Golf 3 hotel, a 4 star hotel in Dalat

Readers are about to read this article that cost me 50USD and the precious 20 hours of my life. I hope you enjoy it.

I haven’t had a good sleep for the past two days so I decided to indulge myself by accommodating at the golf 3 hotel which according to the lonely planet has the best steam bath in town and a rooftop sky view café. At the reception I asked the staff for information regarding the schedule of the Vietnam Airlines shuttle bus from Dalat City to the airport, and she replied “you have to be in the airport one hour before departure”. Obviously there was a misunderstanding, I asked her again this time I spoke slower and she answered “oh, it takes about 40 min from the city to the airport”. I felt frustrated and asked again this time with body language and she finally understood what I was talking about, but she answered “I don’t know!” So I asked her to call Vietnam Airlines office for the information, she agreed and said she would give me the information later. I went to my room, well the room looked elegant like a 4 star hotel, they even had a safety deposit built in the closet and the water in the bathroom was hot and strong, I was so happy to take a hot shower because I was soaked by the pouring afternoon rain.

After the shower, I lay on my bed and turned on the TV. To my surprise, there were only 3 channels in English which are HBO, Star Movies, and CNN. The rest were local TV programs or dubbed in Vietnamese. Usually hotel stars tell you how many foreign channels they get in Vietnam, but obviously this wasn’t the case here in Dalat. Anyhow, I watched a movie on star movie channel and in the middle of the movie the channel switched to a soccer game, the star movie channel disappeared ever since. I gave up searching for a better movie and headed down to the reception for my information. Unbelievable! I had to go through the whole process to let her understand what I was asking for, and she still hadn’t made the phone call! I asked her to call right away and a few min later she told me nobody picked up the phone. I would have to wait till the next day to get that information. I wasn’t pleased with the answer, because there is an airport hotel run by Vietnam Airlines, so they must know the schedule of the shuttle bus. Well, she didn’t know what I was saying and I gave up trying. “Tomorrow it is” I said to her. I was surprised by the ability of English comprehension and speaking of the staff at reception of a 4 star hotel. Actually, I asked a receptionist one day before I made my choice of staying in this hotel about their facilities and he didn’t know what I was asking for. I also asked if a swimming suit is required for taking a steam bath since I didn’t have mine with me. And he answered “no, we don’t have a swimming pool”. I expected that I would have a better understanding with another receptionist when I was checking into the hotel, obviously not.

After, I went to the 7th floor where the steam bath and sky view café located. I felt disappointed when I saw the sign: 20000VND for Steam bath/ 20min; 30000VND for Sauna/20min. I wasn’t expecting costumers of the hotel having to pay to use facilities in the hotel; they didn’t even have any discount for those staying in the hotel overnight. I paid the money and felt like I was being fooled by lonely planet; the steam room was just mediocre and of course there was no Jacuzzi for a relaxing bath after 20 min steaming. Moreover, the sky view café isn’t on the rooftop, the only view from the café is the bustling street that leads to the central market.

I was awakened by the noise of people talking and laughing around 1:00AM. I thought it was just some tourists coming back to their room late and wasn’t paying attention to it but the noise on and off didn’t seem to end shortly. I woke up and knocked at the door of the noise from, nobody answered. I kept banging on the door, still nobody answered the door and I could hear people having a great time in the room. I waited until the noise level went down and banged on the door, this time they finally heard me and 3 guys, naked with only a towel on their waist and a woman opened the door; it looked like I was interrupting their “home party”. After telling them to keep their voices down, I went back to my room and looked at the clock, it was around 2:00AM.

The next morning I went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast (included in the room rate). A housekeeping staff asked me something in Vietnamese when I was waiting for the elevator. I told her I don’t understand Vietnamese. Still, she kept speaking Vietnamese to me. I was grumpy for not having a good sleep for a couple days, I told her: hey, you would have to speak English or I don’t understand a single word you said.” Finally, she said “how long would you stay here?” I told her “I am leaving today.” and went down for my breakfast.

I didn’t trust the schedule that the receptionist gave me, so after breakfast I went to the Vietnam Airlines booking office to get the schedule myself. Back to my room, I found the housekeeping had my room cleaned. I felt no guilt for messing up my room again. I took the elevator to the lobby to check out but the elevator wouldn’t stop on that floor, so I took the stairs from the 2nd floor to the lobby. Just when I thought nothing in this hotel could surprise me in any way, a live band was playing music in the lobby and tables were packed. Occupying the whole lobby, a wedding was being held, in the hotel lobby! I had to squeeze myself through the band and tables to get to the reception. I waited at the reception desk but there was nobody at the counter. About 3min later, a security guard found me standing in front of the counter for checking out and he guided me to a garage on the basement level where receptionists set up a table on which keys were spread as a temporary reception counter. I returned my key and paid 50USD for my room, however my passport was still in the lobby witnessing the wedding ceremony. I waited another 5 min to get my passport back and fled from this madness.

