A Memoir of Saigon

It’s been four months since I last set foot in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City). I know full well how jacked up my memory is and how often it gets me in trouble but when it comes to travel and adventure, my brain cells work like a well-oiled machine that quickly go up & running for a good story-telling.

Positive highlights

Familiar cuisine – Admittedly, I am a bit of a food squeamish. There are particular herbs & spices distinct in other countries that my taste buds voluntarily reject. Luckily, Vietnamese food is not one of them and as far as my palate is concerned, they taste heavenly!
Affordable accommodation – It was interesting to see a myriad of hotel accommodations in the heart of Saigon. If you hadn’t chosen a place beforehand, you will not go fretting in one corner because there always are options within your disposal.
Preserved history – Vietnamese culture, tradition, and lifestyle are gradually responding to the signs of time. However, a big chunk of the country’s origin and past is still visibly rich and practiced in modern day Vietnam.

Yum local produce!

This shouldn’t be missed.

Lesser positive highlights

Busy streets – The scene in the streets of Saigon is epic! Wait until the signal light turns red and things will turn out just picture-perfect (swarming motorbikes halting altogether)! One tourist guide jokingly remarked that there is a greater number of motorbikes in the country than its citizens. Countless motorbikes are criss-crossing the road everyday making it difficult, if not dangerous, to walk along the street.
Limited English–Most of the locals I encountered still struggled with the English language. It was a real agony to try to read between the lines while patiently waiting for each sentence to finish. It was real hard work.
Over-rated and too touristy – Truthfully, I was surprised by the number of tourists I saw during the short span of time I was there. I did find them plenty everywhere and by plenty, I do mean plenty! Consequently, several shops, restaurants and other establishments are taking full advantage of the influx causing the prevalence of product over-pricing, pestering touts, and the like,which are rather a bit of a nuisance.

Ubiquitous and plenty of them.

Tourists came from all over the word.

Travel plan

In my desire to travel under a very limited budget, I waited for an airline seat sale. By the time I was granted, I hit the buy button right away without thinking of inviting anyone to hop aboard as I could not afford to miss the promotion which only stood for a week. Rightly so, I flew in alone.

I do not normally prefer to go on guided tours for several incontestable reasons.

I feel deprived of my own time. I dislike the idea of waiting for someone (or them waiting for me) who couldn’t return to the assembly point on time and ruin the entire day’s schedule.
I have my personal preferences. Tour companies offer variety of organized options to choose from. Despite that, I still find it very limited and more often, incongruent to what I really want.
Guided tours are not cheap. The very fact that you are paying for a tour guide is in itself an added cost.

However as I was traveling alone, opting for a tour package was a more practical choice. Bohoo!

I stayed in Xuan Mai Hotel recommended to me by a friend. The owner/proprietor Duc & Nang are extremely nice and warm. They are intimate and personal and they express genuine concern to their guests. There was nothing to nitpick about the hotel. Everyday I was looking forward to eating breakfast because they served it in the rooftop and although it was nothing like the Burj Khalifa, it was still sweet and romantic to be sipping hot coffee outside a typical dining area.

This was my first trip as a solo-traveler, and I don’t think it will be my last.

So much more wonderful adventures and experiences that I encountered on this journey will be accounted in the future posts. Stay tune.