Don't Miss Saigon

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We loved Saigon and were gutted we didn't have longer to spend here, Visas were running out on us so we did a whistle stop tour. I reckon that having been in Hanoi for quite a while we were ready for Saigon and knew exactly what to expect. In fact I'd go as far as to say that whichever of Hanoi/Saigon you went to first, you'd enjoy the other more as you'd know what was coming.

We stayed in a great place very near the centre that allowed us explore a lot of the city on foot. Were right beside a park, which seemed the place to be on a Sunday evening. Was full of young couples, groups of young teenage girls and boys and families of all generations. People were picnicking, gossiping and enjoying themselves in the cool evening air. There were circles of kids playing what seems to be the in thing in Vietnam - can only describe it as keepy-uppy with a half-shuttlecock, half-spring. Saw some amazing moves!

From there it was two mins to Ben Thanh market. An eclectic busy affair that has indoor stalls selling all sorts of fabric /toiletries'/ fashions/ jewelery/ hardware during the day and an outdoor throng of restaurants in the evening. We ate in one that was full of locals - food was cheap and amazing!

The traffic in Saigon makes Hanoi look like a sleepy town but at least we'd had practice so could cross the road within half an hour! We found ourselves a roof top bar with a view over a busy junction and gawped at the weaving traffic below while drinking a beer.

We popped into a bar beside hotel to catch the final matches of the season - witnessing Chelsea's resounding victory which won them the league.The bar was a interesting one, full of what we were pretty sure were 'working' gals there to cater to the clientele of middle aged Western fellas, and also a very enthusiastic Vietnamese owner, who told us at length about their 'Canadian' menu which he seemed to think was a real selling point in Vietnam and how most other places had 'no idea how to cook bacon'!

Went to the Reunification Palace which was the sight of the end of the war/the fall of Saigon in 1975. Tanks crashed through the gates and the interior has been kept as it was at that moment. It was the Was amazing! The furniture/decor/technical equipment - all authentic 70s stuff. Rooms that were very OTT in their grandeur and others that were very basic. Our favorites were the games room - most of the furniture in which we'd have in a house in a heartbeat, and the basement which was full of old phones, typewriters and the presidents working bedroom!

From there we headed to the War Remnants Museum. This was a totally different experience. It's incredibly well done and just devastating. I cried and saw at least a few others doing the same. Obviously everyone knows how awful the Vietnam war was, but the statistics, images, statements all there were just so awful and the worst thing was everyone knew it and was pointing it out very clearly to the US government and yet it continued , got worse and still has a huge effect today. More than anything it made me really angry!

After that we headed for a quick bite to eat and stumbled on the cafe that was made famous in Graham Greene's Quiet American novel. It's now an American chain place and I'm ashamed to say we spent a small fortune on some mediocre at best food! Never again.

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