Something New

I was waiting for my friends in the lobby of my hotel one day; we were supposed to have lunch together. One of my friends showed up and told me that one of his friends was getting married and he invited me to go to the wedding, so we went to the wedding instead. I wanted to try the “cyclo” before I leave the country but I never had the nerve to give it a try. Lucky for me, my friend was on a motorcycle that day so I was happy to have the chance to experience what it feels like to drive in a bustling street on motorcycle. Well, except for driving through one intersection, it was not as terrible as I imaged it would be even though we saw a few accidents on the way. I was embarrassed for dressing like a “Tai ke” (T-shirt and sandals) when I got to the wedding since everybody was nicely dressed. The groom works in a pharmaceutical company operating on foreign investments. In the wedding I saw many foreigners from different countries, such as India and of course from Taiwan. The wedding started with ballerinas dancing and then the host introduced the parents from both families and the bride and the groom, accompanied by dancers were sent to the stage on a conveyor belt. After a short speech, the bride and the groom filled champagne glasses and cut the wedding cake. The ceremony ended with balloons being released and the sound of them popping mimicked firecrackers, then the lunch dishes were served.

Just like a wedding in Taiwan, the newly wedded couple and both families’ members offered toasts, table by table during the meal. Also, a professional band was hired to do a performance during the lunch but it ended up as a karaoke and dance for guests, unlike weddings in rural areas of Taiwan, where you might expect a strip dance or elegant classical background music for a wedding held in urban areas of Taiwan. The party here revealed the fact that every body was having a good time. Another difference in custom from Taiwan, here the bride and the groom don’t have to change their dress every 20 min or so. After the lunch, the newly wedded couple stood in front of the gate to show their appreciation for the presents from guests. I had my picture taken with the bride and the groom.

Back in Taiwan I had never celebrated the double ten national holiday before. This year I had the honor to participate in the 95^th double ten national holiday of the Republic of China that was held in Legend Hotel by Taipei economic and cultural organization in HCMC. I was told to dress nicely so I borrowed a white long sleeve shirt , any color but red, since the political issues in Taiwan, from the lab and that wasn’t an easy task since Vietnamese are relatively smaller in general. I decided not to take the camera with me so I wouldn’t look like a photographer from a newspaper or agency, then I regretted it immediately when we arrived at the venue. It was nicely decorated; on the stage the activity was written in 3 languages, Traditional Chinese, English and Vietnamese. It was nice to hear people talking in mandarin since I haven’t spoken mandarin for nearly one month and my ability to it is deteriorating. I was eager to speak to someone however I found it’s difficult to cut into the exchanging of business cards or conversations about corporate revenues. I introduced myself as a person who is helping the lab in Children Hospital No 1 with a cooperative project. I looked at them and I got the feeling they didn’t care a bit. Anyhow, it was an extraordinary experience for me, it was the first time I celebrated the birth of my country and it took place in a foreign country. By the way, the buffet was nice, especially the apple tart. I can still taste the smell of cinnamon and the creamy texture of the apple in my mouth.

Something about the Children Hospital N0 1

It is expected to have an afternoon shower everyday during the wet season in Ho Chi Minh City. Usually days start with a sunny morning followed by a cloudy noon and then an afternoon of showers, just enough to wet the floor. One day in the hospital, I walked out of the office and I found something was different. Usually the hallway of the hospital is full of people; you would see people sleeping on the floor, clothes hanging between the pillars etc. but it was empty that day! Then I realized the corridor was flooded and everybody was calm. It seemed flooding was not a new thing for them, well it was for me, so I borrowed a camera and took pictures of the moment.

A few of my moon festivals were spent in the other countries such as Italy but none of them feel the same as in Vietnam. Mid-autumn festival aka Moon festival is celebrated in Vietnam by having moon cakes and decorative lanterns displayed but it’s not a holiday. Instead of a holiday for family reunions, moon festival here is more like a holiday for children and lovers. The children hospital number 1 had arranged folk activities in the courtyard of the hospital on moon festival. It started with two dragons chasing each other followed by dancing lions, a martial arts display etc. You can still see the influence of Chinese left behind after 1000 years of domination. Later that night, I went to the center of the city. In front of the reunification palace, the night was lit up with two gigantic disco lights and lots of stalls selling stuff that has absolutely nothing to do with moon festival such as handicrafts made from coconut shells. There were two stages on each side of the DL Le Duan, there weren’t any shows but children talking on the stages. The only way to tell this was the celebration for the moon festival were lanterns that weren’t even lit up hanging along the DL Le Duan and an arch with two lantern shapes on each side.

I had buffers and reagents prepared for the experiments, I asked doctors to start sending me some clinical specimens to see if the system works. I got 2 suspected entrovirus infected patients’ throat swabs and vesicle specimens. I had the RNA extracted and one-Step RT PCR performed and the result revealed entrovirus positive by electrophoresis. Everybody in the lab was happy with the result and the PR of the hospital, who I haven’t seen for weeks, showed up and congratulated me. I have never knew news could be conveyed so efficiently. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was some kind of espionage system built in the electrophoresis device. Once the result showed positive for what they were interested in, the key person would get informed.

