Is it Ho Chi Minh? Or Saigon?

---

Hi all,

Well, for our last journey in Asia we revisited Vietnam...more specifically, Ho Chi Minh City…or, as the title says (and we prefer)…Saigon! Is it the presence of such historic landmarks as the Continental Hotel—where we stayed—and all the remnants and sites of the Vietnam war—which we visited—and the feel of the past around every corner that almost, that we feel, demands the city be called Saigon? In any case, we concur with most of the city's inhabitants who still refer to Ho Chi Minh City as such, and for the purposes of this blog with herewith refer to this historic site...as we did during our entire last weekend trip...as SAIGON!!

You may recall from a previous blog that we visited Vietnam, the Mekong Delta and Cambodia during Tet...but due to a visa problem (i.e. we neglected to get a double-entry visa for Vietnam) we were chased out early in order to get to Cambodia before Tet closed all roads and buses out...and thus missed the opportunity to fully explore Saigon. In fact, in order to connect up with our return flight to Shanghai we spent our last evening as exiles trapped in HCMC's (oops! Saigon's) brand new airport. To rectify this gap in our Asian explorations, for our last trip we chose to return to Saigon in order to fully check out the historic locale of the Vietnam War.

This time though, since we were also using up our airmiles (with Aeroplan it's use them or lose them) we decided to do it up and stay in the Dong Khoi area, as opposed to the "Mini-hotel Alley" of our first visit. In the process we discovered that Saigon offers two very unique experiences. In the “Alley”, one enjoys the backpacker life of affordable, $20.00 U.S. guesthouses surrounded by funky cool bars and cafes where the vibe—like the encircling motorbirkes--truly doesn't sleep.

But in the Dong Khoi area the gracious hotels, squares and palm festooned boulevards harken back to the city’s colonial past. Instead of partaking in the excitement of the street, we found ourselves sipping wines from the rooftop patios of the Rex, Caravelle or Majestic hotels and from a far remove, looking over the splendour of Saigon’s lights at night.

The pictures say it all....

Amy & Roel

---

Photos

Invaders from space?
White aliens storming our plane checking for H1N1 viruses had us afraid...of long delays! But we were soon released...whew!

Blast from the past
Roel with a HUEY Vietnam War era helicopter at the History Museum.

Breakfast under the Banyans..
...was a nice feature of "The Continental Hotel".

Setting of "A Quiet American"
The Graham Green novel, and film, both revolve around "The Continental".

Back in the day...
...in 1880, "The Continental" was just as stunning as it still is now.

The past is alive...
...in the historic photos which line the hotel walls.

Room with a View
The historic Opera House, circa 1880, shares the square with the Continental Hotel...along with a pivotal scene in the book and movie.

Roel at the History Museum
...and perhaps with a real prop from the film?

Costumes only...
The traditional dress is mostly seen these days in films...and sometimes in touristy sites.

Relics of the Tomb Abandoning Ceremony
To help the living unite with the spirits...

Ethnic nomads...
...built these eerie wooden statues to help the spirits start their new lives.

Low Rise City
Saigon's 9,000,000 residents live in skinny buildings that rarely surpass six floors...quite a change from Shanghai.

Tight Fit
Roel tries his luck at the Co Chi tunnels.

The Cu Chi Underground...
...was a tunnel complex designed by the Viet Cong to frustrate the Americans.

Roel covered 40 meters...
...of its hundreds long kilometers length.

Thank God for fresh air...
...and the fact the tunnels have been enlarged for tourists.

This is as far as Amy got...
...even this was claustophobic--and hot!

An and Amy
Our tour guide, showing us the underground kitchen. At 10 a.m. temps were already soaring.

Comments

[Carly & Craig]

Hey Mom and Dad! Wow - the shots of Dad getting into the tunnel are amazing! I can't believe he did it... Terrifying! I can't believe that we'll seeing you soon... almost one week! Craig says that he can't wait to pick up the international school banner and keep the legacy alive. Love you both! Carly and Craig

[Carrie]

Saigon looks almost as good as Hanoi:)
It must have been amazing to stay in that historic hotel. Did you see Graham Green ghosting about? I'm going to assume that those large 'copas de vino blanco' were probably something light and French, not snake wine, hey? .....Seeing photos of those tunnels and entrances gives new meaning to the determination of the Vietnamese people. One has to admire their courage and cleverness. I can't believe Roel squooshed himself into that space. Wasn't he a tiny bit concerned about getting stuck. I'm sure that the engineers and builders never imagined a day when tourists would try to do that. I have to say that I too am too claustrophobic to give that a go. Anyway, thoroughly enjoyed this blog. Although I must admit that I'm glad that I got to enjoy Vietnam before the heat, as you guys look like you were melting. Love, Carrie:)

[Yvonne]

You are inspirational
It has been wonderful reading from time to time your blogs that reinforce for me especially that life isn't about the destination. It is about the journey . You have journeyed so well, heartfully sharing with many friends and volleagues via your blogs your windows on the world from the beginning of your great trek. That joy of discovery keeps one young and full of wonder. Thank you for sharing your stories. So many of us talk about what we could/should do. You model the doing and reflecting. What a great way to learn. Thank you for including me on your list. During the time before I progressed from crutches to a wheel chair, and was confined in a bed for months, your journey gave my imagination legs. Are you tempted to convert your inspiring prose into a book? I'd buy a copy for my daughter who has an adventurous heart.

[Maria Chavarria]

Outstanding!
Amy, the pictures really do say it all, but your writing adds a lovely richness to the viewing/reading experience that smacks of excellence. You have captured my heart and now I must go to Vietnam! Missing you! Maria