Saigon

When Amanda and I were sailing in Halong Bay with our fellow Seattlites, we asked them what they thought of Ho Chi Minh City versus Hanoi. "Way crazier. The heat makes them go nuts." Considering our challenging introduction to Vietnam via Hanoi, this had us a bit worried.

Ho Chi Minh City aka HCMC aka Saigon definitely is crazy, a real mashup of western and Vietnamese culture cooked up at a minimum 30 deg C. After a couple of weeks in Vietnam, however, it made a lot more sense to us and we found it to be much more enjoyable than Hanoi. It is easier to nagivate, and the heavier traffic moves a little slower thus making street crossings more reasonable. On top of that, the streets novelly often keep their names consistent for more than one block. Between the heat, motor traffic, street vendors on wide sidewalks, cafes, etc, Saigon feels much more like a living, breathing city-organism compared to the more cold, challenging and occasionally off-putting feel of Hanoi.

The city is overflowing with life, and with just one full day to explore, we barely scratched the surface. First, the lowlights - I found the War Remnants Museum, recommended as a must-visit, to be an overly propagandish waste of time and spirit (NB - Amanda thought the narrative presented by the museum was a fascinating and invaluable experience). Atrocities were very clearly committed by both sides, and this museum is dedicated to only one of them. Between the heat, the museum, and seeing a woman on a motorbike get hit by a taxi (she was just scratched up), I was a little beaten down by HCMC. Fortunately, our experience in the coming evening would turn out to be the highlight of our time in Vietnam.

When we arrived in HCMC, we got in touch with our friend from Dalat, Khanh. Unsure if she would be available to meet up with us, we were happy to find out that she wanted to get together for dinner. Better yet, she and her boyfriend Lam wanted to take us around on their motorbikes, show us the city, and get some delicious Saigon cuisine.

Throughout Vietnam, we wished that we knew enough of the language to communicate more easily with people. With Khanh and Lam's genuine hospitality and good grasp of English, this was the first time we were able to understand what it would be like to live here. It was also nice to just be out with friends.

They took us over to a place that is popular for making a savory pancake called banh xeo. Eaten by hand rolled up inside of a lettuce leaf, it made for a fun and delicious dinner.

Khahn and Lam with some delicious banh xeo and fresh rolls

I've never ridden around on the back of a motorbike, and to do so in a place like Saigon was quite a trip.

From HCMC

After our tour, we went to a popular ice cream shop for a giant fondue sampler of ice cream. We needed all four of us to finish it, though I suspect Amanda would have been able to polish it off on her own if left to her own devices. Eating challenge completed, Khanh and Lam took us back to our hotel where we said goodbye. Thanks for a truly wonderful evening!

In Dalat, we made the decision that we wanted to visit a beach in Thailand, so our double date with Khanh and Lam ended up being our last night in Vietnam. It was a great way to wrap up our visit to the country and made us a little sad to leave so soon. Next up, the Temples of Angkor.