It was quite literally, just one afternoon in Saigon.
Apart from the long commute from the airport to Zone 1, we did manage to visit some sights!
OUR 1 DAY ITINERARY
- Saigon Central Post Office
- Notre Dame Cathedral
- Ho Chi Minh City Hall
- Cafe Apartments
Saigon is split into districts, and so most of our itinerary landed us in District 1 since it's the city center. We managed to see most places in District 1, everything was in walking distance. If we had more time, maybe in the morning or another day, we could have gone to other places but here's what we managed.
SAIGON CENTRAL POST OFFICE
One of the most iconic tourist destinations in Ho Chi Minh City, it's actually a functioning post office to my surprise.
With beautiful colonial architecture and ornate decorations, it felt like I was back in Europe. Inside though are regular people sending letters, the tourists and merchants selling trinkets and souvenirs to said-tourists. I didn't manage to get some, unfortunately. Only some photos.
One of the most iconic tourist destinations in Ho Chi Minh City, it's actually a functioning post office to my surprise.
With beautiful colonial architecture and ornate decorations, it felt like I was back in Europe. Inside though are regular people sending letters, the tourists and merchants selling trinkets and souvenirs to said-tourists. I didn't manage to get some, unfortunately. Only some photos.
NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL
There is a surprising amount of French Colonial Architecture here in the city, like the Notre Dame Cathedral. And like the Notre Dame in France, it was closed for construction. Oh well.
Tall at 60 meters, the stained glass windows and all-red brick were imported from Marseille. It is still a functioning church with a Virgin Mary statue right in front. It's one of the few strongholds of catholicism in a largely Buddhist Vietnam.
Tall at 60 meters, the stained glass windows and all-red brick were imported from Marseille. It is still a functioning church with a Virgin Mary statue right in front. It's one of the few strongholds of catholicism in a largely Buddhist Vietnam.
HO CHI MINH CITY HALL
It was closed by the time we arrived by 5.
A pastel yellow fixture that oversaw the long walk. The city hall is one of the most iconic and well-preserved landmarks in Vietnam, with a statue of Ho Chi Minh in front of the main building. I wish I could have gone inside but I'll settle for next time.
CAFE APARTMENTS
It is what it is. A stack of cafes and shops in an apartment block.
I've never seen anything as cool and eclectic as this. We trudged up the stairs to see different shops as there are no layouts for the floors. It's the fun kind of maze, finding little treasures on your adventure. We found ourselves at a small bakery to rest before we went back to the airport.
Photos by
The one place I wished we did got to was Ben Thanh Market but it had closed early, and the night market opened later. We didn't have enough time to visit and make it back to the airport on time.
Still, Vietnam left me a sweet taste and a longing to go back. Only time will tell when.
Still, Vietnam left me a sweet taste and a longing to go back. Only time will tell when.
Have you ever been to Saigon?
Where is your next destination?
with love,
Bash Harry
It's a little too big for one and somehow always messy, but much better than sharing a cramped room with my sisters. I was planning on saving up to do a giant room renovation. However, I quickly realised doing it all in one go is a lot of money.
So, I decided to do the Room Makeover in smaller, manageable parts. In this new series; Room Diaries, I'm going to show how I'm going to - or try to - update and renovate my bedroom! Starting off with compiling inspiration and creating a mood board!
The mood board was designed using Melissa Carter's free template which I desperately needed. I've compiled a Pinterest board with my favourite room inspirations. None are perfect but they have little bits and pieces that I'm planning to steal.
HIGHLIGHTS IN THE MOODBOARD:
- Artworks
Having artwork feels like an essential part of adulthood thus I want some artwork in my room. Specifically this giant art piece by Photowall. It was gifted to me but I still have no idea where to put it. I'm hoping to find its place before the end of the year.
- Neutral Tones with Pops of Blue & Gold
Keeping in mind that my room is fairly dark and masculine due to the wood. I would like to change that. Whether that would mean removing the mood and repainting it or something else, I'd like to stick with neutral tones with pops of blue and gold. I just like the colors together.
- Easy &Accessible Storage
There are a lot of closed cabinets that I don't know what to do with. Currently, there are hiding photo albums and unseemly junk. I'm hoping to declutter within the next few months then perhaps purchase some cute storage for easier organisation.
