Off On Our Next Adventure

A Short Flight

A 6am start meant we could eat a quick breakfast before being picked up at 7.30am for the short journey to the airport.

The flight from Phu Quoc to Ho Chi Minh City was short and sweet. After collecting our bags, it was straight onto the free McDonald’s wifi at the airport to book some accommodation. The other apartment we’d booked was mucking us around so we needed to make a change. At this point we had nowhere to go from the airport.

While we were getting organised we got to compare cheeseburgers to NZ ones (the same), and the kids were stoked to eat their first McDonalds since Bangkok in early August. Western fast food is expensive in SEA, (although Vietnam is the cheapest we’ve seen it so far) but our stance with the kids is why would we eat junk, when there’s so much delicious, healthy food on offer here? Their reply? Because it’s yummy, and it reminds us of home!

An Awesome Apartment

The place we ended up booking at the very last minute had a fantastic, responsive host who said we could store our bags in the lobby before check-in so we caught a Grab to the apartment where the security guard let us in and showed us where to put our bags. We then went out to explore the city for the afternoon. When we returned to check into the apartment later on, it was a welcome oasis in a busy, central part of town.

Catching Up on Washing

One of the bonuses of apartments is that they usually come with a washing machine, so we were able to wash our own clothes.

Strangely, there wasn’t a drying rack, so we had to be creative and use the chairs and coathangers as a washing line.

Good Morning Vietnam!

My brother dared Shaun to yell out “Good morning Vietnam!” from our balcony in Saigon (because of course no one would have ever done that before). Since we were on the 26th floor (and because he can’t resist a dare), he figured that it wouldn’t hurt to give it a go…here’s the moment captured by Leo.

A Walk in the Park

We decided to take a walk through town to the War Remnants Museum, ready to brave crossing roads in Ho Chi Minh City for the first time, which is a tourist attraction of its own! Essentially, you just have to stick your arm up in the air and walk on out into the traffic, trusting it to flow around you…and it does!

Google Maps took us through a lovely local park, and the playground and outdoor exercise equipment had to be tested!

The War Remnants Museum

We walked the 2kms to the War Remnants Museum, where we looked at some pretty sobering exhibits. Shaun and I took turns looking at the more shocking and graphic exhibits on our own, while the other one showed the kids the slightly less confronting displays.

The Museum is part of the International Network of Museums for Peace, and the ground floor is dedicated to showing images of the peace movement and protests from around the world over the war in Vietnam.

Outside, there’s a replica of the ‘tiger cages’ used by the French to house political prisoners during the struggle for independence.

It was pretty harrowing to see the methods of torture used, including this guillotine.

After doing a very quick walk through of this part with Anna, I took her outside to look at the display of bombs used by the Americans during the War in Vietnam.

Shaun and Leo looked at the rest of the display while I stayed with Anna. When they were done, they took Anna inside the main museum to look at the peace display while I finished looking at the tiger cages display. It was really sad and shocking reading about the torture and suffering of political prisoners in Vietnam. Like Cambodia, Vietnam has had more than its share of dark times.

We looked at the rest of the museum over three floors, with Shaun and I continuing to tag-team in order to keep Anna and Leo away from the more disturbing exhibits. There was a lovely display of children’s artwork completed during covid-19, so we spent a lot of time looking at the pictures in there.

On the second floor, there was a haunting display of photography and testimony from observers during the Vietnam War or what is known in Vietnam as the ‘American War of Aggression in Vietnam’, or the ‘Resistance War Against America’.

I overheard a young Vietnamese tour guide giving a scathing commentary on the behaviour of American GIs during the War as he led a group around the photography display, much to the chagrin of nearby American tourists. As a social sciences teacher, it made me think about why we focus so much on perspectives in the teaching of history and social studies, because understanding different perspectives is like putting together the pieces of a very complex puzzle.

Saying that, it was interesting to hear an emotional, Vietnamese viewpoint that day and the anger towards America, which is understandable, because even driving through the countryside today in Vietnam, it is clear that there is limited jungle and minimal wildlife compared to Southeast Asian countries that haven’t experienced widespread damage from Agent Orange. In addition to this, the impact on people from veterans, to children to the generations since then is cruel and heartbreaking, with an entire exhibition on the second floor dedicated to people affected by exposure to the herbicide.

