Nywoman in Hanoi, Hoi An and Saigon
 

Good morning Vietnam
Checked into the Hanoi Elegance in the very early morning, was met with a glass of lemonade, my welcome drink. The room is quite nice, with a shower that looks like a space capsule. Crash for a few hours and wake up to a lovely breakfast, and am off. The hotel is in the �old quarter� and very conveniently located to everything.

The first order of the day was the Temple of Literature, it was within walking distance, and for not the last time I took my life into my hands walking the streets of Hanoi. The traffic is intense, scooters everywhere and if the street is not wide enough they drive on the sidewalk. Am not sure how I am reacting to all this cacophony, and crazy traffic. As I walk along I come to a street that obviously have a few catering rental places, chairs are loaded onto a truck, tables stacked in a corner. Dishes being washed Hanoi style, crouching on the sidewalk, dipping the dishes into a plastic bowl filled with water. Now I know why people use the hot tea to rinse out their dishes in restaurants.

Another street is filled with florists, the arrangements are all triangular and can be for the table, in front of a store opening or funeral procession. I reach the Temple of Literature but turn the wrong way, which means I walk almost the entire city block to enter.

After China the entrance fee is a shock, 15.000 dong that is less than $1. The temple is very lovely, it to Confucius, and was founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong. In 1076, Vietnam's first university was established here to educate Vietnam's administrative and warriors class. Am wandering around, enjoying seeing all the young to-be-married in a few months, posing in their wedding dresses, full make up and hair dos. The custom or so it was explained to me, is that you get married on a day that is considered lucky by the Buddhist calendar, but you pose for all the photographs weeks or months before the ceremony. Have probably missed some of the details, in the translation, if anyone knows better please let me know.

Met a lovely young couple from Ireland and Madrid, actually they are both from Madrid and traveling the world. We decide to go for lunch together at Koto. I have Banana flower salad with fried dried tofu, watermelon juice, Crème Brule and warm cake 165.00 dong or less than $10. This is a little high for Vietnam but Koto is very special it is a training school for street youths started by a Vietnamese-Australian man. The students learn everything from the front of the house, to the kitchen and back of the house. I thought this was the only restaurant like this in Hanoi but was to learn differently After lunch we part our ways and I mosey along.

Walk by a lot of art galleries. Adele by Klimt seems to be a favorite, to copy. Most of the galleries have at least one copy, apart from the monks and peasant women with straw hats, Not very inspiring, finally I get to the lake and as I confer with my map, I realize that I am very close to Fanny�s. This is supposedly the most famous, and best ice cream parlor in Vietnam with 2 locations I order Passion Fruit, it was a sorbet but still very good. Walk partially around the lake, until I decide it is time to head back.

I walk back past many, many stores and I feel besieged by the Cyclos � one hour�, shopkeepers �come look Madame�, Scooter drivers and taxis �Where are you going?�. They all want my attention, horns are blowing non-stop. Walking the sidewalks is an exercise in agility, between the parked scooters and the ones that think the side walk is part of the street. The secret to crossing the street in Asia, when there are no lights is to do it in segments, you do the first part when there are few bikes and cars then you do the next part permitting the scooters to swerve around you, or at least give them a chance to. They will not stop for you, the really young kids will try to get as close to you as possible on a dare, I suppose. I feel as if I am losing my sanity.

Get back to the hotel and am really ready for a drink, fortunately had my stash in the fridge, courtesy duty free.

I am trying to gather together my first impressions. Hanoi reminds me of India, but without the good nature of the Indians. The infra structure is very poor, sidewalks in bad repair if at all, roads full of pot holes, buildings are pretty shabby. I do so want to like this city, but my first day is a disappointment. I don�t see the beauty and charm that was, or still is

Time for dinner which is at a nearby restaurant called Quan An Ngon, at 18 Phan Boi Chau, Hoàn Kiếm, which is very well known except I didn�t know it. The receptionist Amy who became my restaurant adviser called it �Always delicious restaurant� and that is what I went to. It was totally packed but since I was single, I was seated right away at a table with two Singaporeans, who left fairly soon, to be followed by two Vietnamese young men. The restaurant is in a garden under a large ochre tent. There are cooking stations all around the perimeter, and the menu is very large. It is supposed to be an upscale version of street food, and the food and quality is great. I have to go back to the pictures to remember what I ate. My two Vietnamese companions, one was a taxi driver and the other a police man insisted I should try some of their food as well. My perceptions of Hanoi are shifting, am not a convert yet, but my sanity is returning.

Next morning I take a taxi to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, and buy a ticket for the Water Puppet Show which was being performed there that week at least. Walk around and visit several tribal buildings from around the country. I find it a bit unsettling walking barefoot, on bamboo mats, with nothing but bamboo slats underneath and quite high off the ground. It was enjoyable to see the different types of houses that were represented.

The Water Puppet Show was very interesting, The actions were narrated by a man who did a great job, impersonating different figures and moods. The translation read by a woman left a lot to be desired. The performance was also accompanied by musicians, and singers. 40 minutes was perfect to watch, though one had to wonder how it all happened. At the end,3 young men came out to take their bows dressed in waist high wet suits. It is what flyfishermen wear but I don't know the name.

When the first young man emerges from the tent after he has changed, I ask if I can see the puppets, my theory is always, that �No� is also an answer, but he said yes .At this point several others have joined me and we get to walk backstage and see how it all happens. It really made me admire the skill of the puppeteers even more than I had during the performance.