- Mirrors
Cause y'know, vanity. That and mirrors are an easy way to bring light into the room. Since I only have one source of light (that's covered by trees) through the windows, mirrors cross the room would be great to bounce off light into the room.
- Maybe 1 or 2 Plants
I don't know whether I'm ready to be a plant mom. I can barely take care of myself. That being said, I would like a few to spruce up a room and maybe give myself a lifeform to care for. I need to start researching easy-to-care plants soon.
Subscribe to Bash Harry
I made a video if you'd rather watch!
This Room Diaries is a long process to help make this bedroom feel like a home. While I don't know how long I'm staying here yet, it's better to start now than never. Maybe the next part will be about decluttering.
Have you ever redecorated your room?
with love,
Bash Harry
Bet you wanna skip my calls now,
Well guess what? I like that."
Lorde defined us as 'the loveless generation'.
Whether sarcastic or otherwise, its concept rings true to me. A generation without love as a necessity or opportunity. We have made unloving mainstream. Breaking hearts and having hearts broken is an infinite cycle we play every few weeks.
Whether sarcastic or otherwise, its concept rings true to me. A generation without love as a necessity or opportunity. We have made unloving mainstream. Breaking hearts and having hearts broken is an infinite cycle we play every few weeks.
The decision to stay unloved and sad. After all, if we're not dancing the sadness away, we're wallowing in it.
Or is that just me?
I wouldn't call myself loveless.
Never. I've got plenty to spare. Wrapped in bows to give away like gifts to strangers. Truly, I think I yearn for it. Just as many now do and always have. The desire to feel loved and be in love isn't new. All the great stories were built upon it.
Romeo & Juliet.
Orpheus & Eurydice.
Paris & Helen.
They all ended in tragedy. So few good stories end happily. Yet we still crave it. The feeling of love, forgetting that it will end as does all things.
And that's okay.
To be young and in love is beautiful, even if it is temporary. Even when you know it is temporary. Even when you know heartbreak is inevitable. It becomes valuable.
Never. I've got plenty to spare. Wrapped in bows to give away like gifts to strangers. Truly, I think I yearn for it. Just as many now do and always have. The desire to feel loved and be in love isn't new. All the great stories were built upon it.
Romeo & Juliet.
Orpheus & Eurydice.
Paris & Helen.
They all ended in tragedy. So few good stories end happily. Yet we still crave it. The feeling of love, forgetting that it will end as does all things.
And that's okay.
To be young and in love is beautiful, even if it is temporary. Even when you know it is temporary. Even when you know heartbreak is inevitable. It becomes valuable.
Your time together is perishable.
So you hold them closer, stay in their arms a little while longer. Remember their smell, the faint musk of black coffee and freshly washed sheets. You stare at their smiles, thin lips pressed and light stubble hiding their jawline. Your fingers brushing their brows then your eyes lock theirs. Caught in an embrace of hazel and brown.
They tell you, "I'm here, I'll always be here." In a fleeting moment of bliss, you believe them. You kiss their forehead and whisper, "I'm yours, as much as you are mine."
And you almost believe it.
They tell you, "I'm here, I'll always be here." In a fleeting moment of bliss, you believe them. You kiss their forehead and whisper, "I'm yours, as much as you are mine."
And you almost believe it.
You wonder when will it end, and hope it isn't soon. Because now, right now, they are beautiful and they are here. They love you but they will leave you.
After all, they are only temporary.
After all, they are only temporary.
Terima Kasih means 'Thank You' in Malay. And now you should know why this is my new favorite shirt.
I had written this back in 2017 when I was blasting Lorde's Melodrama playlist in the library instead of actually studying for my degree. I always thought to delete it but three years later, it's published on Valentine's Day. It feels better in hindsight.
About three years now and I'm finally finishing it.
Feelings are as temperamental as the weather but my favourites rarely change. The subtle differences in my mood when I'm out, or doing something I love. You never get bored of it. It's personal, it's close, it's good.
These are some of my Favourite Feelings.
It sounds silly but there's something right about being in your own bed. I spent three years moving houses, sleeping in different beds but never feeling quite right. When I came back home, I laid on my old bed and slept till the afternoon. I woke up in a familiar place, sunlight peaking in.
I felt safe, I felt good.
2. OPENING UP TO SOMEONE
I never heard a term for this until my first year of Uni. Late night in the James Owen Court Halls, a friend and I had tea without creamers, sharing stories from Brunei and Kenya among others. I remember seeing his eyes glint as he went on, missing his friends across this wide world. It was a feeling I knew well. Later, he thanked me for this 'DMC.'