Outside the front of the Museum, there is a tank, planes, and helicopters on display.

Although it was slightly tricky juggling the kids and our own wish to see and learn about all the displays, we did pretty well. This was helped by a massive thunderstorm that struck while we were visiting, which meant we had to stay longer than we might have otherwise. Leo and Anna were very patient and happily passed the time waiting, enjoying the more uplifting artwork and looking in the gift shop. This was where Anna fell in love with the colourful, painted Vietnamese conical hats, but we told her that we wouldn’t be able to buy one until just before we left Vietnam to save transportation hassles.

An Optometrist Appointment

My glasses were pretty scratched from wear and tear. Frames and replacement glasses are much cheaper in Vietnam, so I decided to get some new ones in Ho Chi Minh City. On our way home from the War Remnants Museum, we stumbled across an optometrist where they spoke good English. I had my prescription from home, although they suggested double checking it, so I had an eye exam, much to the amusement of the kids, who couldn’t believe how blind I was!

The optometrist told me that my prescription had changed a bit, but I was worried about changing it when I felt like the only problem with my current glasses were the scratches. Unfortunately, I should have listened, because when I came to collect my glasses a few days later, they just weren’t quite right. Saying that, they’re amazing for reading, and they’ll be my spare pair, but for now, I’m stuck with my old glasses and wearing contacts a lot of the time to avoid the annoying scratches that obscure my vision. I’m looking forward to visiting my optometrist upon our return.

Bui Vien Walking Street

We got super lucky with our apartment in Saigon, because it was a short walk to Bui Ven Walking Street which is a Pub Street on steroids! It was seriously loud from the competing sound systems, and a complete sensory overload walking down this street after 8pm at night on the weekend. Even with kids, we were being invited into every bar we walked past!

It was fun though, and we walked through the street several times during our stay. Anna just kept her ears covered!

The first time we walked along it, we were trying to find somewhere for dinner and succeeded in finding a yummy meal just around the corner for a reasonable price.

A Late Night Out By Shaun

After sleepy Phú Quòc, Saigon was a total sensory overload. Bui Vien Walking Street by night was completely pumping and the four of us slowly walked through it just taking in the sights, sound and vibe. It was Saturday night and there were also sports bars showing World Cup cricket and English Premier league football. I just had to get amongst it.

That evening I took charge of settling the kids and getting them off to sleep. At 10pm I left the apartment to rejoin the party area a short walk away. It was even more busier and vibrant than earlier. After soaking in some sights I found a sports bar that was a little quieter and showing my games.

Like most establishments in Vietnam the seating and tables were small but I found a spot where I could spread out. It’s really tough being a bigger person in Vietnam. The country is not made for anyone with any height. Everywhere I went I was forever bumping my head, knocking into things, squeezing through small spaces and sitting on and around small furniture……and I’m only 6 foot tall so many others would face greater struggles than me when visiting Vietnam.

While enjoying the sport and atmosphere of my chosen sports bar I noticed that they had Shisha pipes there. As previously mentioned, I hadn’t been drinking much in the way of alcohol while traveling and to be honest it can be awkward when in a bar at night. You can only drink so much coke zero and although I don’t care about being the odd one out, you do feel kind’ve rude if you’re not ordering drinks while enjoying the venue…..so a Shisha pipe seemed like a good alternative. It’d been years since I last enjoyed a Shisha pipe! I ordered apple flavor and sat there for the rest of the night blissfully puffing away while watching my sport. It was a really enjoyable night despite both my teams losing in the games I was watching!

