Discovering Vietnam

CEBU, Philippines -  It is difficult for anyone to resist the charms of Vietnam. It is a city just waking up to modernism and technology while still remaining firmly attached to its time honored traditions and revered customs.

Fizzy with urban development, overwhelming with its chaotic traffic, stifling with a population density among the highest in the world, Vietnam fortunately has preserved   its open spaces and stretches of water.

Ho Chi Minh City, still known to many as Saigon, began as a small fishing village surrounded by swampland and was inhabited by Khmer people for centuries before the arrival of the Vietnamese. Interestingly, it was given to the government as a dowry for the marriage of a Vietnamese princess to a Khmer prince, in order to stop the constant invasion and looting of the villages.

Today, Ho Chi Minh is the center of commerce but not its capital, an honor that rests with Hanoi. Beyond taking in the markets downtown, a city tour is a must. Here are some interesting sites not to be missed.

The Presidential Palace now called Reunification Hall was built over the ruins of the old Norodom Palace which was bombed in 1962 by a dissident Air Force Pilot disgruntled with President Diem. It has been kept intact as it was before Liberation, from the operations room in the basement to the family disco on the top floor. It served as the work place of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was the site of the end of the war during the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, when a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through its gates. 

Strangely, one of the most popular attractions seems to be the War Remnants Museum. It comprises a series of eight rooms with military equipment located within a walled yard. There is a good collection of graphic photographs, mostly of war crimes, the result of the use of Agent Orange, and inhuman torture. A model of the infamous tiger cages gives a good idea of how some political prisoners were housed.

The Notre Dame Cathedral built by the French colonists following their conquest of the city, is the most famous church. It was completed in 1880 and is standing room only at Sunday Masses. In front of the cathedral stands a Virgin Mary which is said to have shed tears in 2005 causing thousands of people to stop and pray around the statute.

The Cu Chi Tunnel complex was a 250 kilometer system which honeycombed the area from the Cambodian border to within 20 miles of Saigon. Started in 1948, it provided a refuge for the Viet Cong guerillas from the constant bombings and operations of allied troops in the war zone. It likewise served as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon coaches and living quarters for numerous guerilla fighters. The tunnel systems were of great importance to the Viet Cong in their resistance to American forces, and achieved ultimate military success.

As for shopping, there are two traditional markets downtown. The Ben Thanh is a large covered market selling food, household wares, toys, clothing, electronic equipment and a host of other goods. On a side street are the fabric and cloth sellers. Here you can buy inexpensive, good materials for clothing. Tailors abound throughout the city and they can whip up a suit or gown in 24 hours.

Lacquerware is abundant in all of Vietnam. It is a complex and lengthy process using highly toxic materials. It can take up to two months to complete a medium-sized piece. Visiting a factory is a fascinating experience and give a true appreciation for the work that goes into this art.

Food in Vietnam is plentiful, varied, tasty and generally inexpensive. Rice is the staple and is eaten in every meal. Seafood is also good with fish, shrimps, crabs and lobster appearing on almost every meal. Street eating is also an experience. Ho Chi Minh is the capital of fast food, with ready to eat food no more than a few steps away. Shoulder basket vendors are also everywhere and push carts are constantly patrolling the streets with rice dishes, grilled meat sticks, dried squid and a lot more.

With all the rapid growth and development, Ho Chi Minh is regaining once again her position as one of the premier cities of the Orient.