Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)

Hello from South Africa! Catching up on the blog again. We spent an entire month back in February / March traveling Vietnam from the south to the north. It’s a truly wonderful country and we hope the blog and pictures do it justice.

–Riley (I know Medium says Eryn wrote this one but I don’t know how to fix it :/ )

1. Yes, we posted this in our previous Japan post but it’s so good we have to post it twice. Honestly I think I am jealous, wishing I could just travel so completely care-free. | 2. Our first taste of Vietnamese beer!

First Impression

After clearing customs in Saigon, we were hit with a wave of sweltering heat and shouting crowds in the departures area. The quiet politeness and cold weather of Japan melted away in an instant. A throng of drivers came up to us asking if we needed a car. But we ignored them and made a bee-line for the official cab queue, wary of scams. We jumped into the next cab and I was confident we’d make it to the hotel smoothly, having done my research that fares are no more than 150,000 Vietnamese Dong ($10). Unfortunately, luck did not go our way once it came time to pay. The meter read 150,000 and I handed him cash with tip, careful to read the number of zeros on the absurdly inflated currency. But no no, he insisted I had my zeros wrong and owed 1,500,000 or $100! And while he spoke English just fine when I gave the hotel address, now my frustrated pleas were Greek to him. After several minutes of heated arguing he seemed to realize we were not the suckers he was hoping for and settled for a modest 220,000 to let us get our bags. What an exhausting conclusion to our nearly 24-hour travel day!

Lots of food and wandering

After some much-needed rest, our first couple days consisted of trying new food and wandering the swarming streets of Saigon. Also, a quick tangent on the name of the city because we were confused too. Officially the city is called “Ho Chi Minh City”, renamed in 1976 after the end of the Vietnam War. However, most locals we encountered still used the old name “Saigon” and it was still prominently featured on billboards, businesses, and guidebooks. So in keeping with the local spirit, we have called it Saigon ever since.

1. Pho! We never realized, but pho is actually a breakfast dish. Along with Western options like scrambled eggs, our boutique hotel offered Pho every morning and I usually took them up on it. It’s delicious! | 2. Banh mi, another quintessential Vietnamese dish. | 3. Still hungry, we wandered through Ben Thanh Market and I got some spring rolls.

1. Eryn in the narrow corridors of the Ben Thanh Market. Crammed into all these tiny shops was anything you could possibly want, from an entire grocery store to luggage to clothing stores. It felt claustrophobic so we didn’t linger long. | 2. Ho Chi Minh Square with city hall in the background. Walking in this large expanse solely for pedestrians was a welcome escape from the mad streets (more on that below).

1. There were lots of these propaganda posters, especially around government buildings and schools. It felt like we were in another era! | 2. The Saigon Post Office, a remnant of Vietnam’s French colonial past. Ho Chi Minh, aka “Uncle Ho” is peering over us.

One of the most memorable things about Saigon is the traffic. There is a constant blare of horns not out of anger, but just the simple announcing of one’s presence to avoid being hit. Traffic lights are optional and therefore mostly ignored. The vast majority of vehicles are motor bikes relentlessly streaming around the few cars finding any way to get ahead. No city we’ve ever been to comes close to this level of chaos. However, once we learned the ropes, a method to the madness emerged. Instead of taking turns with lights and crossings, everyone just goes at once keeping the flow of traffic moving in what would otherwise be choking traffic. Slowly but assertively continuing through the stream of traffic, it’s possible to make it to the other side of the road by playing a game of chicken with the motorbikes (but definitely not the cars):

Crossing one of the busy downtown streets

Signs of rapid industrialization and commercialization were apparent throughout the city, especially sitting on the banks of the Saigon river. Five massive billboards exploded with the words “Heineken” in green and red. The water was heavily polluted with trash and oil. Behind us dozens of hotels and restaurants buzzed with activity. Given all the obvious indications of capitalism (both positive and negative) it was hard to tell how Vietnam called itself Communist with a straight face, but that’s probably not something to worry about now. Back to exploring!

Banks of the Saigon River. Drink Heineken!

While wandering, we found a park filled with exercise equipment, though none of it was really that easy to use. Eryn demonstrates one of the most awkward machines.

1, 2. A little taste of home! Nashville Hot Chicken and a bowl of tomato soup at Pasteur Street Brewing Co.

War Remnants Museum

One of the most powerful places we visited in Saigon was the War Remnants Museum. Outside was a large collection of captured American military equipment. Inside were many exhibits with graphic photos documenting the horrors of the war. In particular photos of young children disfigured by Agent Orange were heartbreaking to see and we couldn’t make it through the whole exhibit. Such an up-close view of its effects should make anyone think twice about war.

