Turtle Lake (Hồ Con Rùa) @ Ho Chi Minh City [Vietnam]

The Cong Cafe I patronized on my first day in Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) overlooked this Turtle Lake (Hồ Con Rùa) that was smacked in the middle of a roundabout. 

Since the cafe was closing, we decided to check it out. According to the Great Kon, it was a rendezvous point for younger Vietnamese although the key question in the mind of a Singaporean was; no traffic light, no zebra crossing, why would people risk their life to walk across?! 

Anyway, this turtle lake has no turtle and its name came about due to a turtle statue that was placed there until it was destroyed a few decades ago, in 1978. Design was unconventional albeit dated with a 34-meter tall tower shaped like the outer layer of an onion blossom (well, they said it was a giant lotus, which I shall agree to disagree).

With a history almost as long as the independence of Singapore, what surprised me more was its popularity with the younger generation, especially in the current handphone era when youngsters are more likely to stay at home or chill out in cafes etc. 

It's a nice feeling as my teenager / young adult days were like this; when friends would just meet up and chat the night away at a chillout location! Nowadays, the snooze bug would have bitten me at about 10.00 pm although the allure of Facebook / YouTube videos would entice me to hit the bed later.

So how did this lake came about? It used to be the location of an ancient gate belonging to the last Vietnamese dynasty and its construction as a man-made lake was said to be a result of Feng Shui. You may read more here. 

Whatever the history, the point is that the location, in spite of the potential risk, remains highly popular with the populace; resulting in the unusual sprouting of mobile food stalls by the inner street side of the roundabout, satisfying human's basic physiological need of the Maslow's hierarchy. 

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Map

As above.

Click here for my 6 Days Itinerary in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) - Pearl of the Far East @ Vietnam