Time for lunch, the restaurant at the museum is run by yet another not for profit group, teaching under privileged, handicapped and street children restaurant and other skills. The lunch was very pleasant, had a salad and a lime ade. Then it was time to see the museum. Have barely stepped inside before a young woman comes up to me and explains that she is an English Major and can she join me, it turns out she is with a young man with no English knowledge. Am I going to be churlish and say I like my museums solo, unless you can give me a docent�s tour, of course not, so I smile and say �with pleasure�. Am not sure what she wanted from the encounter, but they left after awhile. The museum is very well laid out and it shows the different minorities, as well as their different customs and lifestyles very well. The museum shop is run by a not for profit organization selling handicrafts, I make a small dent in their inventory.

Talking about students, I was approached on several occasions at tourist spots by young women who claimed to be students and wanted me to buy matches for the Red Cross. Finally I said to one before she even gave me her spiel �how much� without missing a beat she said �whatever you want� China has the tea ceremony, Vietnam the matches.

Take the public bus back, I think the fare was less than 5 cents. Am dropped off at the last stop, which is the north part of the lake. I have read about Nguyen Freres, courtesy Ekscrunchy, and their pleated silk jackets. The shop is supposed to be right by the lake according to my map. I walk down the side of the lake, I walk up the side of the lake, I buy another map from the tourist office, and suspect I was scammed, by being charged for a very limited map. Walk the entire west side of the lake and there is no shop. It�s time to go home, but since I am there I might as well do some more sight- seeing, I go to the temple on the lake, walk past the shoe street, Imelda Marcus would have been in ecstasy, perhaps not by the quality, but surely the quantity. Manage once more to get home unscathed, it is always an amazement to me that I can actually manage to cross a street without any damage to either me or a scooter.

Walk by an alley where there appears to a supermarket, go in and buy some juice, while on the checkout counter I stand next to a German man, dressed in long pants, sandals and socks, probably saved his whole life for this trip, with a shopping basket full of green tea. He is very happy, he even got the very large leafed one his guide had shown him . On the bag says it�s good as a diuretic, for rheumatism and backaches, as well as anything else that ails you. May be he will relegate it to the back of the pantry when he gets home.

Dinner that night is at Cha Ca La Vong, there are at least 3 restaurants with that or similar name on the same street. Since I had the wrong street number it took me a second to figure out which one was which. For 90.000 you get a slew of greens to cook with the fish, of which there were a very few fried pieces, though I had read it is broiled, it wasn�t, set over a clay brazier and served with a bowl of noodles. To say I was underwhelmed is probably accurate. It was a pleasant enough meal, but not worth the effort.

Hanoi can be kind of a shock to the senses. We're city people and soon loved the chaos. Your story about the Red Cross matches made me laugh. We didn't run into that, but we did run into lots of young men selling various things - books (terrible quality copies) and cigarette lighters ("Saddam Hussien lighters, Madam") - were the most numerous. But VN is the only country I've been to in which if you don't buy, you may be assailed by a barrage of obscenities. This is a sales technique?!

It sounds like you didn't visit CraftLink, a fair trade crafts shop next to Koto. I highly recommend it. It has some very unusual merchandise. I bought some Khmer silk double Ikat with human figures for a friend, and I ran into a woman from Switzerland who was stocking her boutique with interesting hand-made purses. Also, one block away is the national Art gallery which was very interesting and is a good place to buy art.

For sheer spookiness, you may want to visit the Museum of the History of the Revolution... we were the only people there and it was odd to be there alone and realize that we were the enemy.

Restaurants we loved: Club L'Opera across from the Metropole, Brothers Cafe located in the courtyard of an old monastery, the original Little Hanoi (not the sandwich shop next to the lake), and Cau Cau, in the hotel where we stayed, the De Syloia.

I'm enjoying traveling along with you!

Me too. I'm trotting along behind you. Now you're in Vietnam I can see it even clearer. And hear it. And taste it. We've eaten in all the same places. Keep dropping those juicy left-overs in my direction.

I am following along also, Nyw - we will be spending 5 days there next April plus time in Sapa and Halong Bay. Looking forward to more...

How long did it take you to walk to the Temple of Literature? Other than the Museum of Ethnology, are the major attractions pretty much within walking distance? As you can tell, I don't really have a good feel for the size of the city.

Also, I am wondering about the water puppet show that you went to - was it the same organization that does the shows at the Thang Long Theatre by Hoan Kiem Lake?

Kathy,
The shop at the museum was a Craftlink, I don't think I saw the one next to Kota.

Cafe Opera, I walked to it, and by it, didn't realise that it was the one, thought it was the Opera Cafe at the Hilton, which I didn't go to because that was not what I wanted.
Another case of mixed identity for me. Have had a lot of those on this trip.

Unfortunately did not get to the other restaurants you mentioned.

Craig I don't know if it is the same group. There are approx 20 groups total in the entire country, that try to keep the art alive. Am not sure if it makes much difference which one you go to. The one I saw was nice, because there were hardly any other Western tourists, and the setting was lovely. I was there, and it seemed like a good idea.

Oops, Ny, I thought you were still in Hanoi so I offered those restaurants. Yes, you're right there is a Craftlink at the Ethnographic Museum.

Craftlink has a shop inside the Ethnographic Museum--so you have to pay the entry fee to get into it. This shop doesn't have many clothes but seems to have primarily things for the home -wall hangings, plates, coasters, a good selection of greeting cards, etc. The quality is excellent.

