the-missus-blogs.com

Our biggest highlight was a trip to Cu Chi Tunnel (pronounced Koo Chi, not Cuci :p), located 2 hours away from the city. We joined a local tour for only USD5 each.

This tunnel was used by the Viet Cong soldiers as a hide out spot and ‘home’ during the Vietnam War with the Americans. This tunnel served as a purpose of resisting the American operations, which eventually lead the Americans into defeat.

The Americans soon enough became wary of the guerrilla’s existence in this part and tried to bomb the place but never succeeded because they lived underground.

And built plenty of traps to capture them Americanos. One of the methods included soldiers hiding out in this tiny hole and suprising the unsuspecting Americans by popping out and attacking them. You know like the whack a mole video game except the moles don’t brutally shoot you.

Now you see him:

Now you don’t:

Definitely not for the claustrophobic and fat soldier:

Some of the other brutal traps were concealed with spikes that were covered up with leaves so imagine falling into this trap and having the spikes go through your feet! They also used fish sauce on top of the trap to lure the dogs used by the Americans into their deaths. Extremely brutal.

The star of the trip was of course the tiny tunnel itself where the only way of getting in is by doing the duck walk or crawling. Of course today, the tunnel has been tweaked and made a little wider and bigger to fit ‘international’ sizes. Wouldn’t want the big mat-sallehs getting stuck in there now do we

The tunnel was built in 3 layers and housed around 16,000 soldiers and family members. Can you imagine living inside a tunnel with NO electricity, water, basic necessities and more importantly fresh air?? I don’t know how they did it and of top of that managed to cook, get pregnant and give birth in the tunnel itself!

I personally would have picked death than suffer like that but hey that’s just me.

But at the end of the war, out of the 16,000 tunnel inhabitants, only about 5,000 survived due to the rampant malaria spread due to their unhygienic living.

(If you look at the Mat Salleh in shorts, let me tell you that he had a 13 year old Viet ‘boyfriend’ and that really made us so sick I wonder if this sort of thing happens rampantly in Vietnam. Scary thought!)

Here he is before attempting to go inside the tunnel.

This is how tiny the tunnel is.

Unfortunately, we both chickened out and decided against it because it was too small, smelly and DARK! And the last I checked, the husband is pretty much claustrophobic. I have no qualms admiting to it because only a handful went through with their tunnel adventure while the rest were smart enough not to get all sweaty Nevertheless we had a very educational trip at Cu Chi Tunnel.

I’m not one who supports the brutality of war but hats off to the Viets for striving to live even if it meant living in a tunnel.

Ho Chi Minh City
19 – 22 September 2009

Insane!

The Good:

Good Healthy Noms

The one Viet dish I truly enjoyed was the Pho Ga – Vietnamese noodle soup with chicken and the Viet Spring Rolls. Ok so that’s two But eating here is relatively expensive, approx RM30-35 for two for just simple dishes. Hands down they also have the best iced coffee in the world and I don’t even like coffee to begin with ok.

Our first RM30 breakfast in HCM, told you food here is expensive! Wonder if nasi lemak and roti canai will laku here or not, cheep cheep.

Cheapo Shopping

If you know how to bargain, that is. Problem is not knowing the real value of these items since items are inflated absurdly by at least 2-3 times before bargaining. Managed to bargain 11 T-Shirts for only RM6 each when the opening price was RM40 a pop, go figure.

Parks

Suprisingly, you get alot of parks in HCM city where you can see locals sit down for a chit chat, sip on coffee, do their homework and just hang out, unlike our crappy parks filled with lovers too cheap to rent a motel room.

The Bad:

“You Give Me Dollah”

For a country that went to war with the Americans, it baffles me why all they want is US Dollars. You literally have to tell them you’ll only pay in Dong. Even little children are taught to say, one dollah one dollah as they run up to asking for $. And even if you use US Dollars, give them EXACT change because they will cheat you and return the change in Dong. Which is quite worthless.

