Blogs from Ho Chi Minh City, Southeast, Vietnam, Asia - page 15

Yes, it’s OK to call it Saigon. The official name is Ho Chi Minh City, but the Saigon River is still flowing, and many businesses have Saigon in their name. I asked two college students who were giving me a tour of the Chinese quarter if it was OK to call their city Saigon. “Sure,” one of them said. “It’s easier to say, and it has only two syllables instead of the five in Ho Chi Minh City.” In fact, I got the definite impression that most people would like to change the name back to Saigon. When I think about Saigon the first thing that comes to mind is motorbikes. The roaring, stinking, ubiquitous, fracking motorbikes. I was told that Saigon is a city of ten million people and seven million motorbikes. I think that ... read more

I first read The Quiet American by Graham Greene in 1971. The war in Vietnam was raging, and the situations described in the book seemed to be ripped from the headlines. And then I got to the end of the novel and found to my great surprise that Greene had started writing it in 1953. It was published in 1955. Depending on which “official” timeline you follow, US involvement in Vietnam didn’t start until 1961. Or maybe it was 1960, or 1956, take your pick. Ostensibly it’s about the rivalry between a world-weary, rather cynical English journalist and a young, idealistic American who were vying for the affection of a young Vietnamese woman. However, the political situation, and American involvement in it, is very much a part of the story. Graham Greene the novelist bears more ... read more

I like markets. I like interesting supermarkets, but I also like big, wet, smelly markets where you can buy everything from soap to spices to fishes that were flopping around just a minute ago. Ben Thanh Market in Saigon is just such a market. I’ve learned to go to these sorts of markets early in the day. They tend to be a little cooler and a little less crowded then. And, too, many merchants think making a sale early in the day will bring them luck. I had been there earlier in the week and had seen a silk shirt that I wanted. I went there this morning with great resolve; I knew how much I wanted to pay, and I knew the most I was willing to spend. It also helps to have a good ... read more

Le bus que j'ai pris depuis Phnom Penh m'emmène jusqu'à Ho Chi Minh, littéralement devant mon hôtel. Là, j'y fais la connaissance d'Hassan, un iranien d'une cinquantaine d'années, personnage haut en couleurs. Il a un passé de guérillero qui l'a emmené aux quatre coins du monde depuis le Nicaragua, jusqu'en Angola, jusqu'en Suède dont il est maintenant citoyen. Là, il a étudié la philosophie, et a commencé à écrire de nombreux articles, sur la politique, la religion, l'amour etc. Bon, il déteste les juifs et est persuadé que le monde est régi par la franc maçonnerie, mais à part ça, il est plutôt rigolo et très chaleureux. La ville d'Ho Chi Minh- ou Saigon selon les goûts me plait immédiatement. Elle est beaucoup plus propre que Phnom Penh, mais également beaucoup plus agréable. Il y a ... read more

So, we thought you might be interested to see a quick review of China and Vietnam. We provided one of these for Japan and S.Korea, so seems only right to keep up with these. China * Number of days spent in the country = 22 * Number of towns/cities visited = 9 * Favorite city = Chris - Hong Kong and Gemma Yangshuo * Favorite food = Chris - Hot Pot and Gemma steamed buns * Favorite thing we did = Chris - cycling in Yangshuo and Gemma climbing the Great Wall of China * Best place we stayed = Chris - Panda Apartment in Chengdu and Gemma plush hotel in Guangzhou * Most unexpected = Chris - having beard groped on underground and Gemma being given a random baby for a photo op at the ... read more