I lounged in my room at Townhouse 50 until 5:00 pm, when it was time to head to the Saigon Blessing Hotel to meet the Intrepid Travel Tour Group. Erik had arranged a Grab car (Vietnamese Uber) for me. It was interesting threading Saigon traffic from inside the protection of a car.
I got checked in and at 6:00 pm headed to the restaurant to meet the group. There I met our group leader, Yoeup Chhoem, aka Jae, and the others began to filter in. The group, exclusive of Jae, consists of: me, of course, Dylan, a recent high school who is traveling Asia and NZ solo for 6 months, Luke, an early 20s Brit, Paul, a retired Brit, John, in his 50s, from Maine, Herbert, 70 something, from Germany, Andrew, an electrical engineering grad from Pittsburg, Ghengis and Kenan, two Turks somewhere in their 40s, and Kylann and Naomi, two early 20s girls from Melbourne, and Laura, 58, from LA. Ghengis, Kenan, Kylann, Naomi, Paul and Luke were just fresh off an Intrepid trip from Hanoi to Saigon.
That’s my group who I’ll be traveling and dining with for the next 12 days.
Next, leaving for Phnom Penh Cambodia.
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Saigon, Day 2, February 2, 2019
I got up early again, around 6:30 am and went down to the lobby and waited for the cook to show up on her scooter. Once she arrived she served up an omelette, which I supplemented with a baguette, watermelon and Vietnamese coffee. After breakfast, I headed out again on foot. By now, I’d learned the art/skill of crossing the street. You wait for a letup in the traffic (it never totally clears) then walk deliberately out into the street, wagging your hand at the scooters and cars. Somehow they manage to part way and avoided hitting me. I headed down Nguyen Thi Minh Kai, skirting the Tao Dan Cultural Park to Pasteur.
Once I got to Pasteur, I realized I was close to the Reunification Palace, and decided to stroll through. The Palace, if you can call it that, is a 1960s style building that President Diem had commissioned to replace the historic, French-built Palace of the Governor General, built in 1868. It was the site of headquarters for Japanese occupying forces during WWII. In 1962, during the early days of the Vietnam War, two disaffected ARVN Air Force piloted decided to drop load of bombs on the palace instead of the Intended Viet Cong target. It seems Diem was not appreciated by everyone in S. Vietnam. This aborted assassination att mot destroyed the entire left wing of the palace. Diem commissioned a new structure, but he was the subject of a successful this time assassination before he could see it to completion. Rumor has it in some circles that the American CIA had a hand in the deed.
At any rate, I paid my $40,000 Dong and proceeded to tour the building. It very much has a 1960s vibe to it, with more than a little ostentatious opulence. The rooms are large and designed,mainly for meetings, entertaining heads of state and general governmental hobnobbing by high officials who had a high impression of themselves. The top floor has private residences that are arranged around a courtyard. There is a bunker in the basement that house a war room, communications gear, and a bedroom for the President.
After leaving the Reunification Palace, I headed down Pasteur and went to the Vietcong Center Shopping Mall. This mall is as nice as you’d find in the United States. Very modern with lots of glass and chrome. Stores like Shisheido, Adidas, Nike, Ecco and similar. There were a fair number of well off looking Birtnamese shopping there. It was a real contrast to the poverty in other parts of the City. I bought a pair of flip flops in the Old Navy store for the equivalent of $3.00. Probably could have gotten them for half that at Ben Tanh Market.
After Vincom, I went to Ben Tanh Market and got another Mango smoothie, after which I along the way, I walked past groups of people sitting on the sidewalk working on shoes, at first, I thought they were repairing them, but on closer examination they were actually making shoes. IBack at the hotel, I paid for late departure at 5:00 pm and went to my room to pack and get ready to transfer to the hotel,where I would meet the tour group at 6:00 pm.
*
Once I got to Pasteur, I realized I was close to the Reunification Palace, and decided to stroll through. The Palace, if you can call it that, is a 1960s style building that President Diem had commissioned to replace the historic, French-built Palace of the Governor General, built in 1868. It was the site of headquarters for Japanese occupying forces during WWII. In 1962, during the early days of the Vietnam War, two disaffected ARVN Air Force piloted decided to drop load of bombs on the palace instead of the Intended Viet Cong target. It seems Diem was not appreciated by everyone in S. Vietnam. This aborted assassination att mot destroyed the entire left wing of the palace. Diem commissioned a new structure, but he was the subject of a successful this time assassination before he could see it to completion. Rumor has it in some circles that the American CIA had a hand in the deed.
