We don't have that many choices of places to go on weekends.. There is a few shopping complex but we are really not into shopping here in Ho Chi Minh because there is no size for us here (only S & M for Vietnamese).. We keep on rotating a few play areas such as at Saigon Tax, Maxi Mart and craft centres at Fahasa Bookstore.. It is too hot to go to the theme Parks (which is nowhere near what we have in Malaysia).. Luckily there is a new addition now, the Lotte Mart.. Actually I would rather sleep or rest at home when both of us were not working on weekends but my youngest daughter always begs to go out.. I didn't send her to school yet so weekends are the only time for her to get out of the house..



Lotte Mart is located at Phu My Hung, District 7.. it took about 30 minutes to reach there from our apartment by car.. It is considered far by Ho Chi Minh standard (certainly not by KL standard)..

This is the first floor.. It looks okay.. except for the fishy smell from the Hypermarket..


Funny that the girls go gaga over this huge fridge replica.. they actually thinks that the fridge is real and was wondering how to open it..


This is the main reason why we love it here, the big play area.. Cost about RM10 per child for 2 hours.. It is very clean, partly because it is new. The crowd who goes there is quite okay too.. not the really "bukit" one.. (the bukit one will just let their children's pee's everywhere.. no need to go to the toilets.. especially if they were paying for 2 hours)

Melati really enjoys the ball pit..

Nilam is too old for ball pit.. she loves all the puzzles and educational toys but she can't leave Melati alone.. she plays with the foot piano near the ball pit instead..

The girls were waiting first in line for the train ride that comes every 30 minutes..

This train ride also was Melati's favourite..

While waiting, we went to see the movie at the VIP cinema which is situated just next to the play area.. I've watched X-Men, but it is better than just sitting outside the play area..
I really love the seat.. it is a recliner, you can actually lie down and sleep.. It may not be that important in Malaysia, but to us it is very important here. Vietnamese like to put their foot up (Don't laugh, this is true, they can even put their smelly, filthy foot, long nails etc in a magazine folder in airplanes, yuck!! the reason why I didn't even touch the magazines in domestic flight..) We often choose the last seat in a normal movie theatre to avoid smelling their feet from behind, side and above.. no worries here, slightly expensive but worth it.. It takes about 40 recliners to fill up one movie theather.. however, only 3 people including us were watching X-Men that afternoon.. almost empty.. Wonder if we have a cinema like this in Malaysia..
The rides is a bit expensive here according to Vietnam standard - RM1
Nilam was ecstatic to see all these cute things.. but she couldn't buy anything since she forgot her purse.. Me and her father end up buying two cute picture frames to put at our office.. hehehe..
I'm leaving for Hanoi now.. some urgent thing suddenly came up this morning.. My husband already left for Hanoi earlier.. Both of us can't cancel our plans.. We have no choice but to leave the girls in Ho Chi Minh with the maid and neighbours for tonight.. hopefully no harm will ever come to them..