"What's that?" I asked.
"Deep Meaningful Conversation, D.M.C."
Oh.
3. ACCOMPLISHING A LIFE-LONG GOAL
Last year, my first pilot premiered.
They hired me as a writer, so I wrote the repilot of their miniseries. I was too busy and exhausted to get excited over it then, not to mention I was 8000km away. Now though, I think about my first professional writing experience. It was recently nominated for Best Asian Drama at the First Asia Content Awards.
I did that, no one can take that away from me.
4. FINISHING A GOOD BOOK
There are some books that get you emotionally invested, your eyes glued to the pages. This happens sometimes but rare enough that it leaves you drained once you closed the paperback. Your mind racing from the plot or the prose. It's rare that it happens now, but when it does...damn.
If I could recommend a book, that would be Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give or It's Not About The Burqa: Muslim Women on Faith, Feminism, Sexuality, and Race.
Both are amazing.
5. LONG WALKS ALONE
A little melancholic but I like it.
When I lived closer to town and the nights were colder, I'd just take walks. I would grab the closest jacket and head out the door, just to walk from one end of town to the other. I'd sit outside with my headphones in to sit somewhere new and scenic, on bus benches as I watch drunks coming home from the pub.
It was just the right kind of loneliness.
I haven't done this in years.
Let's try again.
These are the 5 Things that struck me in January.
1. Visited Sri Lanka for the First Time
It was planned and not planned.
It feels like my first holiday in a loooong time. Rather than sticking to a strict plan for work and cameras in my face, I spent it walking along with new places while I caught up with old friends on rooftop bars. We watched the sunset then tried to finish a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. What a lazy holiday heaven. No cameras around (okay, not true - less photo taking)
2. Ella-Kandy Train Ride
It's called the Most Beautiful Train Ride in the World, and definitely for a good reason.
We managed to book some seats but the other seat blocked the window. What we could peak though was stunning. Sprawls of trees and mountain views passing by. It got significantly warmer as the train moved down to the hotter areas. I managed to get some nice shots leaning out the train.
Don't do this on the subway kiddos.
3. Finished My Internship
A little bittersweet but I'm happy nonetheless. I mentioned it in my Year in Review that I started a 3-month internship involved in Climate Change. It was tiring yet the most absolute fun I've had in an office. I'm glad to have helped out as much as I could in these short 3 months.
4. Started Bullet Journaling
And it's actually going well!
It started on a whim. When I'm anxious (or about to get my period), I spend hours jotting down future ideas. On the last week of December, a wave of ideas for bullet journaling happened for some reason. I bought a Leuchtturm1917 Dotted Journal and some pens, spent 4 hours detailing how the first 20 pages look and here we are now.
I'm not writing every day but I'm consistent. It feels like my mind is going somewhere again.
5. Finished 6 Books
Considering I only read about 8 books last year - I think I've started off quite strong.
I finished the last pages of the Flowers in the Chakrawala by my friend, Hariz Fadhilah on New Year's Day, and finished the audiobooks; Alan Cumming's Not My Father's Son and How to Be a Grown-Up by Daisy Buchanan. In Sri Lanka, I read the Wisdom of Whores and Forest of Enchantments while on beaches and trains. And just finishing up the month with Chuck Palahnuik's Fight Club. Now, I can finally watch the movie.
I'm surprised I read as many books as I did. Perhaps it's the heat and leisure that compelled me. With February rolling around, I might finally start with Michelle Obama's Becoming soon!
My January months tend to feel painful, usually in hindsight. This January feels different, I find that good. It started with good sleep and ended in a beautiful sunset. I've gotten a bit of a tan to prove it. The past decade's fading behind my lines. I can't wait to see what 2020 has to offer.
It was planned and not planned.
It feels like my first holiday in a loooong time. Rather than sticking to a strict plan for work and cameras in my face, I spent it walking along with new places while I caught up with old friends on rooftop bars. We watched the sunset then tried to finish a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. What a lazy holiday heaven. No cameras around (okay, not true - less photo taking)
2. Ella-Kandy Train Ride
It's called the Most Beautiful Train Ride in the World, and definitely for a good reason.
We managed to book some seats but the other seat blocked the window. What we could peak though was stunning. Sprawls of trees and mountain views passing by. It got significantly warmer as the train moved down to the hotter areas. I managed to get some nice shots leaning out the train.
