Good Mooooorning, Vietnam - Take 2 from Phu My and Ho Chi Minh City

March 21, 2024

Vietnam - Day 2

The Vietnam we remember many years ago in the late 60’s thru 1975 is not the Vietnam of today.  In fact, we have a friend on board who was in Vietnam during the war.   This was his first trip back and he was a little anxious.  When we spoke to him a day or so later, he said that he didn’t recognize anything.  I think that may have been therapeutic for him.  I don’t know if he thought he was stepping back into the wartime era he remembered but since everything is different now, he seemed like he could let it go a little.  

We port in Phu My and get on the bus that takes us up to Ho Chi Minh City.  We all know it as Saigon.  And the locals there prefer and refer to it as Saigon too.  Of course, Hanoi is now the capital of the country and the governmental center, but Saigon remains the largest city and is the economical center.

1975, 10-April.  Iconic photographs of a Chinese tank running thru and breaking down the gates at the Royal Palace where the President resides.  Later that day another iconic picture of the big Huey helicopter perched atop the building trying to get the remaining Americans out as well as those South Vietnamese who were supporting the Americans and had no hope of escaping imprisonment or death if they were left behind.   This day was the unofficial end of the war.  I was 18 when this happened.  I had to register for the draft, but the draft was over a year or so before.  It was not a good time in our history.   Our primary goal was to keep the spread communists out but unfortunately politicians tried to run the war instead of the military.   Just my opinion.    It was also the first war that was covered live on TV every night which did nothing but incite public opinion, good or bad. 

But anyway, we withdrew, the communist overran the city and united the two countries under communist rule.  As we have learned time and time again, this system does not seem to make it possible for the common man to prosper.   Again, my opinion.  But things have begun to open up in Saigon and Vietnam since about 1986 when the government allowed the people to own land, work for themselves, etc.  While the communists still rule the country, capitalism has made its way into the market place and now you have a city in Saigon with a population of 9.3 million people who are out riding over 5 million scooters making their way to work everyday.   

Again, scooters are everywhere, and any signs, lights, lanes of traffic are just suggestions.   They do not stop.   I cannot believe 50 people don’t die everyday just getting from A to B.

But what we also saw today is a developing country.  Vietnam exports more cashew nuts than anyone else.  They also produce lots of coffee, and are second only to Brazil (been there, done that, got the coffee!)  All we saw were coconuts and pancakes.  Never could find the cashews!

Today we drove thru the gates of the Presidential or Royal Palace and visited what today is a museum.  There were a couple of remnant and representative Chinese tanks there, too.   The basement is as it was back in the war complete with large detailed maps and radio equipment, etc.  Very surreal when you think we are walking through history.

We went to a lacquer ware factory where we observed artists making lacquer ware products by hand, and thanks to Vi, we are now proud owners of some lacquerware stuff! Thank the gods she refrained from buying any Louis Buittons or Yves St Larrys!

We went to Chinatown to visit what I am hoping is our last shrine or temple, called On Lang Pagoda.  I am hitting all this quickly because the pictures always do a much better job of describing what we see and do than anything I can put down on paper.

Oh yeah, and I almost forgot, we had a delicious lunch at the Mandarine Restaurant which included stewed fish with sugarcane, sauteed pork with veggies and cashews, steamed rice with coconut juice, and finished with fresh fruit.  It is a famous restaurant that has been host to lots of famous people, even Condoleeza Rice.  Not sure our picture will make the wall of fame, but I bet we enjoyed it just as much.  LeRoy had his bia of the day, a Saigon Special!

Like I said earlier, Vietnam is not the Vietnam we remember.   It still has its rice paddies and traditional ways, but it is developing and trying to put itself out there and build up tourism.   It is a beautiful and tropical land.  It is either hot or it is hotter.   I will happily say I could come back to Saigon.  I have no desire to visit much further north.

We are off to Singapore next.  This is the first destination that is a return visit from our last world cruise in 2019.  I am looking forward to seeing with new eyes as all this traveling gives you new perspective on the world.   I hope I can keep my eyes and my mind open to the upcoming adventures.

LeRoy and Vialula

LeRoy and Vialula