As has been stated on this thread, Craftlink also has a shop down the street from Koto--and across from the Temple of Literature. This is a much larger shop and sells more clothing items in addition to some of the home items. I also found another Craftlink store just down the street from this one, and it again has more things for the home and no clothing.

If you buy silk wall hangings while in Asia--one thing that Craftlink carries that are cheap and very nice are wooden rods to hang the silk wall hangings from. Traveling through Laos and Cambodia--I picked up many, many of these silk hangings for gifts. When I returned to Hanoi I went back to Craftlink and purchased about 15 of the rods. I thought they would make my gift "complete"...giving my friends no reason not to hang the silk! The rods were only $1 (17,000 dong) for ones about 1.5 feet long. The longer ones were about a dollar more...and some really beautiful carved wooden hangers were about $10. My husband returned to the states last week. We tucked the smaller rods into the sides of his suitcase. But several of the longer ones wouldn't fit...so he wrapped them in paper and bubble wrap and then slid them into the outer pocket of his rolling carry on bag. He took them out when the bag went into the upper storage bins of the plane. He reported that everything arrived in good shape.

Hanoi continued.
Before I set off on another day, I call my sister-in-law in Sweden totally mindless of the time difference, I wake her up. I need her to tell me why Hanoi is so fabulous, I want her to explain to me why she likes it so much. She tells me about the French Colonial Architecture, I see squalor, disrepair and very little charm. We have a horrible connection and finally I realize my mistake in the time difference.

I am pondering, what am I missing here? All I have read are glowing reports of Hanoi, everybody I know loves it. One of my favorite cities is Mumbai, so it is not the squalor, or the teeming amount of people or traffic. It doesn’t talk to me, or maybe it does but in the wrong language. The only way to find out if we can have a conversation is to venture out again.

This time I walk towards the Opera House, this is the area where all the posh hotels, and boutiques are located. It is nicer not so run down, The Opera is a lovely building in front of a large square, next to it is the Hilton. Somehow, in my mind Club l’ Opera is at the Hilton and Opera Café is not. It doesn’t matter, am not ready for lunch I walk to the History museum which is a stunning building, and walk around the courtyard admiring some of the exhibits.

There are no brides here to be photographed, but this seems to be one of the spots where romantically inclined portly, middle aged Western men take their young Vietnamese girl friends, tottering on impossibly high heels while holding hands. Am not sure why my reactions to those sights are mainly negative. The men are as a rule not particularly attractive, so why shouldn’t they feel as if they are, if even on a delusional holiday. The girls may view it as a language lesson, one of the best ways to learn a foreign language is in bed, or so I have heard! Or is it the same way I feel when I see old men with very young girls, disdain mixed with pity.

Time for lunch, wander in and out of the Hilton and end up at Sofitel Metropolitan for their Vietnamese Buffet Lunch. What a treat, the crabs are the largest, sweetest and most succulent I have had so far, or even in a long time. The rest of the seafood is not far behind, I try most of it. Skip the meats and soups, since a main course is included in the Pris Fixe of $20 plus tax and gratuities, the final bill came to $30. My choice was grilled Shrimp on Lemon Grass, very mediocre, dry and tasteless. It really didn’t matter though, since all the other items were impeccable, as was the service. Walk out and can even smile at the Cyclos, and Taxi drivers. Perhaps Hanoi has some good points?
Walk slowly up Hoan Kiem Lake, past Memorial House 87 Pho Ma May. It is a small building that has been restored to its original state of being a merchant’s house. There is a very small admission fee, and each floor and room has merchandise for sale but it is still a nice look into old Hanoi. Walk the by now familiar streets, some of the shop keepers smile in recognition, but am still asked to come in and look.
My last day in Hanoi is spent doing more walking. The Ho Chi Min Museum is closed, or so I am told, which apparently was not quite correct. Anyway I don’t go there, instead I am going to yet another market. The Dong Xuan Market, which is to the far north of Hoan Kiem Lake. Nothing has prepared me for the experience. As you approach the building, there are streets and alleys with merchants selling specialized merchandise. There is a row of nothing but office material, another row where they are selling red lanterns, a third alley with tools etc. etc. One line of shops had nothing but plastic shopping bags, including the blue IKEA ones.
This is not unusual when approaching markets except this was a different kind of market.

I get to the building and am almost knocked over by people exiting with enormous bags and bundles. This is a wholesale market for clothing, shoes, bags, suitcases, trinkets, fabrics, cheap cosmetics, but no food. The commerce is fierce, you can see the buyers on the staircases doing their calculations in note books. The bundles piled up next to them, impossibly thin men with carts lug them outside to be piled on cyclos. In one stairwell there is a long standing wooden pipe being circulated, the men have glazed looks and who knows what substance was in that pipe. I was not allowed to photograph it. There is no room or time for individual purchases, you want children’s pajamas, they come in bundles, take the lot. The frenzy is palpable, I walk around a bit longer and then leave.

My flight out to Da Nang leaves at 6 am next morning, am still not sure if Hue is on the agenda or not it all depends on the rains.

Dinner that night is on the corner of Hang Bong and one of the side streets. Every day I had been watching the young girls carefully prepare skewers of food in this tiny corner shop. At night the whole sidewalk becomes a café. I select my food to be cooked over a charcoal fire and sit down on a tiny chair. Have a beer and feel that all is well with the world.

Thanks again Nyw - while I tend to plan things out more than you did, wandering the city is part of the plan. At Dong Xuan Market can we take photos if we are so inclined? Or is it just too hectic? It sounds like a very unique place...

