Saigon, saigon

It's a very short trip but a very pleasant one.

I was amazed with Cambodia when I visited it years ago. The city was much safer than what I expected. I have been longed for having a glimpse on Vietnam for several years. The country is a total mystery to me but I believe it's no doubt a charming city.

I finally was able to spend 4.5 days there to unveil its painted beauty. So what it's about Saigon and South Vietnam? Beautiful lady figures, inflating prices, rich historical background and a special birthday of my friend's.

30 Aug 2007 (Thu)

Our plane landed on the runway which is near the dwellers. It's as close as that of Hong Kong old airport but passengers can hardly wave to the people living below since most of the buildings are 2 to 4 storeys only. The old airport which was about to shun is simple and basic as the old taipei airport. The custom reminded me the old days when I went to China. Some custom officers placed their military hats on the edge of their counters, they dressed in green uniform which looks almost the same as that of China. You lined up and patiently waited for your turn but hardly it moved an inch.

All in a sudden, I was turned into a millionaire simply by exchanging $500 HK dollars. But a bottle of water cost me $5,000 at the street stall or $10,000 - $15,000 at a restaurant. A grocery shopping cost me $150,000 for a couple of cans, coffee, tea and fruits.

The night started with a dinner at a floating restaurant along Saigon River. I've got nothing to talk about the food except the Vietnamese spring rolls. It almost tastes good in every single restaurant in Saigon.

The special of the night show on the boat was the performance given by a young lady in a sexy and glamourous outfit. She played with the fire with her mouth, her waist, her arms and legs. We believe it's hurting as it's not hard to notice that her waist turned red though we couldn't see any burnt marks. The boat show and dinner was about an hour. The river was not impressive at all as only container ships were lined up along two sides.

The city is not glimmering at all but as electricity runs short and expensive. Under previous French influence, the cities are divided in different sections exactly like that in Paris. The hotel we stayed for most of the nights was a lovely 5-star located in Section 5, a conveniently spot just 10 minutes' ride to the city centre Section 1.


31 Aug 2007 (Friday)

Vietnam's bakery is as good as many Western cities and ranks among the top list of Asian countries. Croissant, donuts, french rolls and pastries are definitely your best breakfast companions.

A very good buffet breakfast to start with, the guide led us have a good stroll in some famous historical buildings and museums. First stop was the Reunification Palace which was once the headquarters and the residence of the Vietnamese presidents.

To my surprise, Vietnam was heavily influenced by the Chinese. The decor of many rooms were furnished with Chinese paintings, scrupture, status, classic furniture and carpet. What's the good way to show off the power that one has? Space, grand decor, lines or rooms of entertainment and collection of rare animals including a elephant foot.

However the residence was more than a place to live, to entertain and to demonstrate power. The fully equipped war rooms, communications centres and bullet proof tunnels in the basement made it a perfect headquarters to command.

I was growing up in the 1970s. It's hard to imagine how come this country was still in war when I was born. As a matter of fact, one of the presidents was almost killed by a bomb in the 1970s.
On the morning of 30 April 1975, Northern forces crashed through the gates by a tank and took over the power. Here lies a status of Ho Chi Minh in one of the meeting rooms on the G/F.

The next stop was the War Remnants Museum. You could imagine what it's about without my further explanation. It's not as shabby as the Cambodian one. The one in Cambodia was actually a school converted to be a museum. The focus was more about how to torture the victims with all sorts of tools while this one depicted more about what happened in Vietnamese wars by means of displays of bullets, tanks, war photos and army clothes, etc.

Well, it's rather sad to learn that Vietnam are still full of hundred thousands of disformed or handicapped people as a result from the wars as well as the trial of the chemical weaponsl by the US army.

More blessings should be sent to this city as it suffered too much pain and unhappiness in the past. Despite the sadness, we continued our trip to a resort city Vung Tau where situated around 3 hours from Saigon.