TRAVELLIVE 04-2016
Istanbul, the first days of spring… I’m warming myself in the sun on a café’s balcony in the Old Town. The sunbeams are as stunning as the fine strands of newly reeled silk. Meanwhile the old oak trees give their morning greeting to the glossy stone road as their red-brown leaves gently fall. The Old Town is still half-asleep, like a lazy girl who’s turned off her alarm after ringing the first time. Sunlight visits each street, dancing happily on passers-by’s shoulders, making the atmosphere more intimate to me – the traveler’s first time here. I feel more amorous in Istanbul. I’m enchanted by everything, from sweet lokum to the light sour ice-cream with ground ice on top, or from the gorgeous domes of hundreds of mosques and palaces to their uniquely designed windows, and from the discreet eyes of Muslim girls to the multitude of boards and posters with the images of Besiktas – the city’s legendary football team. I have fallen in love with Bosphorus Bay since the first time seeing the seagulls hovering in the open sky, creating invisible strings that connect the two continents – Asia and Europe. The clear blue sky is reflected on the deep blue sea, giving me tranquility. I drop my last Lira into the water of the Bosphorus, not to make a wish, but in hopes that they will preserve my memories here. And somehow, the water currents might bring them somewhere else to be found by me again, or might accidentally be stumbled upon by a boy who is playing with sand on a sunny beach. Tomorrow, I will go to Grand Bazzar, buy some postcards, and write something to leave beneath the sun near a mosque before sending them to some friends of mine. I do hope that these postcards, together with the coins, will inspire and attract more visitors to this land. Uhm… will you come there?
Istanbul, the first days of spring…
I’m warming myself in the sun on a café’s balcony in the Old Town. The sunbeams are as stunning as the fine strands of newly reeled silk. Meanwhile the old oak trees give their morning greeting to the glossy stone road as their red-brown leaves gently fall. The Old Town is still half-asleep, like a lazy girl who’s turned off her alarm after ringing the first time. Sunlight visits each street, dancing happily on passers-by’s shoulders, making the atmosphere more intimate to me – the traveler’s first time here.
I feel more amorous in Istanbul. I’m enchanted by everything, from sweet lokum to the light sour ice-cream with ground ice on top, or from the gorgeous domes of hundreds of mosques and palaces to their uniquely designed windows, and from the discreet eyes of Muslim girls to the multitude of boards and posters with the images of Besiktas – the city’s legendary football team.
I have fallen in love with Bosphorus Bay since the first time seeing the seagulls hovering in the open sky, creating invisible strings that connect the two continents – Asia and Europe. The clear blue sky is reflected on the deep blue sea, giving me tranquility. I drop my last Lira into the water of the Bosphorus, not to make a wish, but in hopes that they will preserve my memories here. And somehow, the water currents might bring them somewhere else to be found by me again, or might accidentally be stumbled upon by a boy who is playing with sand on a sunny beach.
Tomorrow, I will go to Grand Bazzar, buy some postcards, and write something to leave beneath the sun near a mosque before sending them to some friends of mine. I do hope that these postcards, together with the coins, will inspire and attract more visitors to this land. Uhm… will you come there?
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WINDSOR PLAZA HOTEL<br />