Crossing Roads

Can literally kill you here! I thought the chaotic traffic in India was something to talk about but boy was I wrong. With 5 million motorbikes in this city alone, count your lucky stars if you don’t get knocked down by at least one in your entire life time if you live here. It takes about 10 minutes to cross one damn street and even then the bikes will just drive around you. Certainly not for the faint heart. For odd reasons, they have a strong addiction to honking. They honk even when there is no vehicle in front!m Crazy or not?

Watch the video!

Communist Propaganda

This really explains their pitiful sight of consumer products and choices available. We went on a few tours and every tour was blasted with videos from the Government on how the Americans ruined lives in Vietnam. Infact just like our government of conveniently erasing some historic facts, they failed to mention the part where the Northern Vietnamese had murdered and killed thousands of South Vietnamese, their own kind! Was told by our tour guide, any one who speaks of politics will be sent off to jail. A deposit of USD7,000 is a must should they leave the country to go on a holiday aboard, insane!

The Ugly:

The Merciless Weather

Despite being the ‘rainy’ season, the weather was just SO hot and humid that it literally eats into your skin and burns you like an oven. I’ve never been on a holiday where we paid just to sweat from head to toe and everywhere else in between. Probably my most uncomfortable holiday ever. We both have a bad tan now because we did so much walking in the hot scorching sun.

The People

Not the most courteous lot, infact they were borderline annoying and made our holiday the number 1 reason why we’re never going back there. From cabbies, to shoe shines, to street peddlers, traders, waiters, beggars, we were pestered over and over again everywhere we went. I’ve lost count on how many times we had to say no and yet they would continue pestering and hounding us.

Ben Tahn Market – great place to shop BUT

The minute traders see you carrying shopping bags; they pester you like it is their last day on this freaking planet earth. We got constantly pulled into the shops and kept hearing ‘you buy from meeeee’. When you bang down the prices by 50%, they sell it to you but with such long faces. One seller even completely ignored us after we paid her and they can never seem to say a gracious thank you after you buy from them! In short, all they want is your monehhh, more so your US dollaaah. I’ve also read lots of horror stories of these cyclos who cheat tourist by agreeing on a price and then later demanding for more money. If only they could be more courteous like the Thais…

So now, if I had to pick a least favourite place visited (never had one before this okie) then yes HCM would be it. No doubt life is very hard here which makes you more thankful for the things you have or take granted for. A couple of places got me intrigued so much that I’m currently reading and researching on the history behind it.

Without being bias towards Vietnam, just maybe one day we’ll check out Hanoi since there are better reviews.

And as far as our Southeast Asian adventure goes, I guess this concludes it since I don’t think we’ll ever go to Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, or would we? Hmmm…..only time and cheap tickets will tell, haha.

Profanity filled rant ahead:

In my 27.5 years of life I admit, I have been sheltered from cunning vile people. I’ve rarely had the opportunity of coming face to face with such people except for maybe one or two fuck ups but today, I can say the world has more of these people than I thought who are masters at not only at failing to honor their promise but who were also fucking born to be shrewd and cunning.

As I’ve said before in my previous post, the apartment got sold. I’m not sure if I jinxed it. OR maybe because we came across yet another fucked up buyer. For someone who claims to have bought a RM1.2 million apartment last week, it’s a wonder how come the bank (yes the dreaded bloody CIMB), did not approve his loan.

Ok fine, clearly that is not the issue since hey, I can direct you to another 101 million banks out there who aren’t prissy as CIMB and who will give you a loan. With a bloody smile on their face.

YET what does this sneaky son of a bitch do?

IGNORES calls from the agent or my husband’s phone call to discuss how to solve this issue.

And the most cunning tactic: He FUCKING CANCELS THE EARNEST CHEQUE that was given when the deal was sealed.

My husband had already banked it in and I have no idea what this cibai did or who he gave a blowjob to, managed to get the bank to cancel it.

After calling him from another line, this bastard has the cheeks to say he was just protecting himself!