Another interesting experience that I had while out that evening was when a young 3 or 4 year old boy approached me while I was sitting in the bar. The young lad was remarkably cute, dressed smartly and hair perfectly combed in a part. He walked up to me holding his unopened packet of crisps and kind’ve cuddled up against me. I was obviously quite perplexed as it was about midnight and he seemed to be alone. I smiled at him but politely tried to avoid the physical contact. Within a few seconds there was a mother on the scene. She had a basket of crisps, sweets, fans and bracelets and was using the boy as an opening for a potential sale! They weren’t the only ones. Only ten minutes later exactly the same thing happened again. A young immaculately presented boy with a packet of crisps looking to cuddle up to a stranger. I was obviously more wise to this second child but he was unphased and seamlessly moved onto another patron like a well trained monkey. It was the first approach of this kind that I had experienced in SEA. It’s certainly not unusual to be approached by sales people and while out alone I’ve lost count of the number of prostitutes that have tried to tout for business with me, but using your young kid in a bar in the middle of the night as a sales tool is a particularly sad strategy in my opinion.

A Walking Tour with Local Students

A few months ago, I’d seen a post in a Vietnam travel group by a local English teacher who was offering free walking tours with his students. He would put you in touch with a student, and then they’d contact you and show you around the city. You’re expected to pay a tip of about US$10 if you are happy with the tour at the end and to cover transport costs if you catch a Grab at all. It’s a great initiative because it not only gives students the opportunity to practice their English, but it also gives tourists a cut price tour with an enthusiastic young local. I got in touch the day we arrived and set up a tour in a few days’ time.

Our guide “T” was lovely, and met us with his friend Talia at the lobby of our apartment building. We caught a Grab to our first stop of the day: the Saigon Post Office.

Saigon Post Office

Built between 1886 and 1891, the Saigon Post Office is a beautiful building influenced by French, Gothic, and Renaissance styles of architecture.

The kids loved these little booths, which would have originally been for payphones.

Even though it’s a tourist attraction, the Post Office is still in use. Anna wanted to send a postcard to her Oma, which she did under the watchful eye of Ho Chi Minh.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Almost directly opposite the Post Office is the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral, which is currently undergoing renovations and is closed to the public.

We walked past it to Book Street, which is across the road.

Nguyen Van Binh Book Street

I absolutely loved this gorgeous little street, which is lined with bookshops selling both Vietnamese and English books. There are also cute little cafes where you can stop for a drink.

Anna was very happy to buy a Saigon notebook with a picture of the Post Office we’d just visited on it.

The Independence Palace

After Book Street, we walked to the Independence Palace, which is the site where the capitulation of the southern Republic of Vietnam occurred at the end of the Vietnam War after a tank from the People’s Army of Vietnam crashed through its front gates in April 1975.

Once inside, we walked through the ground floor of the Palace, which included three huge state rooms, still used for important meetings, especially with foreign diplomats.

While still grand and impressive, the Palace is stuck in a timewarp, boasting its original 1970s decor, complete with shagpile carpets!

We then went downstairs to the ground floor, to check out the kitchen and displays of the Mercedes and Jeep, two of many vehicles used by the Republic’s president prior to his resignation.

There was even a shooting range on the ground floor!

Downstairs, in the bunker under the Palace, there is a rabbit warren of rooms filled with various artefacts of communications equipment, strategic maps and even the president’s secret bedroom leftover from when this was used as a central intelligence headquarters during the Vietnam War.

After exploring the bunker, we took the lift up to the second floor, where we found the president’s main office, as well as meeting rooms, a games room with a circular card table and even a deluxe cinema!

Outside on the roof, a helicopter was displayed. It’s great that they have preserved the Palace in its original state, but that it is also still used for state occasions.

Street Food Lunch

We met T and Talia out the front of the Palace for a street food lunch at a nearby street food market set up to cater for tourists visiting the Palace. The prices were not quite as cheap as what you might find on a street corner but still reasonable.

We were starving, so we ordered a feast of bun cha with meatballs, grilled pork, and sausages, all of which were delicious!

Landmark 81 by Leo

Landmark 81 is the tallest building in Ho Chi Minh City, so we asked the students to take us there. When we went up to the building, everyone bought the regular pass except me. I got the premium pass that included going up, a green screen photo, and a VR game.

When we got the photo taken, they let us take a family one so that was nice. When we came up, we chose the background and got it printed.

After that we saw the amazing view of Ho Chi Minh City, but the view was a bit foggy due to pollution.

They have these cheesy posing stages set up around the 81st floor, so we posed for photos with them.

Then I went on a balcony where I had to wear a harness. It was easily the best view. Mum went out there, too, but Dad wasn’t keen.

