Today (Thursday 12 Feb) is my last in Saigon before I fly up to city of Hue on Vietnam's central coast.
I certainly won't be forgetting the four days I've spent here in a hurry. It is without doubt one of the most full-on and frenetic cities you could hope to visit, but at the same time unquestionably welcoming and friendly.
Crossing the road here should be an activity on the Krypton Factor. There is no let up in the sheer number of scooters driving through the streets - and they pay little or no attention to traffic lights or pedestrian crossings - so the only thing you can do is to walk out into the road and dodge them. It actually becomes something you become quite adept at doing, but I must admit to trying wherever possible to cross at the same time as other people and thus use them almost as a human shield!
Saigon is full of great bars and restaurants, and I didn't find the people as pushy as they can be in other cities in this part of the world. The trick is to look as if you know where you're going. As soon as you start looking at bit lost, or glancing at a map, somebody will appear from almost nobody and ask where it is you want to go. When you've told them that actually you're fine, their voice quietens a little and they try to sell you drugs and hookers. To be fair, if that is the right phrase, they do take no for an answer.
For all this city's good points, I wouldn't want to spend any longer here. Its relentless noise can become a bit much after a while, particularly yesterday when I was ill with tummy trouble. In fact, if you're unwell, this is pretty much one of the last places you want to be!
As much as I love the food in South East Asia, I really do go off it if I'm feeling sick. However, one of the advantages of being in a former French colony is that it boasts a significant ex-pat community and lots of restaurants catering for it. So last night I tracked one down in the old colonial district, and swapped my usual diet of noodles for steak in pepper sauce, french fries, warm bread and a large glass of nice red wine. Bloody fantastic it was, too.
I certainly won't be forgetting the four days I've spent here in a hurry. It is without doubt one of the most full-on and frenetic cities you could hope to visit, but at the same time unquestionably welcoming and friendly.
Crossing the road here should be an activity on the Krypton Factor. There is no let up in the sheer number of scooters driving through the streets - and they pay little or no attention to traffic lights or pedestrian crossings - so the only thing you can do is to walk out into the road and dodge them. It actually becomes something you become quite adept at doing, but I must admit to trying wherever possible to cross at the same time as other people and thus use them almost as a human shield!
Saigon is full of great bars and restaurants, and I didn't find the people as pushy as they can be in other cities in this part of the world. The trick is to look as if you know where you're going. As soon as you start looking at bit lost, or glancing at a map, somebody will appear from almost nobody and ask where it is you want to go. When you've told them that actually you're fine, their voice quietens a little and they try to sell you drugs and hookers. To be fair, if that is the right phrase, they do take no for an answer.
For all this city's good points, I wouldn't want to spend any longer here. Its relentless noise can become a bit much after a while, particularly yesterday when I was ill with tummy trouble. In fact, if you're unwell, this is pretty much one of the last places you want to be!
As much as I love the food in South East Asia, I really do go off it if I'm feeling sick. However, one of the advantages of being in a former French colony is that it boasts a significant ex-pat community and lots of restaurants catering for it. So last night I tracked one down in the old colonial district, and swapped my usual diet of noodles for steak in pepper sauce, french fries, warm bread and a large glass of nice red wine. Bloody fantastic it was, too.
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