Today we had an action-packed day as we were able to explore district 1 for the first time since arriving in Ho Chi Minh City. Our first stop of the day was a delicious pho place called Duong’s Restaurant Saigon. We shared a family-style meal with dumplings, noodles, spring rolls, and even panda-shaped buns.
Once we had spent some time at the market, we went to a local park across from Independence Palace to regroup and decide what to do for the afternoon and evening. Everyone was excited to see Independence Palace, also called Reunification Palace. This marks Ho Chi Minh’s home after South Vietnam was reunited with North Vietnam. There are several stories in this massive palace, complete with a helicopter landing pad and a basement bunker.
After we grabbed breakfast, we headed to Bang Niang Market. This market-place has all sorts of items, from Vietnamese themed trinkets to factory reject designer clothing and bags. The market even had produce, and food stands inside. One of the keys to the Bang Niang Market is to bargain with the sellers. Most people start at half of the sellers’ asking price. Asking for less than half can seem disrespectful while accepting the sellers’ initial offer means the customer is paying too much.
As the day went on, the heat began to exhaust people, so we got a quick snack at a cafe in the Times Square area of district 1. We had great mango smoothies and quickly headed back to campus to recharge. Some students ended the night with massages and Thai food while others explored the school and some of the local street food found across the street from campus. All in all, it was a great day and were all very excited to explore more of Vietnam!
Once we had spent some time at the market, we went to a local park across from Independence Palace to regroup and decide what to do for the afternoon and evening. Everyone was excited to see Independence Palace, also called Reunification Palace. This marks Ho Chi Minh’s home after South Vietnam was reunited with North Vietnam. There are several stories in this massive palace, complete with a helicopter landing pad and a basement bunker.
After we grabbed breakfast, we headed to Bang Niang Market. This market-place has all sorts of items, from Vietnamese themed trinkets to factory reject designer clothing and bags. The market even had produce, and food stands inside. One of the keys to the Bang Niang Market is to bargain with the sellers. Most people start at half of the sellers’ asking price. Asking for less than half can seem disrespectful while accepting the sellers’ initial offer means the customer is paying too much.
As the day went on, the heat began to exhaust people, so we got a quick snack at a cafe in the Times Square area of district 1. We had great mango smoothies and quickly headed back to campus to recharge. Some students ended the night with massages and Thai food while others explored the school and some of the local street food found across the street from campus. All in all, it was a great day and were all very excited to explore more of Vietnam!
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