HCM is a huge, vibrant city, with a relevant historical past, especially for us Americans, as Saigon was the capital of the south during the war and where we had a huge presence. We toured the Cu Chi Tunnels, where many Americans lost their lives fighting in these boobied-trapped jungles. We also visited the Vietnam War Museum, where they had many captured US army helicopters/tanks available for viewing and a very graphic photos in the museum, showing a very skewed view of the war, Agent Orange, etc.
Vietnam was a french colony, so the french influences are obvious, in architecture - there is a Notre Dame Cathedral and even the post office was designed by Gustave Eiffel (yes, the architect who designed the Eiffel Tower) AND food - the food is GREAT!
The highlight of the trip was our Saturday night Foodie Tour of Saigon on motorbike! This is one of my favorite travel experiences of all time! A pack of young girls picked us up on their bikes and we cruised through the city, eating and drinking in all of the 7 districts, for 5 hours!! We had 3 guys on bikes that went with us too, to make sure we were safe. They took us to local spots and we ate really local food. The food was great and I even tried goat, frog and quail fetus :$)).
Seeing the city on a motorbike was an absolute thrill! Speeding through the city lights, alongside the thousands of other people on motorbikes. What an awesome way to see the city!! Our individual guide/driver, took care of us all night and it was fun to get to engage with a local. Vietnam is communist, so there is not a lot of outside influences - no big hotel chains and they just got their first McDonalds in February! So needless to say, our drivers were really interested in us and all things western!
HCM was very modern and I was surprised by the infrastructure, beautiful green spaces and how many cars/motorbikes on the road (rather than rickshaw, tuk tuk's), which I've learned shows you how wealthy a city you're in within Asia. The people were super nice, which being an American, I was unsure about. But, they loved us!
Vietnam is super cheap - the whole 3-day weekend cost less than $200 (after the $175 plane ticket), which included food/drinks, hotel, airport transportation, museum/tunnel entrances and the foodie tour. We had fun shopping too - cheap clothes, jewelry, etc, so we all stocked up! It was a treat for those of us living in the most expensive city in the world :)
In all, another GREAT travel experience here in SE Asia!!
Our adorable hotel, the Hotel Cinnamon - the staff was kind of obsessed with us and kept taking pictures, etc. Even got free foot massages with our room, which ran about $60 per night :)
Crazy power lines everywhere!
Knock off Body Shop
Catholic cathedral
Sights on the street, seriously surprised no one got taken out by a motorbike while trying to cross the crazy streets!
Hot pot!
Guys making us fresh spring rolls
And lots of cheap beer which was a treat for us Singaporeans!
At the Cu Chi Tunnels - checking out the boobie traps
Can't imagine fighting in these jungles
Heading down into the tunnel - tight fit to say the least!
Interesting cemetery outside of the tunnels
Rice fields
Getting ready for our foodie tour with our drivers
Pho - couldn't get enough of it all weekend!
Trying to take pics while cursing through Chinatown - the largest one outside of China - it was CRAZY!!! You could buy anything - any animal, fruit, etc! We whizzed through on the motorbikes and it was sensory overload - so much going-on on the streets
Eating with the locals - here's my grilled goat
Now onto Frog, like the whole frog
The weird eggs
Celebrating Monja's birthday at our last stop - in the HCM slum district!
After hours - having cocktails on the street
More sights from the streets
Went to the biggest indoor market that I've been to in Asia - you could buy ANYTHING - so fun!
War Museum
Yeah, right :)
Beautiful green spaces all over the city
The Notre Dame Cathedral
The Central Post Office
More beautiful French architecture