*18 An D≠¨ng V≠¨ng, Q 5, Tp.<br />
HCM, Vietnam *Tel: 3833 6688<br />
*Fax: 3833 6888 *Email: services@<br />
windsorplazahotel.com)<br />
RESTAURANTS<br />
AU LAC DO BRAZIL STEAK<br />
RESTAURANT<br />
(238 Pasteur, District.3 *Tel: 3820<br />
7157 *Website: www.aulacdobrazil.<br />
com)<br />
CHIT CHAT RESTAURANT<br />
Daily menu change for our breakfast<br />
and dinner buffets, served in a<br />
relaxing atmosphere. 8 live cooking<br />
stations with over 60 varieties of<br />
domestic and international mouthwatering<br />
dishes. A meeting place to<br />
enjoy a cup of coffee from selected<br />
premium blends and delicious<br />
house-made pastries and cakes.<br />
(242 Tran Binh Trong st., Dist.5<br />
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam *Tel:<br />
3839 7777, ext. 8000 *Email:<br />
dine@hcm.equatorial.com)<br />
GOOD MORNING VIETNAM<br />
(197 ß“ Th∏m, Phπm NgÚ L∑o,<br />
Dist.1 *Tel: 3837 1894 *Website:<br />
www.thegoodmorningvietnam.com)<br />
INDOCHINE<br />
(26 Tr≠¨ng ßnh, Dist.3<br />
* Tel: 3930 8421)<br />
MANDARINE<br />
(11A Ng´ V®n N®m,<br />
District 1*Tel: 3822 9783)<br />
MAXIM'S NAM AN<br />
(13 - 15 - 17 ßÂng KhÎi, Dist.1<br />
*Tel: 3829 6676)<br />
PARKROYAL SAIGON HOTEL<br />
(311 Nguy‘n V®n TrÁi, T©n B◊nh<br />
District, HCMC *Tel: 08 3842<br />
1111 * www.parkroyalhotels.com/<br />
saigon.)<br />
PHô 24<br />
(5 Nguy‘n Thi÷p, District 1<br />
*Tel: 3822 6278 *Website:<br />
http://pho24.com.vn)<br />
NHÄ HÄNG NGON<br />
Nhµ hµng Ngon Æ∑ Æπt Æ≠Óc nhi“u<br />
gi∂i th≠Îng trong vµ ngoµi n≠Ìc nh≠<br />
14 n®m li“n Æπt gi∂i th≠Îng uy t›n<br />
The Guide Award, nªm trong danh<br />
s∏ch c∏c nhµ hµng nÊi ti’ng nh†t<br />
Ch©u É cÒa thedailymeal.com.<br />
Ngon Restaurant has gained many<br />
domestic and international awards<br />
such as The Guide Award (14<br />
consecutive years) and voted by<br />
thedailymeal.com as one of the<br />
most renowned restaurants<br />
in Asia.<br />
(160 Pasteur, District 1 *Tel:<br />
(+84-8) 3827 7131 *Fax: (+84-8)<br />
3827 7127 *Email: info@<br />
quananngon.com)<br />
QUÉN NGON 138<br />
Qu∏n Ngon 138 lµ s˘ k’t hÓp<br />
gi˜a tinh hoa v®n ho∏ »m th˘c vÌi<br />
kh´ng gian ki’n trÛc truy“n thËng<br />
cÒa ng≠Íi Vi÷t - M„n Vi÷t ngon<br />
trong kh´ng gian Vi÷t.<br />
138 Nam K˙ KhÎi Ngh‹a , QuÀn<br />
1, T.p HÂ Ch› Minh *Tel: (08) 38<br />
279 666 / (08) 38 257 179 *Email:<br />
ngon138@saigonkhanhnguyen.vn<br />
*Website: www.quanngon138.com)<br />
Ngon 138 Restaurant proudly<br />
offers our precious customers a<br />
perfect combination of the essence<br />
of Vietnamese gastronomic culture<br />
and the beauty of the traditional<br />
Vietnamese wooden architecture -<br />
Vietnamese food tastes better in a<br />
Vietnamese home.<br />
NGON ASIA HOUSE<br />
TÀp hÓp h¨n 300 m„n ®n Æ∆c<br />
tr≠ng cÒa 5 n“n »m th˘c nÊi ti’ng<br />
Ch©u É lµ Hµn QuËc, NhÀt B∂n,<br />
Trung Hoa, Th∏i Lan vµ Vi÷t Nam<br />
d≠Ìi cÔng mÈt m∏i nhµ.<br />
Home to more than 300 signature<br />
dishes of 5 renowned Asian culinary<br />
cultures: Korea, Japan, China,<br />
Thailand and Vietnam.<br />
(Saigon Garden, 99 Nguy‘n Hu÷,<br />
Q.1,TP.HCM *Tel: 08 3821 3821,<br />
Facebook: www.facebook.com/<br />
ngonasia)<br />
BARS/CAFES<br />
CHILL SKYBAR SAIGON<br />
(T«ng 26, AB Tower, 76 L Lai, Q.1,<br />
TP.HCM *Tel: 0938 822 838 *Website:<br />
www.chillsaigon.com)<br />
CALIBRE CHARNER<br />
(Floor 1, Palace Hotel Saigon,<br />
56 - 66 Nguy‘n Hu÷, 1 District<br />
*Tel: 3829 2860 *Website: http://<br />
www.palacesaigon.com)<br />
LA HABANA<br />
(6 Cao B∏ Qu∏t, District 1<br />
