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Thursday, December 01, 2022

The Eyes in the Sky @ Ho Chi Minh City [Vietnam]

It's always an exciting affair to travel on a plane but more so when it's to a country for which you have never stepped foot on for the past few decades of your life! 

Therefore, I kept shifting between looking at my watch and then the view outside to check when the sight of land would appear underneath us, as the plane flew across the vast Gulf of Thailand. 

Flew past a few rivers and according to Google Maps, I think they are Hau River, Co Chien River, Ham Luong River and the famous Mekong River. The ancient Chinese always believes that water brings wealth and to me, it brings food as I noted the many agricultural lands! 

This should be the Cape of Dong Tranh; took me a while to find out where exactly I was from Google Maps. Don't you find it fascinating!? I really love Google Maps

Judging from the timing and the buildup in houses instead of farmland, the plane should be within the boundary of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).

Strangely, I wasn't all that impressed; nothing particularly stood out like a humongous temple, towering buildings, designer structures but I figured it has to do with the direction I was facing. 

With a population of more than nine million people, I was expecting a lot more skyscrapers in this largest city of Vietnam. In comparison to Singapore, our residents number about 60-66% of HCMC but our land size is only about 30% of HCMC.

This was what greeted me when the plane was about to land; the buildings were in a tight squeeze and I was wondering where the roads were! To a certain extent, I understand why people prefer motorbikes in Vietnam; definitely easier for navigation! 

6 days in Ho Chi Minh City and I am leaving with a much better understanding of the country! The buildings were not all homogenous, especially when you are much closer to them, and the roads were pretty wide. Nevertheless, the buildings were still packed together like sardines.

Flying past the many river tributaries at Vietnam; can't wait to be back in HCMC again to be honest, despite a greater love for Bangkok


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