Don't do this on the subway kiddos.
3. Finished My Internship
A little bittersweet but I'm happy nonetheless. I mentioned it in my Year in Review that I started a 3-month internship involved in Climate Change. It was tiring yet the most absolute fun I've had in an office. I'm glad to have helped out as much as I could in these short 3 months.
4. Started Bullet Journaling
And it's actually going well!
It started on a whim. When I'm anxious (or about to get my period), I spend hours jotting down future ideas. On the last week of December, a wave of ideas for bullet journaling happened for some reason. I bought a Leuchtturm1917 Dotted Journal and some pens, spent 4 hours detailing how the first 20 pages look and here we are now.
I'm not writing every day but I'm consistent. It feels like my mind is going somewhere again.
5. Finished 6 Books
Considering I only read about 8 books last year - I think I've started off quite strong.
I finished the last pages of the Flowers in the Chakrawala by my friend, Hariz Fadhilah on New Year's Day, and finished the audiobooks; Alan Cumming's Not My Father's Son and How to Be a Grown-Up by Daisy Buchanan. In Sri Lanka, I read the Wisdom of Whores and Forest of Enchantments while on beaches and trains. And just finishing up the month with Chuck Palahnuik's Fight Club. Now, I can finally watch the movie.
I'm surprised I read as many books as I did. Perhaps it's the heat and leisure that compelled me. With February rolling around, I might finally start with Michelle Obama's Becoming soon!
I didn’t tell my parents I was solo traveling until the plane took off. I sent a quick selfie to the family group chat, said goodbye and turned off my phone. Suffice to say, they weren’t thrilled.
The day I booked the tickets, my mind wasn’t working right. I had been crying, worried, angry at myself. It could’ve been anywhere. I had been looking at Oslo the night before but the tickets to Venice were cheap - a return from Bristol was only £24. That Saturday morning, I booked the flights and the following Monday, I left.
I never thought solo traveling was for me, I imagined someone else tagging along but this was a trip I had to do myself. It was a necessity. Four short days in Venice, Italy left me better than ever.
Here’s why.
1. It’s terrifying.
The first thing I did when the plane landed in Venice that late evening was break my portable charger. I had tripped on my way to Immigration, which took so long I almost missed my bus to the hostel.
Not a great start to my trip.
When traveling alone, there is an underlying tone of fear. I clutched my backpack, had no valuables in my pocket, and printed copies of my passport. I always returned to the accommodation before 8pm. These small precautions made my trip feel safer, I wouldn’t have done if I traveled in a group.
This fear heightens your awareness of your surroundings. You’re focused on new people and the places you go. Solo traveling makes the fear just a slightly bit more real (in a good way, I promise).
2. Time for self-reflection
I spent more time writing notes in cafes and streets in those 3 days than I did in the past 6 months.
I was able to do what I want when I wanted. Whether to see landmarks or sitting down at a cafe just to write my thoughts on said-landmarks. Being alone in a new city provided me space to think, at a time when I was incredibly lost. I had no direction, no reason, no feelings left to comprehend anything.
If I didn’t leave the UK, I don’t think I would have made it.
You’re forced to grow. When I felt empty, I left to develop a new sense of self. The change of scenery and time away makes you think. I definitely needed that.
3. Being alone is okay
I struggled with being alone, I always needed to be with someone - friend or otherwise. My mornings and nights spent attached to the point it had become exhausting. I had forgotten who I was by being another. For someone like me, supposedly so sure of myself, that was destroying.
Taking time to be alone meant I started enjoying myself.
I realized my love for writing again, typing out feelings and research in one article or more. Taking photos without keeping others waiting. I even missed sitting down just to take in the scenery. I hadn't done that in so long.
4. You're a freaking BADASS.
Seriously. Going to a new place without anyone, feeling afraid but doing it anyway is bravery to me. At the moment of my first solo trip, I was having a meltdown and didn't think about the wild adventure I was about to go on.
I walked around Venice streets alone and heartbroken. Instead of sulking, I wrote about it instead. Badassery can be as small as picking up a pen and writing, or as big as traveling. It's all subjective.
I walked around Venice streets alone and heartbroken. Instead of sulking, I wrote about it instead. Badassery can be as small as picking up a pen and writing, or as big as traveling. It's all subjective.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
