Saigon

Whilst I am not a big fan of huge Asian cities, I very much enjoyed my time spent in Saigon. The biggest city of the country (8 million people) and former capital of the Southern Republic of Vietnam may be packed with motorbikes, but it retains a much cooler pace that its Northern counterpart Hanoi.

Welcome to HCMC!

The city's name changed to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in 1976, one year after the victory of the Vietcong, often called 'Liberation Army' by Vietnamese officials - the name Saigon still remains. The city is extremely dynamic and may well change from one day to the other.

Did the French loose something? Notre Dame Cathedral in HCMC

The place where backpackers stay, Pham Ngu Lao, really looks like a smaller version Bangkok's Khao San Road - plenty of shops, cheat food and affordable rooms. The city is however more expensive than any other place in Vietnam - expect 8-12$ for a room without AC, and 3-4$ to eat in most restaurants...

Vietnamese Tourists next to a former American Aircraft, War Crime Museum

Do not miss the War Crime Museum. Although completely one-sided, i.e. only focused on the crimes committed by the US army, the museum is a brutal, yet essential visit. It contains loads of pictures of the victims of the various defoliants, Napalm and Agent Orange used by the US - I put one of the most famous, yet softest one below - it won the Pullizer Prize in 1972. The museum helps understanding the 'Forgive but not Forget' attitude of Vietnamese people vis-a-vis the US.

Elsewhere, Saigon is packed with nice pagodas and busy markets. I strongly recommend to do a tour organised by the many travel agencies (6$) around Pham Ngu Lao.

I am now enjoying my last day in Saigon, before going to the Mekong Delta tomorrow for a 3-days tour and then directly to Phnom Penh by boat to meet Celine. I'll write posts on the mythical Mekong Delta, a review of Vietnam and Vietnamese politics from there!

See you later!