Road trip adventure

So I got those itchy feet again, and I have been checking out the places to go during these 5 days off, sadly, all the tours that I wanna join are either full or too costly, so I ended up going on a road trip, which I planned since January.

To avoid running on fumes, I made sure my gas tank is full. And we departed at around 9:30, Sam – our leader of the day, and also my amazing ‘driver’ decided that we would take the Vo Van Kiet highway. That is what I love about roadtrip, we can choose our own route, and if we make the right choice, it will be a fantastic trip, and I must say, that is how I felt yesterday. It turned out that riding on the back was a lot more fun; I could enjoy the view of newly constructed apartments, feel the breeze, and doze off occasionally ;)

The first destination is Buu Long Pagoda, located at 81 Nguyen Xien, Long Binh Ward, District 9, hidden in a rural area (you can catch bus line 611 to get there). I highly recommend this place for worshipping, sightseeing, photographing or more. The unique golden stupa of Buu Long pagoda recalls Thai architecture (at least to me it does).

It is said that the pagoda has a [Gotama Cetiya – a stupa masterpiece in Saigon - used for worshiping the Buddha and Noble Sangha relics.] - read more

It was such a pity we didn’t get to see the inside of the stupa, since it was almost 11:30 and you have to take off your shoes in order to get in, and it was lunch break, time out! Instead, we wandered around the area, praying, taking photos here and there. My favourite spot is the turquoise pond right in front of the main building. It creates pleasant atmosphere for visitors.

There is also a small restaurant near the parking lot where you can order veggie meals, iced tea is free ;) The price is reasonable, we paid 86,000 VND for 3 bowls of noodles plus 3 drinks, the taste is fine, it's worth the penny.

After a few minutes 'recharging' our energy, we headed to the second target, Nam Thien Nhat Tru, located at 100 Dang Van Bi, Thu Duc district. Unfortunately, it was 12:30 when we arrived, and it was closed for lunch break (again!). Anyway, it was a day off and we were already there, one more hour was not too long (I guess), so we ordered iced tea and coke from the street vendor, chatting to kill time until 1:30pm.

It was a quiet afternoon, the shades from these trees made it better to sit under the sun during noon hours.

the team of the day ;)

When the clock finally ticked 1:30, I was so eager to get inside, yet the door was still shut, the bell was no where to be found, and I didn't think knocking on the pagoda door is something appropriate to do, I almost gave up and ready to go home. So then I tried my best to get at least one shot, through the closed door.

Suddenly, there came a lady with the keys, and she just saved my plan by getting the door open. Looking at the time, it was past 1:30, pretty punctual lol.

 This is the replica of Ha Noi iconic One-Pillar Pagoda, which was originally built in the 11th century and was rebuilt in 1954 after destruction by the French. The structure and decoration is similar to that of from the North.

 One thing interesting about this place is that there are a lot of fishes and turtles in the lake.

After walking around to pray and take some more photos, I called it a day. We got on our bikes and headed home. It was a four - hour journey on the bike, my last day of April was indeed a very enjoyable day! 

The trip was not just about getting to know new places, I did have some really sweet moments with my friends and I am grateful for those tiny little things you did.

Thank you for being great companions. Thanks again :)

---------

DT

Partea

My plan to get to Partea was quite an adventure. The journey would have been by bus and on foot, it would be a great afternoon with sufficient exercise before indulging myself in the alluring bitterness of tea. And yes, would have been! Sadly my plan A did not work, because it was pouring. So I pressed ahead with plan B, took my moped, got ready and go.

Partea is placed on the 4th floor of an old apartment, which located in the downtown of Saigon. This place can easily be found, since it is next to Nguyen Hue bookstore, and there is also a cute sign hanging right in front of the building. 

You can either take the stairs or the elavator. When I arrived, I was late for my appointment so I used the lift, however, when we left Partea, the stairs were more enjoyable, and to my surprise, there are several other coffee shops, say, about 2 on each floor.

Once I stepped inside Partea, it was no exaggeration to say that it's like stepping into another world. The theme color is white. 

Inside Partea

Cute Factor

Cute Factor

Cute Factor

Cute Factor

Cute Factor

Cute Factor

And everything is displayed in pleasant manners. I got to sit by the window, the view was lovely. The Bitexco building is just across the street, and the treebranches kept dangling alongside with the sound of the wind. Sometimes, I could spot somebody moving back and forth on the rooftop of some houses and it looked creepy, lol.

Bitexco

Speaking of ordering, it's an interesting story. There is a wide range of available choices for tea, pick the one you like, then pick the cup from which you want to savouring your tea. Final step, choose the dessert.

Choose your cup.

Tea

Tea

Sweet Indulgence

I served myself with the Wild Forest and a set of English biscuits. Honestly, I was quite disappointed with the taste, it doesn't carry any distintive flavor, yet the accessories were adorable: the udder shaped mild mug, teapot shaped tea infuser, and I was so in love with the sand tea timer to make sure you brew your tea properly. The biscuit was kinda dry, but the jam was nice.

My Wild Forest Tea

The udder shaped mild mug

Time passed by gently while I got lost in the beautiful melodies of the symphony. It doesn't feel awkward to sit there in silence although I was accompanied by a friend. We both felt comfortable to enjoy those quiet moments.

I would definitely come back for another pick of tea ;)

Tea Price: 70.000/ one person, 90.000/ two people.

Some items are on sale, you can contact the shop assistant for more information.

