Splendid Sites in Saigon

In Saigon, the first thing I noticed was most people wore surgical masks when they were outside. Next, I noticed that the motorbikes were driven on sidewalks and in any direction on the streets. Saigon’s traffic was confusing, random and wasn’t following normal traffic rules. Motorbikes were cheap to rent. I wouldn’t dream of driving or renting one there. The traffic was scary to watch.

Splendid Sites To See In Saigon

We didn’t make our trip to the Mekong Delta day tour and Angor Wats, Cambodia. My daughter was pregnant so we were worried about malaria and didn’t go to malaria areas. The CDC warned of low malaria risk, but that was still too high for us. Mosquitoes love my daughter. She is tasty. We didn’t want to take any chances that my daughter would get even one misquote bite. So we skipped Cambodia and the Mekong Delta.

Splendid Sites To See In Saigon – We made it to all except one

Speaking about Angor Wats, we found a good code of conduct video.  The video created for Angkor Wats tourists but, it applies to anywhere you might visit. We are sad we didn’t get to see Cambodia’s magnificent Shrines. But we made the right choice for us.  If you don’t have malaria concerns, it’s close and inexpensive. Try to go if you have the time. Make sure you have a multi-entry Vietnamese Visa. You can get a Cambodian Visa from any Travel agent. Travel agents can also update your Vietnamese Visa to multi-entry.

Three-Points to Remember if You Leave Vietnam – You Need a Reentry Visa

• Make sure you have a multi-entry Vietnamese Visa.
• You can get a Cambodian Visa from any Travel agent.
• They can also update your Vietnamese Visa.

We felt that Ho Chi Minh City was a two-day experience. Visit other parts of Vietnam or Asia rather than spending too much time in Saigon. The sights listed below. We LOVED the Saigon walking free tour provided by students. In Saigon, we booked a free walking students tour. This one supports students studying English and fulfills their English requirements.

We didn’t take a walking tour of Hanoi. But, if you want to take one in Hanoi, this is a good one. Free Walking Tours Hanoi.

Our Hotel was Grande Silverland Hotel another good alternative is the Rex Hotel. There are a lot of good hotels that are $30.00 a night double occupancy. Even the hostels are excellent throughout Vietnam for $6.00 per night.

Saigon Sightseeing List

• Notre Dame -Catholic Church well maintained built by the French
• Reunification Palace the Vietnamese equivalent to White House
• Jade Emperor Pagoda
• Phuoc An Hoi Quan Pagoda
• Giant Lam Pagoda
• Ben Tanh Market and Binh Tay Market – Morning and Night markets
• Cu Chi tunnels – there is two tunnels – Ben Duoc tunnel in Phu My Hung Commune is for foreign tourists. Nhuan Duc commune is where the Vietnamese people visit. We went to both by car and paid for an English tour at the entrance gate.  We preferred Nhuan Duc.
• War Remnants Museum – is fascinating museum showing a photography exhibition of Vietnam War photojournalists from all sides of the war.
• Ben Tanh Market – Day market

The Ben Tanh Market was an exciting area to photograph.

Museums

War Remnants Museum had fabulous exhibitions about the Vietnam War.

KC didn’t know much about the Vietnam War, so it was an enjoyable experience. I knew something about the war. As we listened and watched the presentations at War Remnants Museum and Cu Chi Tunnels, we both commented that the story we heard seemed very familiar. We felt the North Vietnamese tactics reminded us of the current Middle East and ISIS situation today.

It reminded us of the Middle East today because the victors used local people with local knowledge, leveraged the people’s profound issues of poverty and lack of education to win the hearts of the poor. Then recruited these people to join their army. The museum shows the guerrilla tactics that only the locals knew to fight the Americans. The US and foreign troops didn’t understand the culture, political climate or how to combat terrorism and guerrilla tactics. We didn’t experience any hard feelings toward us as Americans in Vietnam. Sometimes we felt a little awkward listening to their history. The history was slanted but “to the victor go the spoils.”

A Little Golf Anyone?

Our hotel rooftops’ putting greens.

Brides

In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the people, and culture made the journey perfect.

Brides and Groom and Bride with her photographer makeup artist protected in a hoodie from the pollution of the Saigon.

Art, people, and happy salespeople, who liked my sense of humor and told me so made the trip fun. The people seemed honest.

It was the everyday things that made me like Vietnam. things like Starbucks in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, two excellent taxi companies and Vietnam’s honesty that made me like it here.

Ho Chi Minh City was unique, because of all the students that wanted to practice English and wanted to know about America.

We ate great food because our food tour guide from Hanoi gave us the names of Saigon’s foodie restaurants. People eat constantly in Vietnam. It was always meal-time. We noticed that people ate everywhere, on the street, while working in the shops, or in the markets. Vietnam gave a new meaning for take-out.

Manners

Right Way and Wrong Way to Leave your Chopsticks on Your Plate

The food was plentiful, cheap and delicious – Yummy! Manners are different. It’s – Ok to take your bowl up to your face when eating.

Visitors should be aware that the customs and manners are different in Vietnam than in the USA

Advice About Chopsticks – In this picture chopsticks are placed correctly on the yellow dish on the left. Never leave your chopsticks in the bowl pointing up. Always leave your chopsticks as the ones pictured in the street photo above. Chopsticks indicate politeness and good manners in Vietnam. In this culture even if you are leaving your dishes on the street corner, never leave your chopsticks in the food pointing up and down. Like the next photo yellow plate on the right. (sorry its out of focus)

These are quick photos, unfortunately out of focus, but they were the only ones that show this subtle point of manners. It’s the only photo I have that shows impolite chopsticks. This rudeness gives bad luck to the person who picks up the plate, the individual who made the food and you if you do it. Never leave your chopsticks in the food.

The historic buildings that are still standing like Notre Dame are beautiful but are modern compared to churches in Europe.

The people made Vietnam for me.