Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City

After my adventurous (and not so cheap) border and ferry crossing fiasco, I decided to fly from Phu quoc island to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)....the plane was a fokker (???) and it was one of the smoothest flights I have ever experienced! Given my experience in Phnom Penh I was stressing about a big city visit, crowds of people, horrendous traffic, noisy and large (you would never have thought I lived in London happily for 10 years!) and convinced the taxi driver was ripping me off, but he wasn't and the hotel was lovely (I was prepared to spend a little more on accommodation in the cities) and very central, i.e. right round the corner from the main backpacker tourist streets, so it was easy to stroll out, find a restaurant, make some travel enquiries, buy a book.....

I had been warned about Saigon's traffic and motorbikes and that crossing a street is a nightmare, whilst there are pedestrian crossings, these are ignored by motorists/motor cyclists, and the best way to cross is to first make sure that there are no trucks or cars and then slowly walk across the road, don't stop and don't run, and you will be fine! With no logic prevailing, I declined offers of cyclos and insisted I was going to do my own walking tour of Saigon to the Market, Shopping district, Musuems..... Small intersections were mastered with ease (well, followed on the heels of a local) but then I came across a huge traffic circle with about 8 intersections and 4 lanes for cars but imagine rows of 16 motorbikes heading in your direction, but I still proceeded untethered and with a break in the middle of the road, made it safely to the other side of the road, with a little whoop of joy!!!

But I was on the opposite side of the road to the market, oh well I don't like markets anyway - too crowded and having to constantly negotiate. So I headed for the shopping streets.....a bit like a London, Paris or New York street... a bit of retail therapy, why not!!! I had not bought any souvenirs yet, oh, and the art was spectacular.

Losing myself in the streets of Saigon was wonderful, watching the city pulsate with energy, a mixture of modern malls and skyscrapers, old markets and shophouses, and lovely gardens! I visited the beautiful Post office building, Notre Dame cathedral, but had no energy for the War Museum (but took a few snaps on the outside as I relaxed in a beautiful garden). After lunch at a traditional restaurant - love the fresh prawn springrolls and fresh fruit juices, visited the City Musuem - beautiful building but slighly boring content, a cool respite from the heat outside. I then succumbed to a cyclo driver who took me to the History Museum (fascinating account of the different ages/dynasties and an amusing water puppetry show), he then took me to a few temples and then to the Art Museum...well he dropped me off a block away and then demanded 400000dong (that is about $25.....a rip off...) I gave him 200k and then huffed off to the Musuem only to find it closed on a Monday!!!! Mug....but I came off lightly, a couple I met a week later had been robbed 4 times in 4 days in Saigon!!!

Nothing like having a treat when you're let loose in the city, treated myself to dinner at the Temple Club an old Chinese temple with original wood and stunning antique décor. The food is classic Vietnamese, substantial portions and whilst reasonably priced is expensive for a backpacker. I unfortunately only managed 2 courses of spring roll selection and baked fish with scrumptious ginger, chilli, garlic broth, washed down by a delicious glass of wine (so rare for me nowadays!) but could not fit in the famous desserts!

Continuing in the non-backer theme of shopping, fine dining, I decided to pay for the use of pool and gym at the smart Caravelle hotel - state of the art sports equipment (Western quality) and lovely pool, oh and spa....bliss and much needed exercise!

My Saigon experience felt more like a city break, than a backpacker stopover, possibly the best way to enjoy city life.....but the splurge trend was not going to continue.....