Vietnam - Ho Chi Min city - formally known as Saigon - the South

We moved onto the South expecting a less positive Communist view. As the US base was in Saigon during the war we expected a very pro American area. Actually we found although it was positive it was not as positive as we thought it would be. It was hot and we were staying in the centre of the city: near Notre Dam and near the main square (very French built during their reign some years ago). Saigon was more modern than the other cities but still with a huge number of mopeds. When the USA supported south "Nam" was fighting with the north "Viet" the communist north was supported by Russia/China. The war was over the spread of communism or control of this important land for resources. But when the USA left the "Nam" Vietnamese id a deal with the north communist Vietnamese and the USA south was controlled again byt he Communists. The name Saigon was changed to Ho Chi Min city to re-inforce Communism across the new Viet-Nam - a merger of the North and the South to communism.


Although Hanoi is the oldest city and Hanoi is 1000 yrs old on 10/10/10, Saigon is the biggest city - 8m people - 5m mopeds!!

Newer City - around 100 yrs old - less French influence than Hanoi - American influence now - 300 yrs ago Saigon and surrounding area was part of Cambodia.

Vidotour travel agent is private company - pays government a fee each month - government sells off poor performing companies under an "equitisation programme" which privatises part and then the whole of these previously government held companies. Government gets more money.

Houses on Saigon 5m wide versus Hanoi/Hoi An at 2 or 3m wide - so not so tall and thin here.

12k p.a. Killed on road due to mopeds - less than before as now you at least have to wear a helmet - most of the time!

Viet Cong soldiers were soldiers of the North - some were fighting in the south - difficult for Americans to tell the difference and many V Cong were suicide bombers. Very aggressive war - US withdrew in 1973 after 17 yrs due to political pressure in the USA.

Vietnam was a key middle country in the East/West, Communist/capitalist or Cold war as North Vietnam or Viet people were Communist and behind the Iron Curtain - and South Vietnam were supported by the USA/West.

The war memorial in Saigon is very anti-American - although also factual and very scary true representation of alot of it - huge tanks and planes. Lots of gruesome pictures - both Americans and Viet Cong both did some horrible things to each other.

We had a very interesting day touring the horrific war Museum and visiting the Cu Chi tunnels - an area that used to grow fruit and rubber trees near the cambodian border. These Guerilla fighters in USA Vietnam territory kept the USA at bay by digging a whole network of trenches - some of which went to Cambodia, who supported the Viet Cong with weapons - and some went underground to the river for supplies. But these guerillas built a superb defence mechanism and a whole range of guerilla jungle weapons like spiked doors and animal traps/mines which helped defeat the Americans. The tunnels were very small - even my slim (not!) self could only just get through - so the US soldiers with their gear often got stuck! the small Viet Cong soldiers never did.

We had a great last evening in Saigon as all but the most communist person in Saigon now call it - officials call it Ho Chi Min City - everyone living there Saigon. We had a great Vietnamese meal - at the Lemon grass restaurant and wandered the main square where other V families hung out.

We were not that sad to leave Vietnam - our guides were all great and really informative. We learned a huge amount about how this country ticks and the people live. Vietnam has had to endure a huge amount of war - not just one or two but continuous over many many years -and very violent wars as well. It seems V has been in the middle of so many power struggles e.g. between Communism and capitalism. We kept wondering what the V people had done to deserv e it so bad. We could not find anything or any reason that they deserved it other than circumstance and position! But it seems to us that V is still a country chasing a dream - I am not sure the people and the Government have the same dream - but it varies greatly across the country. We had done Vietnam - we found the people very friendly and helpful - but with a mission behind it that we could not fully get clear in our minds. We did enjoy the V experience and would not have missed it but going back to V versus other countries would be a tough call.

And so we went off to Cambodia expecting something similar to the Saigon area of Vietnam...........