*Tel: 3829 5180)<br />
SPAS<br />
ANNAM SPA<br />
(26-28 ß´ng Du, Dist.1<br />
*Tel: 3825 1250 *Website: http://<br />
www.annamspa.vn/vn)<br />
CRYSTAL SPA<br />
(Tang 3, 202 Hoang Van Thu,<br />
Q.Phu Nhuan, TP.HCM *Tel: 3847<br />
9964 *3847 9295)<br />
SHAPE LINE BODY'N SOUL<br />
(74 Nguyen ß◊nh Chieu, P Da Kao,<br />
Q1, Tp HCM *Tel: 2207 0809<br />
*Hotline: 0968 060 268 *Website:<br />
www.shapeline.com.vn<br />
ELITE SPA FITNESS & SPA<br />
(T«ng 3 Vincom ßÂng KhÎi, 72 L<br />
Th∏nh T´n & 45A L˝ T˘ Tr‰ng,<br />
Ph≠Íng B’n Nghä, QuÀn 1, TP<br />
HCM *Tel:08. 7307 9899 *T«ng 3,<br />
Vincom Megamall, 159 Xa LÈ Hµ<br />
NÈi, Th∂o ßi“n, QuÀn 2, TP HCM<br />
*Tel: 08. 7303 9888)<br />
BANKING SERVICES<br />
ANZ<br />
(39 L Du»n, District 1<br />
*Tel: 3827 2926 *Website: http://<br />
www.anz.com/vietnam)<br />
SAIGONBANK<br />
(2C Ph„ ߯c Ch›nh, Dist.1<br />
*Tel: 3914 3183 *Website: www.<br />
saigonbank.com.vn)<br />
VIETCOMBANK<br />
(10 V‚ V®n Ki÷t, District 1<br />
*Tel: 3829 7245 *Website: http://<br />
www.vcbhcm.com.vn)<br />
SOUVENIR SHOPS<br />
APRICOT GALLERY<br />
(50 - 52 Mπc Th B≠Îi, Dist.1<br />
*Tel: 3822 7962 *Website: http://<br />
www.apricotgallery.com.vn)<br />
DUY TAN SAIGON ARTISAN<br />
(47 T´n Th†t Thi÷p, Dist.1<br />
*Tel: 3821 3614 *Website: www.<br />
saigonartisan.com)<br />
GAYA SHOP<br />
(1 Nguy‘n V®n Tr∏ng, District 1<br />
*Tel: 3925 1495)<br />
HOÄNG GIA PEARL<br />
(Tel 0909 66 22 31 *www.Hoang-<br />
GiaPearl.com)<br />
IPA NIMA<br />
(77 - 79 ßÂng KhÎi, District 1<br />
*Tel: 3822 3277 *Website: http://<br />
ipa-nima.com)<br />
KENLY SILK<br />
(132 L Th∏nh T´n, District 1<br />
*Tel: 3829 3847 *Website:<br />
www.kenlysilk.com)<br />
KHAI SILK<br />
(81 & 107 ßÂng KhÎi, District1<br />
*Tel: 3822 2856 *3829 1146<br />
*Website: http://khaisilkcorp.com/<br />
khaicravat/shopping.html)<br />
MISS ÉO DÄI<br />
(21 Nguy‘n Trung Ngπn,<br />
District 1 *Tel: 3822 2139 *Website:<br />
www.missaodai.com.vn)<br />
MOSAIQUE SAIGON<br />
(98 Mπc Th B≠Îi, Dist.1<br />
*Tel: 3823 4634 *Website: www.<br />
mosaiquedecoration.com)<br />
NGA ART AND CRAFT<br />
(41 Mπc Th B≠Îi, Dist.1<br />
*Tel: 3823 8356 *Website: http://<br />
www.huongngafinearts.vn/)<br />
SAIGON GALLERY OF FINE ART<br />
(129B L Th∏nh T´n, Dist.1<br />
*Tel: 3823 3181 *Website: http://<br />
vietnamartist.com/index.aspx)<br />
THÄNH ßÑT BOUTIQUE SHOP<br />
(114 L LÓi, Dist.1 *Tel: 3821 7493<br />
*Website: http://tdtc.com.vn)<br />
CULTURE<br />
WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM<br />
(28 V‚ V®n T«n, District 3)<br />
OPERA HOUSE<br />
(7 C´ng Tr≠Íng Lam S¨n, District 1.)<br />
MUSEUM OF VIETNAMESE HIS-<br />
TORY<br />
(2 Nguy‘n Bÿnh Khim, District 1)<br />
FINE ARTS MUSEUM<br />
(97A Ph„ ߯c Ch›nh, District 1)<br />
H¤ CHê MINH MUSEUM<br />
(65 L˝ T˘ Tr‰ng, District 1)<br />
SHOPPING MALLS<br />
DIAMOND PLAZA<br />
(34 L Du»n, District 1<br />
*Tel: 3825 7750)<br />
PARKSON<br />
(35Bis, 45 L Th∏nh T´n, District 1<br />
*Tel: 3827 7636)<br />
SAIGON CENTRE<br />
(65 L LÓi, Dist.1 *Tel: 3829 4888 )<br />
VINCOM CENTER A<br />
(171 ßÂng KhÎi & 116 Nguy‘n<br />
Hu÷, District 1*Tel: 3936 9999<br />
*Website:vincomshoppingmall.com)<br />
VINCOM CENTER B<br />
(72 L Th∏nh T´n & 45A L˝ T˘<br />
Tr‰ng, District 1*Website: vincomshoppingmall.com<br />
SUPERMARKETS<br />
ANNAM GOURMET<br />
(16 - 18 Hai Bµ Tr≠ng, 1 District<br />
& 41A Th∂o ßi“n, 2 District *Tel:<br />
3822 9332 & 3744 2630 *Website:<br />
www.annam-gourmet.com)<br />
B⁄N THÄNH MARKET<br />
(L LÓi, District 1 *Tel: 3822 5699)<br />
<strong>TRAVELLIVE</strong> 143
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