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Information about Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)Up until 1975 Ho Chi Minh City was formally called Saigon, a name that is still used by many. Ho Chi Minh City has a population of approximately five million inhabitants. The busy life of the city takes place literally on the streets, especially in the centre of the city down by the River Saigon and in Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown. There are an incredible number of mopeds and bikes but only a few cars. Market stalls with food and restaurants can be found everywhere, in fact so many it seems like the Vietnamese are forever eating.There are many 'illegal' Vietnamese living in Ho Chi Minh City. Often people who lived in the city until 1975 but who after the liberation of the city were no longer given a permit to stay in the city. Over the years many of these people have returned to the city and now live on the streets. There are in contrast, many people who have had good fortune through the years, for the salaries in Ho Chi Minh City are three times higher than the average salary in Vietnam. You'll see them walking along the street in a suit and with their mobile phone in their hand. It's a really fascinating city to walk around, cycle or take a moped ride around. The city is divided into 17 city districts and 5 county districts. The city districts have numbers, so we have for example District 1, the actual centre of Ho Chi Minh City and District 5, Cholon. These numbers are often painted on the houses so it's easy to find where you are on a map. |
Ho Chi Minh City Temples and pagodas
The city has a number of interesting temples and pagodas (holy places). One of the oldest pagodas is Giac Lam Pagoda in District 10. It was built in 1744 and most recently restored in 1900. Ten monks now live in this Vietnamese pagoda. Absolutely worthwhile making a visit. Not far away stand the Giac Vien Pagoda, in a slightly quieter location. There are still monks living in this pagoda, which is about two hundred years old. The Dai Giac Pagoda is much newer as it was built in the 1960s.
In the holy part of this pagoda you’ll find a 2.5m high Buddha with a neon halo. The Thien Hau Pagoda, which is dedicated to the Chinese Goddess of the Sea stands in Chinatown. It’s one of the most visited pagodas in Ho Chi Minh City. But there’s also the Emperor of Jade Temple, a magnificent temple where believers come to burn incense sticks. It’s one of the most colourful and one of the largest temples in HCMC, full of statues of gods, including the Emperor of Jade.
Cholon
Cholon is the Chinatown of Ho Chi Minh City. Literally translated Cholon means 'large market'. Cholon became an important neighbourhood when many Chinese immigrants started to settle here from 1778 onwards. There are far fewer Chinese residents here than in the past, because of the anti-capitalist and anti-Chinese campaign in 1978-79. However with the opening of the borders many Chinese businessmen are returning. Fortunately it is still a bustling neighbourhood, with plenty going on in the streets. You see people trading all over the place. A visit to Binh Tay Market, close to the bus station, is certainly worthwhile.
The Vietnam War
In Ho Chi Minh City there are lots of museums that will give you an impression of the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese call it 'The American War'. There is the War Remnants Museum. Outside the museum there is a small collection of bombs and a helicopter. Inside there are photos of all the horrors that took place during the war. There are also photos of the effects that Agent Orange had. It’s a good idea to prepare yourself for what you’re going to see because the photos leave nothing to your imagination, and many of them are quite shocking. The Revolution Museum takes you through various periods of revolt in Vietnam. Photos of the resistance to French colonisation slowly change to photos protesting American aggression. There is clothing on show that once belonged to Vietnamese heroes. The commentary in the museum is very brief, even in Vietnamese, but most of the exhibits are self-explanatory if you have a little knowledge of the recent history of Vietnam. The symbol of the end of the Vietnam War is the Reunification Palace. Up to the end of the Vietnam War the palace was the presidential palace of the rulers of South Vietnam. This is the spot where the first communist tanks rode into on 30 April 1975. After they drove through the iron gates they hoisted the Viet Cong flag from the roof symbolising the communists were taking over power. The building is still in the same state and has been opened to tourists. There are guided tours in English, which show you the bunker in the cellar. This was built by President Ngo Dinh Diem, who was so hated by his own army that they tried to assassinate him in 1962. Unfortunately for Diem the construction of a bunker made no difference to his safety. His troops succeeded in killing him in 1963.
Information about HanoiThe capital of North Vietnam with its one million inhabitants lies on the banks of the Song Hong, otherwise known as the Red River. It's a beautiful city where there is still much evidence of French influences. Some people even refer to Hanoi as the Paris of the Orient. It is a stately city with its elegant embassies, lakes, wide boulevards and the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh. The city definitely has a European feel to it in the spring when the trees along the boulevards are all covered in blossom. But it's also an inviting city with all the little shops, markets, the many lakes and local eateries and stalls. Despite all the cars, mopeds and bikes it still doesn't feel like a huge metropolis. Regrettably there are more and more cars and mopeds every year. It makes crossing the streets in Hanoi and in Ho Chi Minh City something akin to “playing chicken” – it certainly raises your blood pressure. A couple of times I've waited for five minutes to cross at the side of the road, and in the end have waited until a Vietnamese person started crossing and then crossed with them. In principle crossing the road is not dangerous, the traffic drives around you as long as you walk calmly across, don't move quickly. |
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The Old Quarter of Hanoi is one of the liveliest neighbourhoods in the city. Located on the bank of the river this is where the trading centre began. Narrow streets criss-cross each other. All sorts of goods are put out on the pavement on show. Winding your way among all the parked mopeds, you can find almost anything you want here. In the 13th century, the 36 streets (there are actually more nowadays) were divided up among the craft guilds, giving each guild its own street. And that has remained to this day. You’ll find that ‘Shoe Street’ has only shoe shops. All street names begin with “Hang” which means trade followed by whatever goods were sold on that street. So you find silver on Hang Bac and on Hang Dong copper. One somewhat gloomy street is where gravestones are made including a photo of the deceased person. On Hang Gai you’ll find silk, hand-made souvenirs and traditional Vietnamese clothing. After a day of shopping and experiencing the special ambience of the Old Quarter you can finish off the day in the same atmosphere by visiting the Municipal Water Puppet Theatre. It stands on the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake where every evening, except Mondays, a performance is given at 8pm and puppets slide through water in the traditional manner, in the same way as the farmers used to entertain their workers in the paddy fields when there wasn’t so much work to do.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
A mausoleum was built for Ho Chi Minh after his death, just like Lenin in Moscow, in which everyone can view him lying in a glass sarcophagus. This huge building with a grand square in front of it for official ceremonies was constructed between 1973 and 1975 against the will of Ho Chi Minh himself. He preferred to be cremated. Surrounded by guards, everyone can go in, one by one, to take a look at ‘Uncle Ho’ who looks a little bit orange. They have used orange/red lighting so that the light won’t damage (discolour) the body. Every couple of metres there are immaculate guards to ensure that no one gets out of step or stops for too long. For the Vietnamese it is a great honour to be permitted to visit this embalmed body. It is therefore extremely important that you fit in with their customs during such a visit. Incorrect behaviour includes talking or taking photos inside the mausoleum, wearing revealing or offensive clothing. Don’t forget to take your hands out of your pockets. Ho Chi Minh’s house lies behind the mausoleum. Like so many other houses, especially in the countryside, the house is built on stilts and is still in the same state as when he left it. There is a garden around the house with a large pond. It’s not quite clear how much time the leader actually spent in this house. The Ho Chi Minh museum stands on the other side of the mausoleum. It is divided into two sections, one devoted to the past and the other the future.
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