Craig,
While I think I have planned well, it is often not the case. I left most of my notes behind. I also get tired, and on overload with sights.

Somewhere along this trip I decided that the world would continue if I didn't see every temple or attraction. It took a lot of pressure off me, and I'm sure I also missed some wonderful things.

Sometimes the weather did not co-operate and I was forced to abandon excursions.

Craig I am sure you will have a fabulous trip.

You can take as many pictures as you want at the market, just not of the guys smoking whatever!!!

Nywoman-
I'm very much enjoying your report. My husband and I are headed to Vietnam for the first time in July so I'm starting to look for any and all tidbits which the standard guidebook may not have.
I really appreciate any information on markets, street food, restaurants and hotels.
After your stay at the Hanoi Elegance, would you recommend it? it sounds like you didn't like the neighborhood much.
Also, I can relate to your desire to really like a place, yet find it a challenge. Frustrating, isn't it?

Kristina,

I liked the neighborhood a lot.

Am just not sure at which of the Hanoi Elegances I stayed. After seeing the area where the other two were, I much preferred my area. It is in the old town, as they all are, on Hang Bong.It was convenient to walk to many places. I did not fall in love with Hanoi, and that was more the problem.

Now Saigon which I am leaving this morning, that is a whole other story. Am totally enamoured with the city, want to return, and have a whole different perspective on the Vietnamese. Full report to follow

Hoi An
One of the advantages, or is it a disadvantage of independent travel is that you can change your mind and direction, even before you have finished walking down the block. Now if you are with other people plans are less flexible, decisions are made as a group and usually adhered to.

I am sure that I have missed many “must sees” because I was tired, bored couldn’t be bothered and also because I had no daily itinerary, or anybody else to prod me along. Vietnam was deliberately not a very planned destination, wasn’t sure whether the elements would cooperate. As it turned out they didn’t, though I had a preliminary itinerary it had to be tweaked considerably.

I tried to go to Hue, though the weather reports were terrible, there were no flights, however I did get one to Hoi An leaving at 6 am. One out of two towns was not bad. I did manage to see the town, as well as having several pieces of clothing made from different shops. Was I thrilled with what I had made? I would say I had very mixed results even from the same shop.
Since I arrived at 7.30 am, by taxi from DaNang, to glorious sunshine, the first order of business, was breakfast, which was noodles with shrimp that I ate across the river. Then it was time for the market, it is an amazing market, everything seemed to be sold there. I walk by a vegetable stall and the woman looks at me and says “you are beautiful” those may be the only English words she knew, I didn’t care, it made my day.

As I walked further in I get cornered by Kim who has a haircut shop and does $1 pedicures. I wasn’t in the mood for a pedicure but promised to return, which unfortunately I never did, since she was quite the character. It is time for lunch and I hit Cargo Club where I had my first all Western meal on this trip, a delicious perfectly cooked Hamburger, did that taste good. Go back to the hotel to unpack and watch the rain pour down, I did venture out a bit later, after a nap, with my plastic raincoat and umbrella. The rain coat selling women jump on me to buy, what did they think I was wearing?

HoiAn is a cute little town basically consisting of a main street where many of the antique shops and tailors are located, as well as some of the sights. The outskirts are very nice with rice fields and the river appearing every so often, it was appealing despite the downpour.

It came time for dinner and I decided to try Brother’s Café, after quite a lengthy walk I reach it to discover, that I would have been a solo diner, at extremely high prices, nixed that idea. Next door was DaoTien which supports disadvantaged youths. Do not consult my notes, which tell me this is the one restaurant to skip, don’t know where I got that information. Have a nice dinner with steamed Crab, for about $12. There were a few other restaurants that had been recommended but they were no longer in business. Since the rain had really picked up by now, I take a taxi back.

The next day the rain came and went, I explored a bit further and signed up for a cooking class at Citronelle, which is across the Japanese Bridge. I was the only student and it was a hands on class. Made Shrimp Fritters, Squid grilled in Banana Leaf, and Crab Soup. The cost was $15 including my meal Did I learn something, yes that grilled Squid in Banana Leaf is not as good as plain grilled Squid. It was a pleasant enough evening and the food was tasty.

Since the rain didn’t seem to ease I decided to move on to Saigon the next day. I had booked an afternoon flight, in order to visit My Son in the morning, while on the way to the airport. Well that didn’t work out since the road was closed because of flooding. My really sweet taxi driver, who was the brother of one of the shop owners where I had some clothes made, suggested Marble Mountain. Why not, I had a lot of time. We arrive, pay my entrance fee, receive a map with the caves and temples clearly marked and start climbing the steps. It is drizzling, I am all alone and realize that I must be insane even thinking of doing this, the climb looks interminable and I turn around. Take a few photos of the Marble Statues and we leave for DaNang, so the day shouldn’t be a total loss culturally, I do get to see the historic museum before we head to the airport and on towards Saigon or Ho Chi Min City.

Great trip report...keep it coming! It makes one feel like they are there with you. We may very well do Vietnam instead of Thailand if we can't get there at the end of January.

Crossing the streets sounds quite scary. My husband (the one who wants to ride a bike around Siem Reap and the temples)was wondering about renting a bike to get around in Vietnam, or renting a motor scooter (which we've never done before). Both options sound a bit scary to me with all the traffic. What's your opinion?

dgunbug, your husband sounds like he has a death wish! The most frequent cause of death in VN is motorbike accidents - and that's people who live there and know the (very unusual) rules of the road in VN. I'd suggest you go to www.youtube.com and search for Hanoi traffic or HCMC traffic and show those to your husband.

