I went for a walk in Ho Chi Minh City

A 14km walk around HCMC to be precise; from Sam's flat down around District 1 and back through a lot of ridiculous traffic.

First job was not to die crossing the roads, the road are full of motorcycles that just drive however they feel at the time, including the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic. Stopping for people to cross is an unknown and red lights are decorative rather than paid attention to.




















My first stop was a memorial to Thích Quảng Đức, the buddhist monk who burned himself to death in protest to the Vietnamese treatment of buddhists in the early 60's.































Then I headed to the Bitexco Tower, tallest building in HCMC. Didn't go up as it didn't open until 10am and I got there way too early.




















Next, was a walk along Saigon River to a small park with a statue to Trần Hưng Đạo - the supreme commander of Vietnam who stopped the Mongols invading when they had taken over China and become the Yuan dynasty.






























 There were lots of people around watering the plants, which seems odd when they get downpours every afternoon here.














 

Working my way further into what is left of the French architecture, I passed the Saigon Opera House and several hotels to reach the Notre Dame Catherdral and The General Post Office next to it.

The Post Office

 You could wander around inside the cathedral and take a few pictures, there was at least 12 couples having their wedding photos done around here. Not sure if it is the same as China and they are being done before the wedding or if they were actually getting married today.

 I passed through a couple of parks with lots of propaganda posters from the Vietnamese army to get to Hồ Con Rùa, a lake roundabout with turtles.

My final stop, before lunch and shopping, was the Reunification Palace. I did go around inside but that needs a separate post.


Feet hurt now, will be glad of the spa day tomorrow :-)

Half term is here

So after the longest continual teaching, moving house stretch I've encountered half term is finally here! It was a nine week term here and a two week move in HK, one week move in UK and a seven week term in UK before that therefore not surprised that I want to sleep for the week.

Instead I'm heading to Ho Chi Minh City for the week to finally catch up with Sam and do a bit of sightseeing. Very excited to get over there, somewhere new and interesting to look around.

Anyway a few pictures that show some of the scenes that impressed me in HK. Will try to send some from HCMC next week.

Cross country on a beach

Today I went out with our cross country C and D grade pupils to a race against other schools in HK. I help run training at school five days a week so it is good to see them competing (the last two were cancelled by a typhoon and then air pollution).

So at the end of school we jumped on the bus and headed to Ma On Shan to the race. Which was along a beach! So I got to hang around on the beach organising pupils for a couple of hours after school. Definitely beats marking and to top it all our girls came first in both age categories, in fact our under 12's came 1,2 and 3 out of 20 :-) so it appears all the hours of training, nagging and timing them at least paid off.

Did see a funny thing whilst we were on the beach though. In China wedding photos of the bride and groom are done before the wedding day. So this couple, in their full wedding outfits, have come down to the beach to complete their photos before the big day. The photographer sets up all the lighting equipment, gets them positioned with a nice scenic background, starts taking pictures and then they get photo bombed by 40 teenage girls on their cross country run at almost full sprint, sending the bride falling and the photographer KEEPS taking more pictures. In fact he insists they keep taking pictures until they can get the boys run in shot too as it adds 'atmosphere'. I'm not sure if the photographer was just odd, or if that kind of thing is just normal over here. I did laugh when one girl got tangled in the bride's train.

Anyway off on another junk this Saturday so need to find more seasickness tablets, especially with a 25km hike on Sunday with the whole of Year 12 for their charity hike training. Hopefully I can get some pictures on this leg. Definitely wish I had had time to grab my phone for the photo bombing today!

Day on a Junk

So yesterday went out to Lamma Island on a junk boat with a group of people, some that I work with and some I've never met before. It's essentially a boat full of alcohol and food for 8 hrs.

However thunderstorms tend to create choppy seas, which despite Anti - sickness tablets still left me seasick. Didn't touch any alcohol for the whole day but was very entertained by everyone else being plastered, especially the stupidity of swimming in deep current filled water when you are incapable of even standing. Everyone returned safely, just in case you worried.

Anyway managed to take a few pictures of the coast and ships once we started heading back.

Hope everyone is well.

The bay where the junk boats stop at Lamma

My flat is hidden up in this district, you can't see though!

Kowloon, and the thunderstorm and pollution that blocks the view of it.

Mum and dad; your hotel is somewhere in those buildings on the far left

Hey all

Not sure if it is safe to post after significant alcohol consumption but you know. It's nearly one in the morning and I've been drinking with karaoke but hey yeah!

No body else can take me higher. Living in this city is amazing. I'm overwhelmed by opportunity and the option to be so many different versions of me. Nothing is simple or boring, life is out there for the grasping and my old thoughts that are as small as the UK seem ridiculous. It's time to begin isn't it?

Go out there and find it, life is bigger than you imagine ☺

Cos I'm on top of the world, hey, I'm on top of the world , hey, been waiting on this for a while now,  paying my dues to the dirt, I been waiting to smile, hey, been holding it in for a while, hey, take you with me if I can, been waiting on this since a child, I 'm on top of the world!

For those of you back in Eastbourne, Newbury, Heathfield, Thatcham, Birmingham etc., stuck in this idea of this small world, the UK is safe and simple. Please get out there and enjoy it, there is more to life than what you instantly see. Live your life while your blood is boiling etc. (Apologies for the imagine dragons references). But nothing I have done is as fulfilling as teaching and living here (even if I'm completely shattered).

I just wish my Aunt Sharon could have seen this, she would have loved this life. She would have revelled in this opportunity. It's just a shame she never took it. I hope that she knows she is here with me every second, as is everyone I left in the UK. Enjoy it everyone, because I definitely am ☺