The lab was planning a trip to Vung Tau beach about 100km from Ho Chi Minh City with me last weekend. However Xianshan typhoon struck the center provinces of Vietnam, so the journey was postponed. This weekend we managed to go and I was told that they would pick me up at my hotel at 6:00. Saturday, I was awakened by the phone ringing, at 6:15! I rushed down to the lobby and felt embarrassed for keeping 8 people and an ambulance waiting in my hotel. Well, taking an ambulance for a city tour wasn’t a first for me, but this time the flashing light was installed on top of the car and the hospital logo was emblazoned on the side. I got in the ambulance and wondered: would they turn on the siren if we got stuck in a traffic jam? Of course turning on the siren is useless in Ho Chi Minh City if we get stuck in a traffic jam, but the advantage of traveling in an ambulance is no toll fees are needed, thus we can bypass the lines at the toll stations.

Another week in HCM City-the legend of the Ky Hoa Hotel

One day after work, I walked back to my hotel and the staff at the front counter told me that because they were going to replace the carpets on the 3rd floor, where I have been staying for the pass two weeks, they would like to ask me to move to the 4^th floor and they would send someone to help with my luggage. I agreed and told the staff that I didn’t need help with my luggage, just give me a moment to pack and we’ll be set. The moment I stepped in my room and closed the door someone came knocking. I opened the door two staff people came in and started helping me to pack. Obviously my message wasn’t delivered correctly as always, so I watched one man taking care of my underwear and socks while the other stuffed all my toiletries into a bag then disappeared. Before I’d finished packing, they came back and grabbed anything that wasn’t packed by hand and took me to my new room.

Later that night, I discovered the programming of the cable TV on 4^th floor were different from the 3^rd or from rooms on the left side of corridor to the right side. Anyway, I watched the discovery channel; a program called “A haunting” was on. It’s about a family living in a haunted house and when the program was about to show the most scary paranormal phenomenon my room went black! Well, I am not that chicken but this scared the hell out of me. Soon I realized it was not a paranormal phenomenon happening in my room but the power failure in the entire hotel. A few minutes later the power was restored but it went off again minutes later. I was happy that I was not in one of the freaky elevators of the hotel when it happened.

Speaking of the elevators, to my surprise, they had the elevator installed! I wasn’t expecting to see that elevator installed before my departure since I barely saw any construction going during my stay. Well, I am happy they did it because now I won’t have to take the elevator that doesn’t always stop at an exact position every time you open its gate. Sometimes the gap could be 10cm different in height. Now they are tearing down the other old elevator and installing a new one. Who knows I might be able to see it before I leave.

I use the laundry service in the hotel. Usually staff would have laundry delivered around 17:00 the next day. I always get naked while I am in the room to save my butt from burning off in the high temperature, so it takes a moment for me to get dressed before opening the door when the bell rings for my delivery. Every time I called out “A moment please”, but the bell ringing just wouldn’t stop, they press it almost every 10 seconds, and one time the staff even opened the door with the master key! I don’t know if it’s because they didn’t hear me or they didn’t know what I was talking about but now every time I hear the bell ring, I get nervous. I even put the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the doorknob at 17:00 around once and when I was just feeling relaxed the bell ran! I’ve never known a staff so determined on delivering laundry to their customers as in the Ky Hoa hotel. I am still thinking of a way to have my laundry delivered at an appropriate time.

Since I have been staying in the Ky Hoa hotel for more than 2 weeks, I have tried almost everything on the menu for breakfast. Now, I don’t even have to open my mouth to have staff in the restaurant deliver the only good drink in the restaurant, Lemon Juice, to my table. But there is a mysterious page I haven’t ordered from yet because it’s written in Vietnamese only. That’s news for next week; the legend of the Ky Hoa hotel goes on.

Sunday Mass

I participated in my first Sunday Mass in Notre Dame Cathedral Vietnam. To my surprise, English was mainly spoken during the whole mass. That’s good for me; at least I can understand what they are talking about. During the Mass, I noticed that the locals were devoted and seemed touched even though I don’t think they understood what the priest said in the sermon. On the other hand, some westerners didn’t seem to get into this Mass too much. It seemed like they were just doing something they were supposed to do. I even saw an old lady yawning. I know many people went to church when they were children because their parents made them go. By the time they reach their teens, they stop attending church as much as when they were children, unless they are experiencing some kind of emotional fluctuations and need to be uplifted. However when they get older, maybe 60 or 70, many of them start to go to church again. One of my friends said they are preparing themselves. It’s interesting to see the transition in one’s attitude to religion no matter what the cause.

I always wonder--what does the bread of communion taste like? I tasted my very first bread of communion in this Sunday Mass but I still can’t find a word to describe exactly what it does taste like.