the hotel made an anniversary cake for us. The next day, after breakfast, Papa headed back to the office and I had another spa treatment. He met me later in the evening for good bye drinks in the club before heading home. We got home to find our children as happy as can be...Frunty slept all night, Pit showed up beside Gramma and Grampa's bed at 4:30am for a snuggle!
The four of them had their own adventure with two days of fun: they saw the movie, "Yogi Bear", ate Carl's Jr burgers and the following day, went out for lunch downtown and spent the rest of the day by the pool. Too much fun!
It was the best anniversary to date and I really don't know how Papa can top this one!! Let me see him try! Thanks, Papa. You are really "ultra fun". (as Frunty would say!)
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
Christmas at D'Manor
On the 24th, Grampa, Gramma, Pit and I headed over to Cold Storage to get a multitude of goodies to make our Christmas extra special at D'Manor. We then had a traditional, German dinner of sausages and potato salad with fine, Weizen beers. On the 25th, we headed over to Pit's school which is located beside a church where we enjoyed Christmas carols and a few testimonials. The 1 hour sermon was long but we made it through and came home to get ready to celebrate in the party room beside the pool which we had rented with two other families. Niamh, Sam and Killian (from Ireland/Oz) and Anna, Daniel, Alex and Lea all helped to make our first, tropical Christmas fun and memorable. Later in the evening, some other neighbours from the Czech Republic and Slovakia joined us and brought beautiful, homemade cookies.
It was a very cheerful Christmas and we were grateful to be able to share it with new friends and with Gramma and Grampa. We hope everyone had as special a Christmas as we did. Friends and Family in North America and Europe enjoyed a white Christmas and we were really excited for them! All the best for a wonderful 2011!
It was a very cheerful Christmas and we were grateful to be able to share it with new friends and with Gramma and Grampa. We hope everyone had as special a Christmas as we did. Friends and Family in North America and Europe enjoyed a white Christmas and we were really excited for them! All the best for a wonderful 2011!
The Rex and the Mekong Delta
We arrived early in HCMC and was picked up by our guide who would spend the next three days with us. Hoang and our driver took us directly for breakfast, at our request, to the Caravelle, a beautiful hotel which let us enjoy the buffet breakfast earlier than normally allowed. We invited Hoang to join us and afterwards, we drove directly to the Cu Chi Tunnels. We were the first to arrive to visit these amazing tunnels near HCMC. When we left the place, the parking lot was completely full of tour buses. It was so nice to be early and enjoy them alone.
We checked into the Rex after being absolutely "freaked out" by the accomodation I booked on-line through Hostelworld. It really is hit or miss as some places are fine but this mini hotel was down two alley ways and not appropriate. Hoang took us to the Rex and we never looked back.
The following day, we drove to the Mekong Delta and enjoyed an overnight trip visiting floating markets and taking a small boat to a little village to try tropical fruits. It was really nice. The boat was called Bassac and it was a different experience compared to the Bhaya cruise of Halong Bay. Not better, just different.
We arrived back at the Rex and got upgraded again into deluxe suites where we enjoyed beautiful rooms and eventually cocktails and flamenco music in the famous bar on the 5th floor. We managed to get in some cd shopping and enjoyed the Christmas, window decorations at a nearby mall. With all the motorbikes whizzing by, we really found a refuge at the Rex even though HCMC is a fascinating city. Grandpa especially loved the French influence. On the 22nd, we head to the airport after a visit to the nearby market. We were ready to return to Papa in Singapore after having an incredible trip in Vietnam. Arriving home safely and healthy...who could ask for anything more?! Ah yes, big hugs from Papa!
We checked into the Rex after being absolutely "freaked out" by the accomodation I booked on-line through Hostelworld. It really is hit or miss as some places are fine but this mini hotel was down two alley ways and not appropriate. Hoang took us to the Rex and we never looked back.
The following day, we drove to the Mekong Delta and enjoyed an overnight trip visiting floating markets and taking a small boat to a little village to try tropical fruits. It was really nice. The boat was called Bassac and it was a different experience compared to the Bhaya cruise of Halong Bay. Not better, just different.
We arrived back at the Rex and got upgraded again into deluxe suites where we enjoyed beautiful rooms and eventually cocktails and flamenco music in the famous bar on the 5th floor. We managed to get in some cd shopping and enjoyed the Christmas, window decorations at a nearby mall. With all the motorbikes whizzing by, we really found a refuge at the Rex even though HCMC is a fascinating city. Grandpa especially loved the French influence. On the 22nd, we head to the airport after a visit to the nearby market. We were ready to return to Papa in Singapore after having an incredible trip in Vietnam. Arriving home safely and healthy...who could ask for anything more?! Ah yes, big hugs from Papa!
