Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

I found myself at the entrance of Andrew and Jo’s guesthouse this morning after navigating through the claustrophobic maze of alleyways in Pham Ngu Lao, Ho Chi Minh City’s backpacker district.


We followed breakfast with a bike ride to the Dan Sinh war surplus market for a bit of shopping (I’m a sucker for army surplus). Surprisingly, I restrained myself to purchasing only three “vintage” commie buttons and two Viet Cong hats. I had my eye on a pith helmet but my backpack is crammed full as it is.

It’s hard to believe but crossing the street here has been one of the most exhilarating things I’ve done on this trip so far. You see, pedestrian crossings are few and far between in this heavily populated city and a little initiative has to be taken to get across. The secret lies in a leap of faith whereby one steps in front of moving traffic, maintains eye contact with drivers of oncoming vehicles while keeping a steady pace. It is a little daunting when faced with dozens of speeding motorbikes.

A video demonstration (not very well filmed unfortunately):

Half the day had already passed by the time we got out of the war surplus market so we booked it to the historically significant Reunification Palace (formerly the Presidential Palace). We only paused briefly here for a photo op at the spot where North Vietnamese tank #843 crashed through, symbolically ending the Vietnam War.

We worked our way a few blocks north to the War Remnants Museum where we soaked in a rather biased interpretation of the “American War.” Several displays in the main wing of the museum are dedicated to the atrocities committed by the “Imperialist” Americans. Most of the exhibit centered on graphic images of the long term effects of chemical defoliants (Agent Orange) and the massacre at My Lai. Outside, a number of leftover American tanks, aircraft and weaponry sit exposed to the elements:




A shrine to “Uncle Ho” near the main exhibit - these things are everywhere:

This wax model inside a recreated “Tiger Cage” (a South Vietnamese prison cell for Viet Cong soldiers) almost gave me a heart attack:

On the way back to our respective guesthouses, we stopped at Pho 2000, a noodle shop where Bill Clinton ate during his visit in 2000. Though a little bit pricier than other pho restaurants, the food was definitely fit for a president. I made off with an extra pair of disposable chopsticks as a souvenir.