Heading for Saigon today..... I have reverted to calling it Saigon rather than Ho Chi Minh City (a) because the latter is such a mouthful, (b) because I think it's a much more romantic name and (c) because that's what the locals all seem to call it.
We drove from Hoi An to Danang airport along the coast road that hugs China Beach. This beach is famous / notorious for being the first place that the Americans landed when they "joined" the war in 1965. There are still lots of reminders of their presence in the area including loads of old aircraft hangers.
Another short hop (in an Airbus A321 this time Adam) and we arrived in Saigon. I was not expecting to like Saigon particularly, we had heard several stories about the humidity, the traffic etc... but so far I have been really pleasantly surprised. Yes its hot, yes its manically busy, but it is also very clean, very green, and quite cosmopolitan - lots of drinking coffee in pavement cafes, department stores, that sort of thing. It doesn't have that slightly seedy run down feel that Bangkok and Hanoi have.
After meeting with Son, our new guide, we had a tour of the city, stopping at what was the presidential palace. This is a monster of a building, a 60's icon. The most interesting part was the basement war bunkers; there were miles of it underground, room after room, all with steel lined walls. Some of the rooms were still fitted out with the radio and communication equipment which looked as if it belonged to the dark ages instead of the sixties!
Next the Notre Dame Cathedral (built by the French of course) and opposite the Post Office which is a glorious building that is more akin to a railway station than a post office. The roof was designed by Gustav Eiffel. Next a whistle stop ride around the city to get our bearings, during which we saw a roadside "pet shop" one selling tiny puppies, another with turtles and even a hawk of some sort - all totally illegal of course. We were dropped off at the hotel at midday with the rest of the day ourselves.
The Caravelle is another superb hotel and situated bang in the centre of everything, our bedroom overlooks the City Hall & Notre Dame. We can put it off no longer - we decide to venture out and attempt to cross the roads! The guide book gives some very sound advice - because this is a communist country, one does not have to assume responsibility for oneself. The same applies to crossing the road - you step out, walk slowly and steadily across the road do not make eye contact and it is everyone else's responsibility to avoid hitting you - hmm! Well I must be getting used to this idea because it really does work. (If in doubt, at very busy roads, our other trick is to temporarily attach ourselves to a family of locals!)
Having spent the afternoon cruising the sights and department stores we felt reasonably confident about going out in the evening. Because it is the New Year, the Chinese population have taken over the Central Park area for a big festival of all things Chinese. Although we are further from the border here, the Chinese influence seems much stronger. There was a great atmosphere, displays of pictures, side stalls, entertainment and a huge open air food court; nothing quite prepared me though for the huge increase in traffic and people. One thing's for sure the Vietnamese do not get home from work, eat dinner then sit in and watch Eastenders! In the evening they hit the streets in a big way, couples and families alike.
Saigon is a city of young, thin people - it has a population of 10 million, 65% of which are under 32, and the local saying is if you see more than 2 fat people in a day (excluding tourists of course) you will win the lottery. When I say thin, I mean thin - the girls are so slim (and pretty) that the shops only seem to stock up to a UK size 6!
We spent a couple of hours at the festival and spent a whole £1.50 on dinner which was a bowl of fresh steaming Pho (the local noodle soup) a BBQ'd wing of something and two BBQ'd sweet corn - delicious. When we got back to the hotel we had a drink on the roof top bar - lovely view and a lovely breeze. Chatting to some Aussies we found out that the later flight from Denang had been delayed over six hours, having seen Denang airport I am eternally grateful we came on the early flight.
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