Vietnamese hospital

Cho Ray Hospital, Saigon – to be exact.

Contacted them from my homestay, which was in Vinh Long, the woman let me borrow the phone. The woman spoke English and was very helpful in recommending some drugs that could give immediate relief.

I took her suggestions to the pharmacy and they prescribed the drugs for 21,000 or $1.

Took them back to my homestay, Ngoc Phoung.

Sick

I was in quite a lot of pain by this time and had been sick on the ferry.

Took the drugs, got in bed, went to sleep. Woke up caught a taxi. Got a bus.

Spent 3 hours on the bus from Vĩnh Long to Saigon.

Got off the bus, caught a motorbike taxi.

Went directly to the hospital.

Cho Ray hospital Saigon
Cho Ray hospital Saigon

Cho Ray Hospital – Vietnam

Once inside the hospital, I initially approached the remittance desk, where there was only one boy working. I showed him my phone, which has Google translate for Vietnamese installed on it, with the words ‘I am ill’.

We had a little wander round together, in that typical East Asian style, eventually he decided to send me into the A&E ward – with the red sign over the door. ‘Blue’ he said, which obviously means red. Luckily, there were some nurses hanging around, and I also showed them my phone. They ushered me into, the A&E ward, where I was given a bed and a girl took my blood pressure.

After a while, a doctor approached and asked what the problem was.

I said that I had been suffering from high blood pressure and vomiting, I showed them the drugs that I had been given for my kidneys Mofpa and Mobic. And that I was in pain and my arms and legs were tingling.

The doctor asked for my passport.

They checked me in, and gave me a bed on the A&E ward for real (pictured). Continue reading “Vietnamese hospital”

Ha Tien – Vietnam

Trapped in Ha Tien – Vietnam.

Ha Tien - Vietnam
Ha Tien – Vietnam

All things close for Lunar New Year. This means the ferries taking me to my next destination, the island of Phu Quoc, will not be running on that day.

Ha Tien

Ha Tien has some geological formations – in the form of limestone caves and outcrops playing host to Buddhist temples and sacred sites.

These are not free to visit.

There are two.

Da Dung mountain

The more impressive of the two, spread out over 3 square KM. A winding path snakes  around the mountain, which is pitted with various caves, which play host to Buddhist statues or flashing lights, or both.

Da Dung Mountain - Ha Tien - Vietnam
Buffalo on the plain..
Da Dung Mountain - Ha Tien - Vietnam
Temple entrance.
Da Dung Mountain - Ha Tien - Vietnam
Winding path.
Da Dung Mountain - Ha Tien - Vietnam
Limestone cave.
Da Dung Mountain - Ha Tien - Vietnam
Electric Buddha.

Thatch Dong

Looks better but less to do.

Thatch Dong houses a set of Buddhist relics and a working monastery.

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Buddha.
Thach Dong Mountain
Temple entrance.
Thach Dong Mountain - Ha Tien - Vietnam
Calcified rock.
Thach Dong Mountain - Ha Tien - Vietnam
Gates.

New Café

Got dragged to the New Café in Ha Tien by some locals.

It’s the only place in Ha Tien open after midnight.

It was kicking.