I am one of those who is really enjoying your report! I cannot wait to read your reactions to Saigon, a city which I absolutely adored!

Kathy - We will not be renting a motor bike or bicycle anywhere! How horrifying. I'm not even sure if I will be able to cross the streets without trembling. I think I will probably have to find a kind Vietnamese person to hold on to while I cross!!! Yikes. I'm waiting to hear more from Dogster who managed to talk sense into my husband with regard to bicycling in Siem Reap. Even my stubborn husband was more than convinced after reading what you all wrote - and we got a great laugh. Thanks for all your great info.

NY woman, great report.
I too was amazed at the traffic and lack of order in China, and was terrified at some large intersections. I learned to NEVER cross by yourself, always get "lost" in a crowd of Chinese pedestrains, all crossing together.

Thank you for the nice words. Personally, am not so sure how enjoyable my reports are to others.

If I was one of those people who still remembered how to ride a bike, I would ride one in Siem Reap, but NOWHERE else. To even consider it or a scooter in Vietnam is a total suicide wish. I didn't even dare to ride on a Moto as a passenger.

Saigon report is coming up, I totally loved it and had some great experiences, actually the rest of the trip has been even more amazing if that was possible.
Leave for NYC tomorrow night via Seoul

On the subject of crazy overland ideas, I will mention that a (somewhat daring) friend of mine rode a bicycle last year from (downtown) Bangkok to Vientiane. This year he will do Saigon-Dalat.

Wha... wha..? You mean my trip in Ny's handbag is OVER? No-o-o-o-o. I'm not ready to come home yet.

down doggie down!

we still get to hear about Saigon and Siem Reap.

I can't speak for others, but I'm enjoying your report. I'll be especially interested in what you have to say about HCMC.

As I am posting the first and main part of my Saigon experience in an Internet Cafe am getting ready for dinner at Samot. I finally found it on my last day in Siem Reap.
The owner owes me one, which is another story of course.

Forgive any problems with formatting it is not my computer.

Here goes.
Saigon
Meet some fellow travelers who steer me to a hotel called Hahn Hoa
Hotel on Pham Ngu Lao Street in Ho Chi Min City or Saigon as I prefer
to call it.. They have two rooms to choose from one for $30 with a
view over the park or $20 with no window, I choose the window. I get
an enormous room with two queen sized beds, flat screen TV and a
computer with internet connection. This area of Saigon is apparently
and obviously home to all the back packers that are visiting. Since it
was quite late when I arrived, went out for dinner almost next door to
Pho 20, Pho is the national dish of Vietnam, a soup which can contain
many different ingredients, but always noodles. Pho 20 is a chain of
restaurants where they have 20 ingredients to choose from. It was
quite good, and inexpensive. Wake up the next morning to the sight of
people exercising in the park across the street, through my picture
window.

What is it that makes one react to cities as to people, you can feel
an instant attraction, be lukewarm or even not care within seconds of
meeting. Of course the instant attraction may not survive a closer
relationship. However that was not to be the case with Saigon. I knew
it as soon as I arrived at the airport, I could feel it even as we sat
in traffic for over an hour. Even my funny cavernous room felt good,
then to be greeted each morning as I come down for breakfast "you are
so beautiful, " how can one not be in love, or at least in like.
Wrinkles and bags under the eyes seem to recede, as I venture out,
somehow I am slimmer and yes prettier. We should all wake up to be told we are beautiful. This by the way became a daily routine said by the lovely receptionist, and confirmed by the chambermaid.

Since the Cho Ben Than market is very close by I start out by walking
there. This is the largest market in Saigon with again everything you
can imagine except electronics sold there. The prepared food stalls
are intriguing as are the fruit stands, and the varieties of teas and
coffees sold. A large part of the market is dedicated to clothing,
linens and house wares and on the periphery are the meat and fish
merchants. Though I am approached I don't feel myself as hassled as in
other markets. The bargaining is as fierce as anywhere else, but I do
find t that embroidered articles are less than in Hanoi. Even I can
only take so much of any market and decide to explore the Chinese
Pagodas, and China town.

Saigon is a very large city area wise comprised of 12 districts. I am
staying in District 1 and Cholon the Chinese area is in District 5.
The Cyclo's and Moto's are lined up outside the market, vying for my
business, somehow they seem less persistent and annoying than their
Hanoi counterparts. Since I wouldn't dare to go on the back of a Moto
and it is too far for a Cyclo, I take a taxi. By the way a Moto is a
taxi scooter and a Cyclo is a bike with a seat in front like a
rickshaw. Spend the better part of the day looking at Chinese Pagodas.
They are different from the ones I have seen in China or at least I
don't remember seeing ceramic friezes. These are decorated with very
intricate scenes of clay or china figures on top of the lintel or roof
as you enter. They remind me of Neapolitan nativity scenes minus the
crèche, or perhaps an elaborate stage set. Inside the temples are also
very decorated, one of them has a life size horse that is supposed to
bring good luck to travelers. I light a stick of incense just in case.