Unfortunately, the anti-war message was somewhat undercut by a constant anti-American propagandist tone that categorically portrayed all US soldiers as villains. To be sure, atrocities were committed by US troops that were fighting under dubious circumstances, but war isn’t so black and white. Yes, it was an unjust war and the US government bears the bulk of that responsibility. But wars create victims on both sides, including US soldiers. While I can understand the museum presenting a strongly anti-US government message, it was disappointing to have US soldiers portrayed in a purely negative light.

1, 2. Before the museum we had lunch at the Secret Garden Restaurant. The restaurant is located about 4 flights up a random set of stairs on a beautiful rooftop terrace. It was still swelteringly hot but fans helped. We had some tasty garlic rice and beef stir-fry.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Captured US military equipment displayed in the museum courtyard.

1. A “tiger cage” in which political prisoners were kept by the South Vietnamese government. | 2. One of the many anti-war posters, this one from Germany.

Cu Chi Tunnels

We continued to learn more about the history of the war by visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels originally used by the Viet Cong. We were picked up early in the morning by our guide to make the long drive north. A couple other groups of westerners were on our tour as well (shoutout to Roxy and friends!). They were a fun group to talk to on the way to and from the tunnels and they even provided a blueprint for our next few destinations in Vietnam!

At the memorial park we learned in more detail the brutality of the war, especially in this area just north of Saigon. Our guide gave a detailed history of the war in this region and the constant efforts of the Viet Cong to stay ahead of the US efforts to tamp out the guerrilla fighters. He also explained the cold mechanics of the variety of morbidly creative booby traps used to kill or maim US soldiers.

We squeezed into hidden tunnel openings, crawled through tunnels (widened for large Western tourists like us)and even fired Vietnam-era weapons for those who wanted. While there was a strange “tourist attraction” feel to these, it was interesting to at least attempt to experience how the Viet Cong lived in such unimaginable circumstances. Eryn abhorred the firing range as it felt too surreal and made light of the terrible experiences that both sides had — to each his or her own.

Several US soldiers died in this tank when it hit a mine and has been left as a memorial.

The informational video when we first arrived. It’s extremely dated and refers to some Viet Cong as “American killer heroes”.

A snippet of our guide explaining the history and the battlefields.

1. “The tunnels are only one-way” our guide explains. Soldiers moved toward the battlefield—never backwards. | 2. Sampling tapioca, a common food eaten by the Viet Cong.

A common booby trap set by the Viet Cong.

We all got a chance to try using the hideout. I might have been a bit too tall.

Eryn slinks away undetected.

1. Cu Chi hideout. | 2. Sniper holes hidden on a termite mound.

1. To avoid being detected by the smoke from cooking, special low-down ventilation shafts allowed smoke to dissipate undetected into the morning mist. | 2. A massive display of different booby traps. By the end of the tour, all of the ways they showed us people could be killed started to feel excessive.

A short break during the tour at the firing range. You can pay to fire anything from a WWII-era M1 Garand to an M60 machine gun. I shot my first-ever firearm here, choosing the M1 Garand to experience first-hand what it might be like. The noise was absolutely deafening and it was a pretty strange experience. Eryn hated this part of the tour due to the sound of gunshots, the glorification and monetization of guns, and the glee that was on the faces of some tourists firing guns.

1. Entering the tunnels. While it had been widened by 20%, there was still heavy feeling of claustrophobia in such a confined and dark space. | 2. Me happy to be back above ground.

Inside the tunnels, fumbling to find the exit.

“The children helping their parents and brothers whittle and pitch bamboo spikes”

1. “How did the Viet Cong avoid their own booby traps?” we asked. They left a leaf pierced with a stick like in the picture. | 2. A crater remains from the massive US bombing campaign.

Heading back to Saigon after a day of learning.

Backpacking District

Before leaving Saigon, we knew we had to experience its infamous backpacking district and it didn’t disappoint. It was a madhouse with tons of bars blasting music while motorbikes sped past dodging the drunk tourists. It was fun to stop by, have a few beers and people-watch in the atmosphere of revelry.

1. A bar named Donkey. | 2. Motorbikes are made for the whole family! One parent drives, the kids cram in the middle, and the other parent sandwiches them in. | 3. Enjoying a piña colada at “The View Rooftop Bar”. It was nice to be off the busy streets and get some fresh air.

Busy night!

Leaving our hotel. Goodbye Saigon!

Overall, Saigon is a fascinating city. It is teeming with activity day and night. Restaurants and bars spill onto the sidewalk as endless streams of motorbikes putter by. There is a strong entrepreneurial hustle palpable in the shops of Ben Thanh market or along the rows of sizzling street food vendors. It feels like a city relentlessly marching toward the future but still unable to fully come to terms with its past. It was a fantastic and unforgettable introduction to Vietnam.