"Saigon: to enjoy, forget about hygiene " a Ho Chi Minh City Travel Page by Unknownsu

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Billboard

When you mention the name Vietnam, most people assume you mean the war, forgetting the actual country. I recently returned from three months travelling and was delighted to experience such a refreshingly unspoiled and emerging travel destination. Twenty eight years since the end of the war, it is a country at peace, with spectacular geography, a vibrant culture, and genuinely friendly people.

The streets of Saigon are always full of human energy. First, there is the incessant traffic. The noise is constant, as there are an estimated 2 million motorcycles, which are currently the mode of transportation of choice. The density of traffic can be mind-boggling, and it is a miracle that one can actually cross a street amidst the almost continuous flow. The experience is terrifying at first, but after a while, one gets used to walking slowing and deliberately so that the pilots can anticipate your moves and avoid you without having to stop. Although the numbers are falling, there are still many cyclos which can take you for a human-powered ride in the freshness of the night, as well as bicycles ridden with elegance by girls in immaculate Ao Dais.
The sidewalks do not have anything to envy to the pavement in terms of action, as people spend much of their lives on the streets, in what is an open and communal lifestyle. They would study, play, eat, have a haircut, watch TV with family and friends, take a nap, all on the sidewalks. Those who sleep there often do so not because they are homeless (watch how clean they are), but to enjoy the freshness of a breeze.

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Vietnamese Ao Dai

The first day arriving in Ho Chi Minh City was one of shock and horror! I was beginning to have regrets of jumping on a plane and traveling half-way around the world. No matter how much research and study you do prior to arriving, nothing prepares you for the sights, sounds and smells of Vietnam! After settling down, you begin to realize the culture and people around you, thus, you can fully enjoy your trip! Being of Chinese decent, I do not speak a word of Vietnamese and most of the english speaking Vietnamese are found in Dist 1 also known as Saigon so in other Districts, you have to be pretty creative with sign language and do a lot of pointing.......Food is the best part of the trip, I think. In some places, you could find Pho (noodle soup) for as low as 30 cents Canadian. If you're American, that's 20 cents. And if you're Japanese, that's less than 0 Yen! ^_^

Vietnam truly is not for the faint-hearted......everything is open-air therefore, you have flies. Prepare yourself to dine with them.......I've seen food drop on the floor and then sold to customers.....but then again, that's in every country, the Western ones just don't let you see it happen.

In my opinion, I think the cyclos are best avoided. I was lied to by a Chinese cyclo driver who claims he would never lie to a someone of the same race. Needless to say, I will never ride another cyclo for as long as I live, not because of him, but because I never felt safe on the slow moving, sun burning, 3 wheeled vehicles.

The main reason why I constantly make Vietnam part of my itinerary is because of the friends I have managed to make for myself during my extensive stay in Ho Chi Minh City. Even though I can point out great numbers of bad qualities Vietnam has to offer, there's no doubt about it, I love this city and the outstanding people who reside in it.