#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Vietnam, Nepal and Burma  Travel Forum >  >  Saigon, Vietnam nine years after (2005 & 2014)

## katie23

I went to Saigon in Dec 2005 for two weeks, during the Christmas (school) holidays.  During that trip, I went with my mother.  It was my first time abroad.  My mother is Vietnamese, and she took me there to see my roots.  We weren't able to travel earlier in life due to finances (or lack of it).  It was only in 2005 that I was able to see my relatives from her side.  

My mom's family is from the south, so they're not commies.  We stayed at my aunt's place in Saigon, near Dien Bien Phu street/avenue.

This was Dien Bien Phu in 2005. 


Take note of the tree in the middle of the street.  It serves as a rotunda/ roundabout.

This second pic is further up the street. In the first pic, the direction of the vehicles (and the woman pushing the cart) is towards the city center or the 1st quarter.  



I think in the second pic, these motorbikes are still going in the direction of the city center, but this portion of the street is after the rotunda.

After the 2005 trip, I printed out the pictures, made an album and put captions on them.  Good thing I did, since I've forgotten most of the details about the places! I scanned the pics recently, after the trip this year.

Btw, please take note that my mom wasn't a ho during the Vietnam war.   Both my parents graduated from uni (through hard work and scholarships),  and they made sure that their kids did too.   :Smile:

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## Fozzy

Very interesting, looking forward to seeing the changes if any. Where was your dad from Katie and where did you grow up?

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## katie23

In June of this year, I visited Saigon again.  This time, I went with my elder sister and youngest niece. We also stayed at my aunt's place.  It was the first time for my sister to see Vietnam as an adult, since when my parents left Vietnam, she was still a baby.  I wasn't born yet at the time.  

So anyway, here's Dien Bien Phu street in June 2014.  






This cream/off-white building is still there.  It was there too in 2005 (see the first pic).  

Btw, these pics are from my sister's camera.  She forgot to change the "year" settings, so all the June pics from this year have a "2005" timestamp. (face-palm moment!)  We only saw the wrong timestamp when she downloaded the pics after the trip.  

In the rotunda, they now have a large clock, not just a tree.

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## katie23

@Fozzy: My dad is Filipino, my mom is Viet, so I'm half-half.  Because of my mixed parentage, I look "generic Asian".  :Smile:  I grew up in the Philippines.

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## katie23

More pics of the street.



I don't remember having seen that large Dunkin Donuts billboard 9 years ago.  :Smile: 

This large monstrosity wasn't there either.


We went inside that McD's and my sis bought a coffee.  :Razz:  I asked the staff how long it's been up. During that time it was still new - only a few months.  It's only the 2nd McDonald's in HCM.  The first one was established in the city center, about 1 or 1.5 years ago.

Nine years ago, there was already a KFC (and two Jollibee's!), but McDonald's wasn't there yet.  Now there's McDonald's and Starbucks.  Globalization at its best.   :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   :Very Happy:

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## thaimeme

Thanks, Katie....
Hope to see more.

Being a visitor to Saigon a few times in the last decade or two, I might see a different romantic side of the 60's and 70's city.

Not the same Saigon that I knew from 1960 or even 1975. Still a vibrant place, yet I might prefer the slighted Graham Greene version.

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## katie23

Years before, there were some small houses in the area where the McD stands now.  I remember that my mom brought me there for a walk because she visited some people that she knew.  It was the low-cost housing type - not quite shanties but the people had humble homes.  I don't know where those people are now, as I forgot to ask my aunt and/or cousin.  

More pics to follow later...

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## beerlaodrinker

Hi Katie
Nice post and good to see you back, saigons a great city, can you speak any Vietnamese? Looking forward to more, cheers

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## slimboyfat

Interesting thread and nice pics.

I was there in 1996 and it was mostly bicycles instead of motorbikes. Sadly I didn't take any pictures.....

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## Yemen

Hello Katie.  Last time I was there not many autos around.

