I thought crossing the street was difficult in Hanoi. Then, there was Saigon. In a city of 10 million-plus motorbike owners, the journey from one stretch of sidewalk to another is quite the experience. As with any city of this size, proper exploration takes more than four or five days. It's also difficult to pound the streets all day in 1000 degree (rough estimate) heat. Like the troopers that we are though, we sweated our way around city, admiring the juxtaposition of modern glass high-rises towering above timeless scenes of Asia. No where else has the old and the new meshed itself together so perfectly.
True to our form, we spent the first day wandering aimlessly around Old Saigon, (I should note that most of the locals still refer to Ho Chi Minh City as "Saigon"). As it's name suggests, "Old Saigon" is the oldest (duh) part of town. Unlike Hanoi's Old Quarter though, Old Saigon didn't quite have that "timeless Asian" feel to it. Though the streets were still teeming with motorists and the sidewalks still a chaotic whirlwind of sights, sounds, and smells, much of the old city seems to have given way to modernity. It wasn't quite what we expected but it was still fun to stroll along the boulevards spotting stores like Louis Vitton, Dior, and Gucci, while then ducking into an alley full of food stalls, street markets, and dilapidated buildings. Most of the old French colonial buildings are also located in or around this neighborhood, (which is sometimes called "District 1". Confused yet?). Buildings like City Hall, for example, which was once the Hotel de Ville:
Here's the Hotel Continental, not the actual hotel, just a photo of it. This place was featured in "The Quiet American," a novel written by Graham Greene who briefly lived in room 214. There used to be a cafe around the corner which was also featured in the book but it's been replaced by a Gloria Jean's Coffee...yeah...the same Gloria Jeans most prominently featured at rest stops on the Ohio Turnpike...sad times:
The Best of Saigon Part 1: Cu Chi Tunnels
Although most of the old city seems to have disappeared, Saigon is still home to the remnants of a more recent bygone era. The War tore through the entire country, and there are stark reminders of it everywhere. We visited two such places while in Saigon.
The Cu Chi tunnels are located roughly 40 km northwest of the city. Primarily dug by hand, the tunnels linked Viet Cong bases over a distance of about 250 kilometers. Throughout the war, the tunnels were used to move supplies and transport troops. During the Tet Offensive, the tunnels acted as a stronghold for the VC's attack on Saigon. Thousands of guerrillas lived beneath the soil where some were wed and others even gave birth. Our tour of the tunnels even allowed us to explore the subterranean system, which was dark, hot, and full of bats. In most places, you couldn't stand higher than a crouching position. I can't imagine having to live under conditions such as these:
This is a shot from one level below the ground. Caroline and I ventured two levels further down before claustrophobia forced us to the surface:
One of the many booby traps set up to defend the area. We were warned not to venture off of the trail because of the traps that had yet to be discovered:
It's hard to make out, but this crater is the result of a B-52 bombing run. It doesn't look like much in the picture, but I can assure you it was a gargantuan hole:
The Best of Saigon Part 2: Reunification Palace
On April 30th, 1975, tank 843 stormed through the gates of the presidential palace. Soon after, South Vietnam would officially surrender. Saigon had fallen. The war was over. Today, the palace is the final proof that South Vietnam ever existed.
Entering the building immediately transports you back to the 1960s, as every room was left exactly how it was found 40 years ago.
I forget exactly what each of these rooms were used for so you'll have to use your imagination:
After touring the living quarters, we stepped down into the bunker...
...which appeared to be used for storing old robots...
...as well as some type of arcade game from the 60s. What a strange time it must have been. These graphics are hardly even 2D.
I left Saigon feeling like I'd hardly even been there. It's impossible to explore a giant city in 5 days and therefore, I have a hard time really formulating an opinion on the place. I was expecting the old part of town to be a larger, more chaotic version of Hanoi, I was actually hoping for this, but Saigon is nearly twice the size of the capital so it must develop at a far greater pace. I wasn't disappointed with my time here, I just left feeling like I'd missed something.