It is getting hot and time for an iced coffee, stop by a coffee house
where there are a lot of men and even some women having drinks. Why I
noticed the women, have no idea, order my Iced Coffee which is
delicious and sweet, it is made by adding sweetened condensed milk to
very strong coffee. I am also served iced tea, which is totally
different and very good. After reviving I am starting to look at my
surroundings and the waitresses, they are all very cute, young,
dressed in black, some with the skimpiest shorts, and there seemed to
be a lot of them for such a small place. Several of the girls sat down
with the customers. It could be that the men were regulars, and they
just sat down to chat, I didn't notice any goings or comings so I
don't know. I had more important things on my mind, the Iced Tea I
wanted to know what I was drinking. The Madame or was she a Madam,
comes out and very graciously gives me some dry tea, writes down the
name of it as well as the price that I should pay. As usual a great
afternoon, am now trying to find the Chinese market which according to Lonely Planet should be directly west of the strip of herb shops.

The herb shops, they make you almost want to become a herbalist,
seeing sacks and sacks of totally unknown things, that are displayed,
the way we usually see rice and legumes, sitting on the ground, there
are strings of mushrooms and twigs in bundles. Shops where everything
is very neatly bundled in stacks to the ceiling, many of the sacks are
labeled for medicinal purposes unfortunately my photo of one of them
was too blurred. There is a lot of roadwork going on and I proceed to
walk towards the market. I don't think I reach it but instead am in
the middle of the auto parts market, then metal workings, cook wares
and basically heavy metal stuff. Am unable to find the recommended
Chinese restaurant and take a taxi to Quan An Ngon, the same
restaurant where I had had that great meal in Hanoi, a different
branch only. Had a very very good barbecued steak and a Papaya salad.

I feel that I have put in a good days work and head home, prepared to
get ready for this evening's spectacular eating experience. The
elements are not cooperating the heavens open up and I go for Indian
food around the corner.

The next day I decide to explore a different part, walk up Le Loi past
the market and see some very elaborate Christmas decoration, it is
almost Thanksgiving, am so lost in my own time schedule that dates and
months become meaningless. Walk down Pasteur and am trying to find
some shops by the river, it is hot and against my better judgment I
succumb to a cyclo, we agree on 15,000 approx 90 cents, since it is
quite close, a taxi would have been 10,000. We arrive and now he wants
150,000. I offer him 20,000 since I don't have change. Oh no, he wants
his 150,000 I told him he could take what I offered or nothing, it was
up to him. I had no more time to argue, of course he took the 20,000
and left. This is the problem with the Cyclos you agree on a price and
then it changes, I heard some really awful stories of people getting
fleeced. The place I was looking for was no more but I found Ngyuen
Freres, which had been so elusive in Hanoi, where I was finally able
to buy some great gifts. Coninue my amblings, walk by many beautiful
stores and come to yet another market, this one is an open area,
obviously not geared for tourists, with the usual mix of meats, fish,
fruits, vegetables and wines and spirits. This was a new for me, had
never seen alcohol sold at any of the markets.

It is time for lunch again walk for what seems like miles to find
Bibi a French restaurant that has moved from its previous location to
17 A Le Than Ton Street. The prices have also gone up a Pris Fixe on
weekends is 250.000 and weekdays 200.000. The daily specials didn't
appeal so instead I had Japanese Sashimi next door.

Went to the Ho Chi Min museum and have now seen as much of the American or Vietnamese
war, depending on your nationality, as I care to. Continue strolling
around and all of a sudden it is 4 pm and I am on my way to Lang du
Lich Binh Quoi. One can get there by taxi or public bus, I opt for the
bus #14 from the main bus station. Pay 3000 dong and am on my way, the
bus rides through some pretty seedy parts of northern Saigon, am
getting a little apprehensive but figure the worst that can happen is
I stay on the bus and return to the city. 45 minutes later the ticket
taker indicates that I have arrived at my destination. I get off at
this beautifully landscaped area and have arrived at food nirvana.

Every weekend there are 80 kinds of Vietnamese foods served in this
beautifully landscaped place. You pay $8 entrance fee and then you are
free to sample as often and as much as you like from different food
stations. This was the absolute best food I had had at any time in
Vietnam. I have different barbecued skewers, grilled clams, fish
soups, rice dishes, noodle dishes, wraps, desserts and lots more. The
seating is open in this lovely outdoor space and I end up at a table with a Taiwanese man and what I presume to be his 3 daughters. For
once I keep my mouth shut and discover that one of them is his
girlfriend and the others her girlfriends. When I can eat
no more take a walk around the gardens. There are several party
pavilions where people seem to be having a grand old time. It starts
to sprinkle and it is time to return to Saigon. Since the buses stop running fairly early I grab a taxi and arrive in yet another
rainstorm.

Great stuff NY - I'm dying to hear how your dinner at Samot goes. I'd imagine you'll be served your first course sometime around midnight... lol. If you havn't already gone - best advice - abandon yourself to the chef.

Had you visited Lang du Lich Binh Quoi during the day, you would have seen dozens and dozens of wedding couples having some of their wedding pictures taken (this is usually 1 of 3 outdoor locations used for pictures). It is the Saigon favorite for wedding pictures, along with the Notre Dame Cathedral.

Nice to see a good report about Saigon.

Wow NY, you make me want to go to HCMC now, if only for the food. Hmmm, how am I going to fit it into my 12 days in Vietnam though? Ah the choices one is forced to make...
Can't wait to hear about Siem Reap.

Thanks for Saigon, have printed your trip report for my first visit to that city next month.

Nywoman - Thanks for the great report. We will go back to our plan A for this trip - Thailand and Cambodia, but may very well do Vietnam the following year. Your descriptions are wonderful and makes me want to wander thing is that I asked several local Vietnames people about travels in Vietnam on your own and they all insisted that I would not be able to do it without a tour. What do they know!

