A Downtown Girl

After done with prayer and lunch, we moved into another place. It was an art place nearby. We walked passing by the riverside and finally got into this place who might be quiet popular among youth in HCMC. I saw walls were drawn with graffiti. This was actually such a place for all the creative people who dying to express their sound of heart and could be a place for them to drop out their idea about art. This is located at 3A alley, Ton Duc Thang Street, still around the downtown of HCMC. 3A means “Alternative Art Area”. Many hipsters coming to pose with some artistic walls as their backgrounds. The place is also surrounded by art galleries, cafes, restaurants, studio, and also some fashion outlets. Many people are here to take photo and just to hang out with friends. If you are a person who interested into crafted things, handmade stuffs, boutique, distro, or look for a quiet place to get your work done with a glass of coffee, this is all yours.  

Some teens make the wall as the photo background

Is it a sad monkey?

We finally stopped at a café called Kujuz to order fresh juices. Bright sun really burnt our skin at that time so we need extra protection from the inside (apa deh haha). Amal even ordered a cupcake from a foodtruck next to it called Pacey Cupcakes. Since it was time when people started to celebrate Lunar Year, she got a free Angpao. Just the envelope one :D

Inside Kujuz

Unfortunately, Phan gotta go back home bcs she was sick at that day, something wrong with her back. So, there were only 3 of us left, the tourists and we were confused whether to go to festival bcs the place was quiet far from the city center. We didn’t have motorbike while cab would cost about 200,000 VND. After a while, Baptiste got an idea of having sunset from the rooftop. Though it would be more expensive but at least we could save more time and didn’t have to be traffic jam. Before we chilled out at the skybar, as we promised that we went to Cathedral first. There is no entrance fee for this visit. Just like any cathedral in the whole world, this one also has high ceiling with I assume also has higher level of contemporary architectural kind of style. The exterior walls built with red bricks imported from France. A statue called Virgin Mary is right there just in the front of cathedral.  I don’t know much about this but I always think that cathedral has something like more function than if we compare it with common church. Whenever I hear somebody saying ‘cathedral’, something crosses my mind is always its finest building which really build with considering its pride and how it could be a great center of parishes in a city. 

Notre Dame Cathedral with Virgin Mary

Inside the cathedral

We were only there for few minutes and quickly went back to our hostel, did some stuffs like took a shower and changed clothes. I actually realized that we were gonna head to skybar which as long as I knew, we had to dress properly with no sandal but when I went outside the hostel, I saw Baptiste didn’t change his clothes. He was still in his shirt, short pants, and sandal so why did I have to change? Theeeeeen, right! Only Amal could enter the skybsar since she has been well prepared with flat shoes while me and Baptiste? We turned back to hostel and changed what was inappropriate in our look. We chose Chillbar located in AB Tower which was only about 200 meters away from my hostel so I could make it quick. Since I was feeling like I had to save my money bcs I still got 10 days to go on the road, so I planned to choose the cheapest one. 

Chillbar was too crowded at the time we coming. We didn’t even get seat in the first place so we just had a table and felt like being in a standing party or something. After 30 minutes, luckily people on the table behind finally left. 

Staring at the superb lights of the city from Chillbar

I actually also had appointment with my local friend, Ly. She said she wanted to have dinner with me at that night but she could meet me after work about 6 pm. I just planned to make us all possible to go together but unfortunately, Amal started to feel sick (maybe bcs a glass of mojito? Oh c’mon) but then I just asked Baptiste to bring her back to hostel. That was the last time I met them. Their bus would leave to Na Thrang at 6 am in the next morning and impossible for me to wake up that early to meet them. So, yeah we said goodbye :(

So, I met my friend and a friend of hers. Ly and Ha. They took me to have pancake. I firstly thought about pancake just like what I always eat the whole time but then it was different haha. I didn’t capture mine. This is I got from google just wanted you to see the pancake I was talking about. 

Pancake in Vietnam

Vietnamese pancake also called as Banh Xeo. So, they served wrapper which was made from rice flour just like when you wanted to make crepe. While you can choose the filling but I told my friends I didn’t eat pork. So, they chose shrimp for me. I never knew how to eat that well so I only saw them pinch the crepe and put some vegetables and also meat over it. As long as I could remember, the vegetables served were mustard leaves, lettuce, sprouts, and perhaps another green leaf I never saw or maybe never knew what it called. Then they rolled it and put into the sauce. The sauce tasted a little sour and sweet. Ha suddenly asked for more vegetables jadi inget kalo lagi makan di warung sunda kan. Jadi kangen indo yeelah baru 2 hari ti -_-

Since I ran out of VND so they covered me about 5,000 VND. Goshhhh I was really shame of myself but they both were really niceeeee they said nothing to worry :”)