At any rate, I paid my $40,000 Dong and proceeded to tour the building. It very much has a 1960s vibe to it, with more than a little ostentatious opulence. The rooms are large and designed,mainly for meetings, entertaining heads of state and general governmental hobnobbing by high officials who had a high impression of themselves. The top floor has private residences that are arranged around a courtyard. There is a bunker in the basement that house a war room, communications gear, and a bedroom for the President.
After leaving the Reunification Palace, I headed down Pasteur and went to the Vietcong Center Shopping Mall. This mall is as nice as you’d find in the United States. Very modern with lots of glass and chrome. Stores like Shisheido, Adidas, Nike, Ecco and similar. There were a fair number of well off looking Birtnamese shopping there. It was a real contrast to the poverty in other parts of the City. I bought a pair of flip flops in the Old Navy store for the equivalent of $3.00. Probably could have gotten them for half that at Ben Tanh Market.
After Vincom, I went to Ben Tanh Market and got another Mango smoothie, after which I along the way, I walked past groups of people sitting on the sidewalk working on shoes, at first, I thought they were repairing them, but on closer examination they were actually making shoes. IBack at the hotel, I paid for late departure at 5:00 pm and went to my room to pack and get ready to transfer to the hotel,where I would meet the tour group at 6:00 pm.
*
Saturday, February 2, 2019
First Day in Saigon
I got a little ahead of myself with the posts.
I woke the morning of February 1, had breakfast of an omelette, baguette and watermelon, then went out to explore. Bui Thi Xuan, the street my hotel is on, runs right into Tao Dan Cultural Park. The park is a part of a string of sites that extend east for several blocks, ending with the Reunification Palace, the former home of South Vietnam’s presidents Diem, who was assassinated, and Thieu. I paid my 30,000 Vietnam Dong for a ticket and strolled through. The park was full of food vendors and exhibits of flowers and bonsai trees. I have no idea whether this is an all time thing or because it is Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. There were lots of families strolling about taking selfies with their smartphones.
I woke the morning of February 1, had breakfast of an omelette, baguette and watermelon, then went out to explore. Bui Thi Xuan, the street my hotel is on, runs right into Tao Dan Cultural Park. The park is a part of a string of sites that extend east for several blocks, ending with the Reunification Palace, the former home of South Vietnam’s presidents Diem, who was assassinated, and Thieu. I paid my 30,000 Vietnam Dong for a ticket and strolled through. The park was full of food vendors and exhibits of flowers and bonsai trees. I have no idea whether this is an all time thing or because it is Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. There were lots of families strolling about taking selfies with their smartphones.
I wandered through the park and on past the grounds of the Reunification Palace. Hung a right a block after Pasteur Street and went by the Norte Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office and City Hall. After that I worked my way over to he Ben Tanh Market, built in 1872 by the French, where I got an excellent Mango Smoothie for $0.87. Such a value!!!
After all that, I was late morning. Returned to he hotel for a nap before heading to the Pham Ngu Lao backpacker area. Dinn that night was Koreans the restaurant next to the hotel ok, but not great.
One Minute at the Corner of Pham Ngo Lao and De Tham
I got myself an outside table and people watched for the better part of an hour while having a couple San Miguels.
Friday, February 1, 2019
Photo Link And Reunification Palace
Greetings. Day two in Saigon or, as they call it now, Ho Chi Minh City. I’m taking lots of photos. Too many to post here in fact. Head on over to my Smugmug page for this trip to access them. I’m not sorting or organizing at this point. Just doing a big dump of whatever I take.
The high point today (aside from the $0.86 Mango Smoothie I picked up in the Ben Tanh Market) was touring the Reunification Palace. It is the very much 60’s style building that housed President Diem and later Thieu after Diem was assassinated. It was that building that the North Vietnamese tanks surrounded when Saigon fell in 1975. Here’s what Wicki says about it:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Palace
A photo:
More at photos at the Smugmug link:
David’s Smugmug Photos
The high point today (aside from the $0.86 Mango Smoothie I picked up in the Ben Tanh Market) was touring the Reunification Palace. It is the very much 60’s style building that housed President Diem and later Thieu after Diem was assassinated. It was that building that the North Vietnamese tanks surrounded when Saigon fell in 1975. Here’s what Wicki says about it:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Palace
A photo:
More at photos at the Smugmug link:
David’s Smugmug Photos
Hong Kong and Last Leg To Saigon1
As noted, I had a 3 hour layover in Hong Kong. We had stayed ahead of sunset until shortly before arrival, but on arriving it was dark and I could only barely make out the outlines of the mountains (if that’s what you call them) on the Kowloon Peninsula. I had a three hour layover, so checked into the American Express Centurion lounge, where I recharged the batteries with a bit of food and a Botany Gin on the rocks. Oh, and a glass of Prosecco as well.
