Today we flew on one Vietnam’s local air carriers, VietJet for a quick flight down south. We landed ninety minutes later in Vietnam’s largest city. There was a swirl of activity in the airport, a clear indication of what it was going to be like on the streets. A blare of car horns and motorcycle engines, once an annoyance, but now music to my ears, told me that I was in Ho Chi Minh City; right in the center of everything!
Previously known as Saigon, the province was renamed in the late 1970’s to Ho Chi Minh City after the leader and reunification of the north and south at the end of the Vietnam War. One place I made sure to visit while here was the war remnants museum. I truly saw both sides of the war and the devastating effects on each. Leaving the museum I felt melancholy but some fried spring rolls and a cold beer at a rooftop bar can surely change my mood for the better. HCMC is filled with copious bars overlooking the skyline; one of the things Hanoi lacks. Old Saigon is more westernized than the capital and it is apparent when walking by the shops and experiencing the nightlife.
My friend and I were only in HCMC for two days. It was short but sweet for certain. 48 hours was enough time to gallivant through the city’s streets, try the local yet mouth watering foods, and sit atop twenty story buildings taking in beautiful sights.
What made this trip memorable was the warmth of the people I interacted with and where I slept the two nights I was in town. We stayed in the back of a smoothie shop in a quaint but comfortable room. What’s better than waking up in a foreign city with good people and fresh fruit waiting for you?
thisvanhaswings.com 