This is the bastard who wanted some of our PERSONAL items and pictures!

I just feel so bad for my husband because this shit has given him ENOUGH stress and it hurts me to see this vile fuckers do these things, over again. And because of fuckers like this, there is an opportunity cost for us to show other buyers who were serious in the first place.

It’s like you can’t trust ANYONE these days. No matter how educated and civil they appear to be. Bloody cheap thrills! IF he tried with various banks to get a loan and still failed then FINE, we will accept it but this was simply too sneaky.

So here are some pointers for those who REALLY want to buy a property, ‘inspired’ after my observations of the many fuck ups that we’ve met:

1.It doesn’t hurt to introduce yourself even if you come with the agent. It’s THE polite thing to do or when you go to someone’s house.

2. Do not fucking ask what race are the neighbors. Got ah people like that? Well YES! One bloody short tart in her tiny shorts with full on make up, and I swear she was carrying a fucking fake burberry bag had the bloody audacity to ask if the neighbors were Chinese. Like WHY on earth would this matter???

3. If you do not intend to buy just DON’T come over to view the apartment. Period. Because you’re not only wasting your time, you are wasting ours as well!!! And a thousand bucks says my time is more precious than yours! Please find something better to do with YOUR time.

4. If it’s stated RMxxxk then it’s RMxxxk la cibai, don’t come and counter offer us RM50k less better still don’t come coz it’s clearly not your budget. The most you can knock off is RM10k especially when it comes lock stock and barrel.

5. Before you open your smelly mouth and say you want to buy, it is your responsibility to see if you CAN afford it and if you CAN get a loan so fucking do the maths before showing up. Don’t know how to do the maths then use the bloody financial calculator online.

We’re not the only ones who have been through this shit, same thing happened with my folks and it makes you wonder why people are this pathethic and inconsiderate.

Painful, very painful how some people were brought up! Fucking curse his entire family and generations to come for being such a sneaky bastard!

My husband was saying what good money these property agents make last week. I in return feel sorry for them because they probably have to deal with such fuckers on a daily basis. Who pretend they can buy but clearly can’t!

Maybe we’re just meant to hang on with this apartment. I don’t know…all I know is the next mofo who ffks or pull a sneaky stunt, I will KILL him with my bloody bare hands because I’m the ONLY one who’s entitled and allowed to cause my husband any stress. And with even that privilege I don’t, bastards!

(and sometimes you might just have to wait a little longer)

Our apartment got S-O-L-D for the second time

I would like to think I brought some luck la since I was in the apartment when the guy came to view it. Was a good feeling when he complimented the place so who are we to deny it since the man owns an Interior Designing firm after all But at the same time it baffles me how people can be so thicked skin and ask for certain pictures and decorative items when it’s clearly PERSONAL items! Some people have no shame!

I’m feeling a tad sentimental about saying bye to the place which is rather ironic despite being the one always complaining about the small kitchen. I’ve realized the apartment in some sense had brought us closer back when we dated. Probably even sealed the deal and made him propose to me, haha. We used to spend countless hours shopping around, setting up the place and even discovered that we were just good at this, sharing the same taste. Great memories.

And even greater news: On the very same day the apartment got sold, Baby Sis informed that she is a proud LLB Honors Graduate. So happy for her and especially my dad since he invested quite a bit to send the brat off to UK. To see him be extremely happy and proud over this makes me content. Now he’s bugging her to do her CLP and frankly I can’t wait for her to be done with that too so I can start calling her a loyar buruk and get FREE legal services

I had a pap smear done recently. Oh never mind that it was uncomfortable with all that probing, never mind that the husband had self invited himself into the examination room out of curiosity – the man apparently had one important probing (no pun!) question in mind.

The Husband: We can still have intercourse today right?

Grinning Female Gynaecologist: Yes of course you can.

Me: *WTF of all the questions you could have asked look*

Well, at least he used the less crude term.

No more doctors visit with him!