I chatted briefly with a guy who was headed to India, which he told me was about a 6 hour flight from Hong Kong. After 13 hours, 6 hours seems like nothing
I headed down to the gate and eventually boarded my flight to SGN.
The flight was about 2 3/4 hours and was totally full. It was an Airbus A300 with 2-4-2 seating. I had the window at 64A. Visited some with my seat mate, a Vietnamese woman who was returning from somewhere, the location of which I never determined.
I dubbed this flight the Crying Baby Flight, as there were about three of them in my section.
The flight arrived on time at 12:10 am. I cleared immigration easily, having gotten my 30 day tourist visa in advance from the Embassy in Washington, DC. The checked bag took longer. They were unloading from two full flights and I stood nervously as bag after bag, box after box, came down the conveyor belt (it seems when the Vietnamese travel they like to bring back consumer goods. There were lots of boxes - Home Depot and a Porter Cable box come to mind - all taped, strapped and hermetically sealed coming down the b LT until, finally, by bag appeared.
I finally got my Osprey travel backpack and headed for the throng outside the arrival area to meet my driver, who was holding up a sign with my name on it. I arrived at Town House 50, my home for the next two days sometime after one, and got checked into my room. It’s a large room with Queen bed and, thankfully, air conditioning. Cost, you ask? $24/night. I grabbed a beer from the refrigerator in the lobby and said,”put it on my bill please.”
I chatted briefly with a guy who was headed to India, which he told me was about a 6 hour flight from Hong Kong. After 13 hours, 6 hours seems like nothing
I headed down to the gate and eventually boarded my flight to SGN.
The flight was about 2 3/4 hours and was totally full. It was an Airbus A300 with 2-4-2 seating. I had the window at 64A. Visited some with my seat mate, a Vietnamese woman who was returning from somewhere, the location of which I never determined.
I dubbed this flight the Crying Baby Flight, as there were about three of them in my section.
The flight arrived on time at 12:10 am. I cleared immigration easily, having gotten my 30 day tourist visa in advance from the Embassy in Washington, DC. The checked bag took longer. They were unloading from two full flights and I stood nervously as bag after bag, box after box, came down the conveyor belt (it seems when the Vietnamese travel they like to bring back consumer goods. There were lots of boxes - Home Depot and a Porter Cable box come to mind - all taped, strapped and hermetically sealed coming down the b LT until, finally, by bag appeared.
I finally got my Osprey travel backpack and headed for the throng outside the arrival area to meet my driver, who was holding up a sign with my name on it. I arrived at Town House 50, my home for the next two days sometime after one, and got checked into my room. It’s a large room with Queen bed and, thankfully, air conditioning. Cost, you ask? $24/night. I grabbed a beer from the refrigerator in the lobby and said,”put it on my bill please.”
Flying to Hong Kong
My flight to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacifoc left on time. 1:10 pm on the 30th. Total airtime was something like 13 hours, but who’s counting? I was in economy at the back of the plane, my preferred location. Equipment was a Boeing 777-300, with 3-4-3 seating. I was in the middle section, on the aisle - 64D - so I could get up and roam. The flight was not full, and the seat next to me was empty, so I was not crowded. They treat the steerage passengers pretty well on Cathay Pacific. Two hot meals and I got free wine with meals. The food was, well, airline food, but it was heads and shoulders above what you get on United.
I was surprised most of the flight was over land. We headed up to Alaska, over the Aleutian Islands and south over Russia, a corner of Mongolia and China, finally on to an on-time arrival at Hong Kong International at 6:30 PM on the 31st. There’s that pesky International Date Line at work again.
I was surprised most of the flight was over land. We headed up to Alaska, over the Aleutian Islands and south over Russia, a corner of Mongolia and China, finally on to an on-time arrival at Hong Kong International at 6:30 PM on the 31st. There’s that pesky International Date Line at work again.
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