Stuffed Toys

Joyce wanted to buy a big stuffed toy to welcome Adel in Aug 08. So on our way back home this evening, we stopped by this roadside makeshift instant stall (if you can call it one) - they spring up every evening by the roadside selling bread, sea food, stuffed toys etc. Ended up buying the dog for 150,000VND (S$12.50) and the frog 100,000VND (S$8.30).















Good friends - dog n frog














difficult choice...



















eat your hearts out...

School-in-Army (SIA) Club

I was invited by Mr Nhan to join a meeting of the SIA Club, a newly formed club for youths with a military-slant. There were speeches and a popular local singer graced the occasion. All in all, it was interesting to see what drives the new kids of Vietnam today.

The youths were very fond of Mr Nhan














Posing















Happiness is a pix with a star















Group discussion

Paying money is so painful

Went to ABC Int'l School to pay for Bryan's and Adel's school fees for the year. Really painful. Used to be at the receiving end when I was in SIS-HCMC (not that the money came to me!!) and wondered how the parents felt paying such exhorbitant fees. Now that I'm at the paying end, goodness, it's pure agony to part with such money... US$20,850 for one year for the both of them (not counting uniforms etc)...it's blood money - from our "sweat and blood"

$ob $ob $ob $ob















Bryan in his new PE uniform

IT Exhibition@HIECC (16-20 Jul 08)

This IT exhibition is an annual affair and thus a big thing here. But the crowds still do not match up to the frenzy in Singapore with at least 4 exhibitions a year.

Dressing up as strange characters - wonder who they are?













Part of the crowd














Bought a Brothers Fax Machine for 5,150,000VND

Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park

Joyce and I visited the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park. It's quiet and peaceful on a Sunday, and almost a replica of Jurong. Passed by the Canary (nothing built yet) and Oasis (nice residential units) and also saw the site for the International School of Saigon.

Wide and clean roads in VSIP












The Oasis











ISS@Binh Duong

Kite Day

Noel & Yvonne came over with their man-size eagle kite, and we headed to Sunrise City to fly the big eagle and the little kites. Reached there to find dozens of kites already dotting the sky. It was a good ... and face-saving thing that the giant bird managed to take off in the company of many kaypoh locals. All in all, a fun afternoon that we'll never have in SG. Dinner at Al Fresco - good company.

Kite sellers @ Sunrise City















Kites basking in the sun's rays














That's a big bird



















Noel & Yvonne having fun














Bryan managed to get the big bird off the ground



















Noel flying his big bird (kite! kite!)

Andrew & Jessica

Andrew and Jessica, friends of Ah Fong, came down to HCMC for a visit. Bryan and I met them and had a good chat.