After that, I played the VR game where you did minigames like climbing the building and skydiving. Overall, it was a fun experience.

Some Delicious Rock Lobsters

A few doors down from our apartment building, there was a seafood place that we walked past every day. After our tour with T and Talia, we decided to try their rock lobsters.

They were pretty pricey, but so worth it! The kitchen kindly grilled half of them with garlic butter, and the other half with shallots, herbs, garlic, and chilli, which was utterly delicious!

After this yummy appetizer, we walked into the busier area and ordered some main meals.

The Cu Chi Tunnels

While in Saigon, we were very keen to go and see the Cu Chi Tunnels, which are a couple of hours drive out of the city, depending on traffic.

We booked a tour through Get Your Guide, which was pretty reasonable, and the bonus about this one was that it would pick us up from our apartment in District 1 and drop us off afterwards.

The drive there was uneventful and after about an hour and a half, we pulled over for a rest stop at a lacquer craft workshop, which is an initiative set up by the government to give jobs to disabled people. It was fascinating watching the different steps in the process of creating lacquer designs, from using tiny pieces of broken egg shell or mother of pearl for the inlay, to painting and polishing the final pieces of artwork.

When we arrived at the Cu Chi Tunnels site, we walked through to an education room where our guide Dat gave us a brief overview of how and when the tunnels came to be built.

Contrary to common belief, these tunnels actually existed long before the Vietnam War, because they were used by the locals to evade the French during the 1950s in the War for Independence. When the Americans arrived in the 1960s, the Viet Cong extended these tunnels into a complex system of three levels, complete with ventilation systems and cooking facilities. They were one of the crucial last steps in the Ho Chi Minh Route which extended from North Vietnam, through Laos and Cambodia to Southern Vietnam. The Cu Chi Tunnels network extended over 250km from the border to Saigon.

After learning all about the tunnels, Dat took us through to show us the secret tunnel entrances and pointed out how the ventilation systems made from bamboo poles were disguised as termite mounds.

The entrances were tiny rectangular holes in the ground, designed for the tiny five foot nothing, malnourished VC soldiers and “tunnel rats” who were always last in and responsible for setting up booby traps of grenades or other explosives, should the hiding place be discovered.

When Dat asked for volunteers to have a turn at jumping down into the tunnel, Leo was first up the front to give it a go.

Down he went! And then Dat covered the hatch over with leaves and it was invisible. So clever!

Anna was next to try it, and with her agility, she found it a lot easier to get out than some of the others.

Dat then talked us through the various booby traps used by the Viet Cong in Guerilla warfare, some of which were utterly brutal. Dat told us that many of them were made by teenage girl soldiers who had lost their fathers to the war and wanted to help reclaim their country.

Having been suitably horrified by the rusty nails and other everyday objects used to create the traps, we moved on to the actual tunnels, where we could go for 10m, 30m or 100m, depending on our keeness to stay underground.

Shaun struggled the most out of all of us, due to his height, because the tunnels were only about 1m tall, and you had to bend or crouch awkwardly to travel through them.

Consequently, he and I only went for the medium distance, but Leo and Anna did the full 100 metres.

During the Vietnam War, this area was bombed heavily, once the Americans got word of a tunnel network, so all around the area, you can see huge bomb craters like the one above.

After the tunnel trial, we walked to the shooting range where people could shoot an AK47 if they wanted to try it. We weren’t keen because it was incredibly loud even from a distance, and the kids were too young to participate anyway, so we watched this lady make rice paper instead.

By this time, dusk was starting to fall so we made our way back to the bus, stopping to admire the resourceful gift shop creations along the way.

Making Herself At Home

One of the best things about the apartment for the kids was that it gave them a bit more space and time to relax and play, instead of being on the move all the time. We loved it so much we even extended our stay by another night.

Anna got very creative and built herself this little fort in the living room from sarongs and cushions.

She also created an epic lifesize ‘board’ game throughout the apartment, with a dice made from a water bottle and instructions such as ‘move forward 3 spaces’ etc.

When I returned from my last optometrist visit, I was invited to try it, so we played it together as a family and I won!

Anna’s Saigon Highlights