What was striking right away, though, was the odd mix of the communist and the capitalist. We stayed in District 1 – the main business and tourist area – and there are Versace stores and Gucci boutiques and people driving expensive German cars. Meanwhile, there are Communist flags flying and propaganda posters all over town. Guess the political system is communist but the economic system is capitalist. Seems like an odd combination but somehow they are making it work – just like they are somehow managing to make two currencies work. Again, US dollars accepted everywhere.
And like Hanoi and Hoi An, there are quite a few old colonial French buildings. They’re beautiful buildings but it’s just so strange to see them in the middle of Asia.
Another thing we noticed is that there is much more awareness of the Vietnam War here than anywhere else we went in Vietnam. And, they call it the “American War” – and the previous one “the French War.”
One of the places we visited was the Reunification Hall. Originally, this was the site of the Norodom Palace, built in the 1860s by the French when they took over Vietnam. But that was torn down once the French were defeated and replaced by a very 1960s building for the Vietnamese president. (In turn, he was deposed when the North Vietnamese took over in Saigon.) Reunification Hall is the site of that iconic image of a North Vietnamese tank crashing through the gates during the “Fall of Saigon” in April 1975. The building was very cool – a real time capsule of 1960s architecture.
The first floor was mostly meeting rooms for dignitaries and councils, while the second floor had more “personal rooms” – a library, a movie theater, and a living room.
After that, we went to the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, which was once the French governor’s home. Now, it’s a museum dedicated to the struggle of the Vietnamese against first the French and then the Americans. The building was more interesting than the collection and I couldn’t help noticing the irony of the entrance fee – one $1 US.
But back to motorbikes. Vespas are very popular here and are, in fact, a status symbol. And, in Ho Chi Minh City you can valet park your motorbike. You pull up in front of the restaurant or shop on your Vespa, hand it over to the attendant, he writes a number on the seat and hands you a corresponding ticket. Then, you head on into the restaurant and the attendant wheels your Vespa into a space next to the thirty other Vespas parked outside.
We also went to Chinatown to visit some pagodas. These were very interesting because they were “live” and not museums – there were people lighting joss sticks and praying and making merit. And the decorations are wild – lots of color and flashing lights. Very atmospheric.
Also wondered through the big central market – Ben Thanh Market. Did not linger, because it was packed and we really had no interest in shopping anyway. But it was a sight to see all the vendors packed into tiny, packed stalls. If you ever need to buy a Tweety Bird beach towel when you’re in Ho Chi Minh City, this is the place to go.
One final impression of Vietnam – people sitting at very low tables when they eat on the streets. EXTREMELY low tables – they look more like play tables for kids to sit at. But we saw them all over Vietnam. Not sure how anyone – much less adults – can sit at such low tables.
One of the places we visited was the Reunification Hall. Originally, this was the site of the Norodom Palace, built in the 1860s by the French when they took over Vietnam. But that was torn down once the French were defeated and replaced by a very 1960s building for the Vietnamese president. (In turn, he was deposed when the North Vietnamese took over in Saigon.) Reunification Hall is the site of that iconic image of a North Vietnamese tank crashing through the gates during the “Fall of Saigon” in April 1975. The building was very cool – a real time capsule of 1960s architecture.
The first floor was mostly meeting rooms for dignitaries and councils, while the second floor had more “personal rooms” – a library, a movie theater, and a living room.
In the basement were bunkers and command rooms for running the war against the Americans. Even a “shooting gallery.” Very creepy.
After that, we went to the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, which was once the French governor’s home. Now, it’s a museum dedicated to the struggle of the Vietnamese against first the French and then the Americans. The building was more interesting than the collection and I couldn’t help noticing the irony of the entrance fee – one $1 US.
But back to motorbikes. Vespas are very popular here and are, in fact, a status symbol. And, in Ho Chi Minh City you can valet park your motorbike. You pull up in front of the restaurant or shop on your Vespa, hand it over to the attendant, he writes a number on the seat and hands you a corresponding ticket. Then, you head on into the restaurant and the attendant wheels your Vespa into a space next to the thirty other Vespas parked outside.
We also went to Chinatown to visit some pagodas. These were very interesting because they were “live” and not museums – there were people lighting joss sticks and praying and making merit. And the decorations are wild – lots of color and flashing lights. Very atmospheric.
Also wondered through the big central market – Ben Thanh Market. Did not linger, because it was packed and we really had no interest in shopping anyway. But it was a sight to see all the vendors packed into tiny, packed stalls. If you ever need to buy a Tweety Bird beach towel when you’re in Ho Chi Minh City, this is the place to go. One final impression of Vietnam – people sitting at very low tables when they eat on the streets. EXTREMELY low tables – they look more like play tables for kids to sit at. But we saw them all over Vietnam. Not sure how anyone – much less adults – can sit at such low tables.
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