Thanks for the info on the "food market". That sounds like fun! Great report.

Thank you for the great report! I love your section on Saigon.

Have finally mamanged to make some sense of all these Asian pre-wedding pictures. If it makes sense?

Answer #1 you are too busy before the wedding there is no time for pictures.

Answer# 2. The album should be ready for the wedding day so guests can look at it. It takes a lot of time to use Photo Shop to make you look good.

The first answer from the groom to be, the second from a bride who was married a few years ago and had grerat problems understanding why I even asked such an obvious question.

#2 is the correct answer. They also show a video with all the wedding pictures for the guests to see prior to the start of the wedding party/reception (the marriage itself is just a simple signing of a marriage certificate, followed by visits to the bride and grooms parents house during the day). The use of Photoshop is generally for the background of the pictures. Most Vietnamese women look very beautiful when they're in their wedding day make up.

Thanks for the great report (I'm trying to catch up on all the ones I missed while traveling). Isn't it interesting how some places just feel "right" and others don't? I loved Hanoi and didn't much like Saigon, but I think some of that may have been the weather. Your description of Lang du Lich Binh Quoi almost convinces me I need to go back to Saigon.

I too figured there was no way I would ride the motos, but I wound up on one by mistake when I thought I was bargaining for a cyclo, and decided it wasn't as bad as I expected. I did worry that I was bigger than the driver, and he might try to to get through a space that would fit him but not me, but it never happened. Still, better in the Cambodian countryside than Vietnamese cities!

I actually hitch hiked on a moto in Siem Reap, on an almost deserted road. At least I can say I gave it a try without completely lying.

I'm still waiting to find out about dinner at Samot. But didn't you come down with a monster lurgie after Siem Reap? Please, tell me it wasn't Samot! lol.

No it wasn't Samot, only indirectly. I will get to that in due time. Here comes the next part.

Saigon and overnight boat on the Mekong!

The morning is glorious, I receive my usual wonderful greeting from the staff and wander off in search of I don’t know what. Saigon is a city made for exploring, and I still have presents to buy. I walk up Le Loi to the Opera House, admire the wide boulevards and lovely plantings. Amble down side streets, and backtrack until I get to Parkson’s a very fancy department store. The ice cold air feels good, but there is nothing enticing about the store, at least I have now seen it.
Continue down to the Tax Department Store on the corner of Nguyen Hue and Le Loi. It was once known as the Russian Market and it has a kind of faded beauty about it. I go up to the souvenir floor where all the prices are fixed and many of them at the same or better price than at Ben Thanh Market. I purchase a few items and it is time for another Iced Coffee at the cafeteria in the store.

While I am sipping my coffee, there is a woman obviously a tourist looking out the window I can not tell if she is crying, but her demeanor is a little off. Since I am next to her I ask if she wants company, and she eagerly accepts. I have willingly let myself in for this so I listen to her story. She was not crying but suffering from jetlag, having arrived from London this morning. All the same she had a troubled tale to tell. She was divorced from her farmer husband who was very vindictive, her children who are in their 20’s have not spoken to her in years.
Her father’s hand had been cut off mowing her lawn, he could not get the proper help because of all the immigrants in England had used all the available resources. After awhile I excused myself, since this was a litany that I have heard too many times in different geographic locations. When are we as people going to stop blaming the minority immigrants, for all the ills in our society? Better not go down that road or this will stop being a trip report.

I had purchased some items in Hanoi, that I thought I had lost on the way and since I wanted these same items I returned to Ben Than and haggled them down to a very reasonable price. Then it was time for lunch, which I ate at the market, what delicious foods they served. Managed to buy the tea that I had sampled the previous day and felt the day had been spent profitably.

Now it was time to plan for my trip to Cambodia as much as I was loath to leave Saigon. Before I even started this journey, I knew that I wanted to go by boat up the Mekong to Phnom Penh had also read that Delta Tours operated a trip. Went in and booked my ticket 2 days and 1 night $55 using the slow boat.
What could be nicer than drifting up the river in a leisurely pace?

The bus picks me up at 7 am the next morning, we drive around to various hotels picking up people and then we circle around for an hour because 1 couple were either lost or mis-communicated. Finally left Saigon at 8 am and arrive at Cai Be a few hours later, where we transfer to a boat. The passengers are split up depending on whether they are returning to Saigon or continuing to Cambodia. We are supposed to see the floating market, which is a joke, since the market starts at 6 am and it is now 11 am. Even if we had been there at 6 am it would not have served us, since you need a small boat to explore the market, which seemed to be wholesale anyway.

Then we proceed to a factory for making coconut candy wrapped in rice paper, lots of souvenir shops and in general a cheesy atmosphere. We finally leave and continue to An Binh Island for lunch. I share a dish of deep fried Elephant fish with Elaine. The dish was very nice, I don’t recall the price. By now we have started to make friends, I have partnered up with Stephanie from California but lives in Raleigh N.C., there are Ian and Elaine from Ireland and Charlotte and Erwan from Paris. They are all in their early to mid thirties, and continuing on, except Stephanie who is going back to Saigon.

We are back on the boat after some people played with a boa constrictor and others rode bikes. The guide is doing a very hard sell on upgrading to the fast boat, he makes the slow boat sound so uncomfortable and inconvenient that I buy the upgrade. We have been informed that we will have private cabins on the boat and Stephanie and I will share.

