After leaving the Saigon Skydeck, we leisurely stroll towards the direction of City Hall. Along the way, we chanced upon a cute souvenir haven called Moji Shop at 92 Đ. Hồ Tùng Mậu.
We ventured inside to explore and they have products ranging from stationery and keychains to plushies, accessories, bags, socks, and more. I ended up purchasing seven items for myself and as souvenirs for others.
We sat in the cafe for nearly 40 minutes. The sudden rain prompted us to linger a bit longer while we waited for the rain to subside before leaving the cafe.
Coco Fresh Tea & Juice
122-124, Đ. Hồ Tùng Mậu, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 70000, Vietnam
Operating hours: 9am to 11pm daily
The Lotus Fountain, positioned in front of Ho Chi Minh statue and City Hall, showcased Vietnam's national flower - the lotus. This was why I had spotted a number of lotus during my two days in this city.
The founding father, Ho Chi Minh Statue is positioned in front of Saigon's People's Committee Building along Nguyen Hue walking street, symbolizing the citizens' gratitude towards their president, Ho Chi Minh.
Saigon City Hall is known as the People’s Committee Building since 1975. It is one of the most renowned structures in Ho Chi Minh City, with the presence of old colonial charm and a symbol of the city's rich history. The building is inaccessible to the public as it functions as a government building of Vietnam.
Before we can cross the road for a closer look at the building, the drizzle turned heavier. With our umbrella left in the hotel, we were stuck at Rex Hotel. We decided to take a Grab ride back to our service apartment which cost 32,000VND (or S$1.83) for 11 minutes drive. Though our serviced apartment was a little out of the way, it was still convenient to travel around with Grab.
We rested for an hour in our room while waiting for the rain to stop. Once the rain subsided, we headed out at 5.30pm for an early dinner at Victory Restaurant & Coffee since we only had brunch earlier today. The restaurant was just two minutes walk from our apartment.
We ordered a plate of fish, chicken and two portions of rice for dinner. Unfortunately, the chicken turned out to be a disappointment as practically every piece served was bones with little meat.
Lucky, the fish was delightful, with a savory taste by the aromatic broth that enhanced the overall flavor of the meat. The cost of dinner was 390,000VND (or S$22.29). The price was considered reasonable as the restaurant was below a hotel (Victory Hotel).
Victory Restaurant & Coffee
14 Võ Văn Tần, Phường 6, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
We finished our dinner at 6.30pm, the sky was already dark when we came out. Since the time was still early, we located the nearest convenience for some shopping. We found a 7-Eleven which was about 8 minutes walk away from the restaurant.
When in overseas, convenience stores and supermarkets become my go-to spots, especially for collecting snacks to bring back home. After shopping for 20 minutes, I got 5 packet of snacks for a total of 60,000VND (or S$3.43).
We returned back to our serviced apartment at 7 plus since after our snack shopping. With limited activities we can do nearby, we opt for a leisure evening. We took turn to indulge in a long relaxing bath, a rare luxury in our busy lives. Thanks Linda for the bath bomb and facial mask.
Some of the stuff I bought from Moji Shop and 7-Eleven today.
We continued with our variety shows on YouTube until we settled for the night. With that, our day 2 came to a close.
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