Sunday, 19 December 2010
Pillow Fights on night train to HCMC!
Our last and most fun train ride from Nha Trang to Saigon...fun pillow fights and other laughs and snuggles on board and our meal we brought from Louisiane Brewhouse who did take out especially for us!
Night train from Nha Trang
Last night we took the night train from Nha Trang, a beach side city where we enjoyed the Louisiane Brewhouse and pool, to Saigon. Honestly, I dreaded it after seeing the other trains in Vietnam which are quite grubby. But when we got on board the Blue Train, we were thrilled to find a really nice cabin with comfortable, clean bunks. One day, maybe by 2017, there will be a Shinkansen linking Hanoi to HCMC and the travel time will take 5.5 hours. Right now, Vietnam has very old trains and the trip takes 30 hours.
We arrived early in Saigon at 4 am and so were not picked up til 4:30am which was the scheduled time. Our guide, Hoang, and driver took us to the Caravelle for breakfast. The only places for breakfast that early are either road side stalls or 5 star restaurants. Actually, when we got to the Caravelle, the lights were off in the restaurant but by 5 am they turned them on and let us start eating soon after...thank goodness. We invited Hoang to join us and he said that he had never had a buffet breakfast in a fancy hotel before...I don't know if I can believe him or not but I would like to think we gave him some nice backsheesh off the bat for further good service.
We headed over to Cu Chi Tunnels and were the very first visitors! It opens at 7am and we got there shortly after and thank goodness because we had the place to ourselves and when we left at about 11am, the number of tourist buses was astonishing for such a tiny parking lot. The masses had arrived and we were off!
We were taken to our guesthouse, Hotel Vykhanh, which was down two little alley ways in an area that was quite seedy where our guide used to live and told us about drug busts. It was not appropriate for us. I had already checked to see if the place we stayed in with Papa was still available last night before the train. I wanted to know just in case we needed to change places but unfortunately, Mini Saigon Hotel #5 was fully booked. Tis the season.
So we checked-in at the Rex and were upgraded from the regular room to a suite which is very nice! The kids are resting while I type but in an hour, we'll walk to a nearby restaurant suggested to us by our guide for a vietnamese meal. It is in a French-style building behind the city hall and is apparently very inexpensive but has great food.
Tomorrow morning we leave for the Mekong Delta for an overnight trip on the Brassac. In a few more days, we'll be back in Singapore to see Papa! The kids have been doing just great. Amazing little troopers and I am so proud of them for traveling so well!
We arrived early in Saigon at 4 am and so were not picked up til 4:30am which was the scheduled time. Our guide, Hoang, and driver took us to the Caravelle for breakfast. The only places for breakfast that early are either road side stalls or 5 star restaurants. Actually, when we got to the Caravelle, the lights were off in the restaurant but by 5 am they turned them on and let us start eating soon after...thank goodness. We invited Hoang to join us and he said that he had never had a buffet breakfast in a fancy hotel before...I don't know if I can believe him or not but I would like to think we gave him some nice backsheesh off the bat for further good service.
We headed over to Cu Chi Tunnels and were the very first visitors! It opens at 7am and we got there shortly after and thank goodness because we had the place to ourselves and when we left at about 11am, the number of tourist buses was astonishing for such a tiny parking lot. The masses had arrived and we were off!
We were taken to our guesthouse, Hotel Vykhanh, which was down two little alley ways in an area that was quite seedy where our guide used to live and told us about drug busts. It was not appropriate for us. I had already checked to see if the place we stayed in with Papa was still available last night before the train. I wanted to know just in case we needed to change places but unfortunately, Mini Saigon Hotel #5 was fully booked. Tis the season.
So we checked-in at the Rex and were upgraded from the regular room to a suite which is very nice! The kids are resting while I type but in an hour, we'll walk to a nearby restaurant suggested to us by our guide for a vietnamese meal. It is in a French-style building behind the city hall and is apparently very inexpensive but has great food.
Tomorrow morning we leave for the Mekong Delta for an overnight trip on the Brassac. In a few more days, we'll be back in Singapore to see Papa! The kids have been doing just great. Amazing little troopers and I am so proud of them for traveling so well!
Friday, 17 December 2010
Thap Ba Mud Pools near Nha Trang
To help some of us with our aversions to mud, we got downright dirty today and clean again in our private mud bath, sauna, mineral pool and jacuzzi.A great way to unwind after our long train ride from Quang Ngai to Nha Trang the day before!