Back on the boat and then a bus on to Sadec where we and our luggage get off. After a fair walk, with our luggage, we get to the house which Marguerite Duras either owned or her Chinese lover owned, it was never quite clear. We wait here for the boat to arrive. Now it is time to schlep the luggage again to the boat. Surprise, there are no private cabins, we all sleep on bunk beds in one large cabin. By this time I have decided to make this a 3 day 2 night trip, and I am really glad that I did, final cost $90. The reason for my decision was mainly that on the 3 day trip you do get to see a few things, whereas the 2 day trip is mainly bus travel. We all get settled in while waiting for dinner, I discover some Vietnamese wine, my travel companions are all beer drinkers, but a German lady of my vintage is willing to share a bottle with me. I don’t recall dinner, so it couldn’t have been too bad, the wine however was less than memorable but by the time we finished the second bottle who knew.

We are awakened at 5.30 am to a glorious sunrise, breakfast and transfer to our floating hotel in Cha Doc. This time we have a private cabin and the boat/hotel is actually quite nice. It is berthed or anchored next to a small island opposite Chau Doc and Victoria Hotel. Sitting on deck watching the river traffic is everything I had imagined and more. There are fishing boats, rice barges, river taxis and general daily life passing by. I don’t know why the Mekong has such a pull on me, more so than many other rivers but it does and I am savoring it to its fullest.

Now it is time for the touted tours, we pass by what is designated a floating village which is no more than shacks on pontoons, the majority of houses seem to have fishing boats or nets attached. We proceed onto the Cham village which was one of the most distasteful visits. The Chams are a moslem minority, the purpose of the visit is ostensibly to visit the mosque, which is closed. It really is to see their sales room and be hassled by the children to buy waffles. The children were most aggressive, as we are walking back to the boat I stop by a doorway leading into a house to photograph a cat, not until I have taken the picture do I notice it had just killed a large rat. Then we proceed to a fish farm where the catfish is kept in bamboo cages in the water. The owner pours in some fish pellets and a feeding frenzy occurs, the water literally boils with the fish fighting for the food. Next door is a factory for what we were told was fish food, which I hope is correct, they were grinding up fish heads, bones and offals and mixing it with some substance, all in all so far a pretty unsavory morning. It does get better.

We are now on the way by bus to Sam Mountain and Cavern Pagoda. The bus ride goes by some very pretty landscape and interesting sculpture parks. We arrive at the mountain and start to climb the stairs until we get to the Pagoda,
Where we admire or not the various Buddhas, go into the cave and then climb up some more stairs to admire the view. We are all barefoot, I step out on the wet tiles and take a flying fall, land on my back and head all the while holding my camera high, all I can think of is saving the camera. Fortunately I am alright, have a lump on the back of my head and some soreness, otherwise I am fine.

That afternoon after lunch we head up the river again, it really is a highway, ferries crossing with scooters and their drivers, fishing boats, drifting by, cargo boats, women doing their laundry, people bathing and a few outhouses here and there. We are on the way to see a rattan mat factory and a silk factory. After a 2 hour ride up river we arrive to where they weave straw mats. If ever I thought to haggle for any of those products never again. It is a mind numbing job, dangerous as well, as the reeds are hand fed into the loom. We never did find out how many accidents there are but can imagine quite a few. Then we proceed onto the silk factory, where the silk thread is put onto commercial size spools. This is where we saw child labour, pretty skilled, but still young children, their daily wage is just over one dollar. Many of the children will work all day and if they are lucky attend school in the evening. It was a very sobering sight.

Dinner that night was not included so the 7 of us decided to go into Chau Doc, we have a boat at out disposal to ferry us across, we are given the name of a restaurant, which we realize after having trekked through the rain is not the kind of place we were looking for. We finally find a local joint that seems to please everybody. We are not sure what to order, since nobody speaks English, so I go investigate a few tables and as usual am given a few tidbits.

Chicken gizzards and liver is not what we want, though very tasty. I end up with noodles and seafood as do some of the others, there is also steak and fish. While we are waiting a decision is made that spring rolls would be nice for the table. but how do we communicate that? Yours truly says no problem, and proceeds into the kitchen where I explain to the proprietress what we would like, she understands instantly, and we negotiate how many portions. Kitchen language is really universal. The table that had treated me to a food sample now decides I should have Vietnamese Vodka so a glass is sent over. I think it is some kind of Rice Wine and we end up ordering a small bottle for our table. Tomorrow we cross the border into Cambodia and more adventures.

Hi Nywoman - thanks for the new installment! I did the Mekong trip with Delta Adventures, although I only did the one night trip, and we spent that night in a hotel. Sounds like thing haven't changed too much, although no storks? I definitely thought the most interesting part was being on the river, and seeing the changes when you cross the border. Looking forward to more...

Thanks for your post. It brought back so many memories especially the trip on the Mekong. I did this with a private guide who took us back into the jungle growth for a dinner at his Mother's house. So beautiful back there with all types of vegetation. Another great trip back into the backwater to visit a former South Vietnese soldier who had fought with our soldiers. He even climbed a tree to get me bananas and had to see his pet snake. By the time I left I was his sister and he was my brother.
The sights on the river with all the boats selling their wares and the houses where people live are like nothing I had ever seen.
I enjoyed Hanoi on my 2 trips there. Unlike you I think I enjoyed Hanoi more than Saigon's 3 trips, but I do understand what you are saying about the touts and the intense traffic. Even one young man emailing me after I returned wanting money for school. I think I enjoyed walking around the lake in Hanoi so much.
Thanks for bringing back so many
memories. Although I kept a journal I never did post my trips.