Partea Facebook

The FIG - Coffee and Lounge

It has been on my list for more than one year, and today I finally managed to put a tick next to it. Yes, I went to The Fig – coffee and lounge this afternoon. And it felt incredible to be there, especially when I was accompanied by great friends.

It was funny at first cause we got lost although I did google map it, and to be honest, I was quite embarassed to struggle to get the right way, anyway, as long as we arrived, it was fine :D

Just as I stepped into the place, the sight evoked a feeling of warmth and peace. There was a statue of buddha right in the middle of the front yard, and I forgot to take a picture of that. Some clouds of steam coming out from somewhere and it smelled very relaxing.

The statue of buddha viewed from the inside.

The atmosphere inside was cozy. Every little thing goes along well with each other, different variations of buddha miniatures were neatly displayed on the shelves or beautifully painted on the wall.

The menu covers almost the whole set. It offers main course, side dish, desserts, drinks, ice cream, and other stuff.

first page of menu

As usual, I'm always excited to discover the tea choices, and guess what I got, 'Organic Orange tea and dill leaves'. The taste was just so refreshing and pleasant, and it kinda carried a flavor of Indian food, as one of my friends remarked.

organic orange tea and dill leaves

  

inside the teapot

We did have a good time savouring the food and planning for our long weekend holliday. The music was absolutely perfect, the playlist was smart, it was a combination of buddhist melodies with some other enjoyable genres.

tiramisu cake

Fried wanton

summer cake

Highly recommended for friends get-together. Beautiful place, great food and drink, nice music, what else should we ask for? Let's call your buddies and drive there.

Me and mah sister :)

Address: 15 Nguyen Thi Huynh, Phu Nhuan district, HCMC

Map

Le Petit Jardin

It has been such a long while since I last had the mood to write review on those amazing coffee shops I’ve been to. I first started all this blogging 2 years ago, then the hectic life out there has become my constant excuse to slip away from a hobby which I always want to pursue.

Anyway, here I am, hitting RESUME on the play of my blogging.

Last week, I got a chance to meet up with my high school friend and my younger mate in college. The location my friend chose was ‘Le petit Jardin’. The name itself is quite intriguing to me, as to my humble knowledge about French, it means ‘A small garden’, I guess, which automatically paints an interesting mental figure in me.

Located on Hoa Mai street, Phan Xich Long area, Phu Nhuan district, one of the most bustling corners of HCMC, Le Petit Jardin has its own advantages when settled in this popular spot for culinary geeks. Directions to the shop is not an issue. Being surrounded by Popeyes, Doughnuts and neighbored to other well-known restaurants such as Thai Express or Tokyo Deli, just to name a few, has given Le Petit Jardin high credits, in terms of location.

It is a two-floor coffee shop. Downstairs, there are two sections, on the right it looks like a small garden with several kinds of plants and flowers while on the left it brings a kind of comfy feeling with those couches.

Upstairs, the interior decoration looks like an old house, with wooden windows painted in different colors display a sense of nostalgia, like back in the early 20^th century, I think :) 

Wooden windows

Teen pose with butterfly background

The another part of the room is covered with butterfly wallpaper, while at the corner, it was highlighted with various shapes of fan’s blades. I indulged myself in the moment of freedom just as I stood by the wall, inhaling the relaxing air those accessories were blowing towards me.

The air of freedom

The menu is interesting. What I love about this place is that they have their own options of tea (which is pretty much the same at most of the other places, with the choices of lipton tea/ Earl Gray/ Dilma tea only.) I got to try Hibicus tea, and they came in a set of a few pieces of biscuits, together with ginger jam. Believe me, it tastes sweet, and looks sweetly beautiful, and only cost fifty-ish VND.

Hibicus Tea

More pictures here

Add: 34 Hoa Mai, Ward 2, Phu Nhuan district, HCMC

Map

Princess and the Pea

If you Google “cool coffee shop in HCMC”, it is likely that you will be overwhelmed by the results. I find myself in such a situation - just too many recommendations popped up. Although I’ve managed to visit some, I still have a long waiting list.

PRINCESS AND THE PEA

Located on the 3^rd floor of an old apartment, hidden in a small alley on Dong Khoi Street (just around the corner of Dong Khoi and Le Thanh Ton street) District 1, PaP is quite a pleasant place to spend your weekend. Inspired by the Danish fairy tale Princess and the Pea, the decoration breathes a cozy atmosphere.  Picture frames featuring princess-themed image hanging on the wall leads to the 3^rd floor. I ,myself, felt very curious. I stopped at every single picture to have a clearer look. I just gazed and let myself be hypnotized by this ‘every girl’s fantasy’.

Photo by Trang DT

The birdcages hanging on the balcony add beauty to the decoration. It makes customers feel like they are not in the city but in paradise where flora and fauna live in harmony with humans. Every arrangement seems to bring about this cozy feeling.

The place may not be roomy enough. However, you can still have privacy talking to your friends, because everybody seems to notice they have to speak quietly to each other. Besides, the music choice here is also a plus. The last time I went there, it’s all about 80s songs, which set a lovely mood for an 80s girl like me. The drinks are kinda the same as others and the prices can be a little expensive, but, you can bring your camera, dress up for some poses there and you’ll have all your penny’s worth.

Photo by Trang DT

I would love to come back here some day and I hope you will stay tuned for more options coming soon .

Me and my drink ;)

Add: 63 Pasteur, Bến Nghé, 1, Ho Chi Minh

Map