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Published: September 26th 2009
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So...we got a bus across from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh city, which everyone else actually calls Saigon.
First impressions...everywhere is the sight and sounds of motorbikes:
How to ride a motorbike in Saigon... Up the wrong side of the street,
Honking your horn as much as possible,
Reversing onto the pavements,
Riding on the pavements,
With your child on the front,
With as much produce as you can squeeze on,
Swerving round every other motorbike,
Handlebar to handlebar at the lights,
When at a junction...no need to stop - just toot, to let others know you're coming through,
Pavements are not for pedestrians!
Feel free to force pedestrians to stop for you.
Obviously it's not all like that...but I did observe all these things at one stage! There are plenty of motorbikes and plenty of busy streets in this well-populated city!
Crossing a road is a matter of survival - disregard all instincts and wander at a steady pace avoiding the motorbikes, and the bicycles as they swerve either side of you! Once you master this skill, you should survive Saigon...and the rest of Vietnam I guess!
I really liked Saigon, and I think
it's the kind of place I could spend a while really getting to know it. I love the way everything happens on the streets. Every cafe or food stall along the streets has its chairs facing out in lines towards the streets, as if the street is the cinema screen! I think it's a real symbol of Vietnam - it's all about the people and the life on the street.
The food in Vietnam is excellent so far, and due to the history of the country, there is some good French-Vietnamese food as well. I was recommended Le Jardin (#31 Vinh Long street in the Dong Khoi area) and I will definitely recommend it to others - one delicious French-Vietnamese lunch! At the other end of the scale is a fantastic bowl of pho bo (beef noodle soup) from a street side cafe for around 60p, and one of the best parts...20p beer at a street side cafe! We spent the evenings sat on the street with the beer and the pho, watching the world go by - including the motorbike action. We even had a massage on the street, from one of the guys who cycle along ringing
a bell!
Things to see and do - the reunification palace was OK, not overly impressive, but a realistic impression of Vietnam in the past - it hasn't changed since 1975 I believe. The war remnants museum was the most interesting - fairly graphic and shocking in places, but a very worthwhile and educating visit. The history museum on the other hand didn't phase me much. There is a big market in District one, that sells literally everything from brains to t-shirts to souvenirs. I had a good bowl of soup for breakfast there. One day I walked a long long way to Cholon district, but it wasn't as interesting as District one in my opinion, but good to see a different area. There were a few nice parks we came across in the city as well, and Notre Dame Cathedral is pretty to look at, along with the post office building. If I had longer, I could easily explore more! One thing that made me laugh was that there was a lot more hello's and chit chat from the local male population once Ben had left my side - I'm grateful he is traveling with me hehe!
To get around, you can either walk, or if you want to there are motorbike drivers on every corner offering a lift. We took a ride to the history museum and it was quite fun! I don't think I could drive there myself, but I put my trust in the locals - helmet provided!
I really got a good feeling about Saigon - it's vibrant and exciting and a good sign of Vietnam to come. It's well on it's way to becoming a highly developed nation and I like the busy bustling nature of the people. I could easily spend longer here, getting further beneath the surface...but more adventures await me!
J x
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