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## BaitongBoy

When I was there I waded through an ocean of motorcycles...Just keep walking forward, don't break stride, and everyone "flows."...

Never seen so many bikes...

Fond memories, katie...

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## Davis Knowlton

Hi Kate and Happy Holidays, neighbor! Dave

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## pseudolus

Nice pics Katie. Just out of interest, your latter pictures also have 2005 on them date stamped which is weird as the pictures show cars not around then  :Smile:

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## Davis Knowlton

^See post #3 above. All will be revealed......

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## pseudolus

Ahhh. I thought it was a camera ghost. 

Anyway Love these types of threads, then and now sort of thing.

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## katie23

Cheers, all!

A visit to Vietnam wouldn't be complete without pho.  This was at a small place/kiosk near my aunt's house.  I think pho that time was 20,000 VND.  That time, 1 USD ~ 15,000 VND.  Mom and I exchanged 100 USD at a money changer.  She placed the money in my hand and said, "Now you're a millionaire!".   :Smile:   Anyway, here's the pho.



This year, I brought sis & niece to the same area where I remembered the pho.  No more pho, but instead, there's Bun Bo Hue, which is also very good! 



In June, 1 USD ~ 20,000 VND, so 1 bowl of bun bo hue costs a bit over a dollar.  





That's the coffee that sis bought at McD. 



The chairs were low, just ~1 foot (30 cm) above the ground, the table less than a meter above ground.  I remember thinking that they're more suited to kindergarteners, and not adults. Definitely not suited for "large mammals" like BLD.  :Wink:

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## katie23

@BLD: thanks for the greet. I was very busy the past few months and wasn't on TD much.  I've read about your visual problems.  I hope your eye is healing well? Are you back in Laos or still in BKK?  As to language, I speak very little Vietnamese - few words & phrases.  Mom didn't have time to teach us the language as she was too busy working when we were kids. So we (the kids) spoke English with her (and learned it in school too) and spoke Tagalog with dad. Btw, dad worked too, but money was tight then.  

@Yemen & slimboyfat: From my parents' pics (late 60s to early 70s), there were lots of bicycles and few motorbikes.  In 2005 there were a lot of motorbikes already. This year there are more cars, but still a lot of motorbikes. 

@Davis: Happy holidays too! Good thing our area wasn't hit by the storm too much.  :Smile: 

@pseudolus: Timestamp is wrong on the 2014 pics.  I hope all was revealed.  :Smile: 

@BaitongBoy: yeah, it's crazy to cross the streets with all those motorbikes! I didn't dare cross the streets alone!

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## katie23

Then...

My mom buying oranges


Now

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## katie23

Then... the Central Post Office



Now



Uncle Ho remains the same



Souvenir shop inside the P.O.

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## terry57

I was first there in 96 as well, done quite a few trips back since then.

The last was 8 months ago.  Great spot I reckon. 

Enjoy your trip.

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## katie23

Notre Dame Cathedral remains the same



The cathedral now



But then, there weren't these couples having their photoshoots.





A friend said that wedding couples nowadays usually have 2 sets of clothes: 1 for the wedding (traditional dress) and 1 for the reception (Western dress).  Or is it the other way around? I forgot...   Anyway, this friend met us for one day (he's Viet but he studied for some years in the Phils, he's now based in another city 2-3 hours away) and he took us around for the day.  It was nice to reconnect and it was good to have some local knowledge.

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## Scottish Gary

I visited Vietnam for the first time in March this year.   I visited Saigon, Hanoi and Halong Bay.  I enjoyed the war sites and Halong was very impressive bit if truth be told I wont be rushing back.  I felt like I was being ripped off all the time.  Short changed, over charged that sort of thing. I don't mind poor people making themselves a few extra bucks but some times I just felt like I was getting shafted. I became like a paranoid backpacker suspicious of everyone and thats not how I like to feel

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## terry57

^

Unfortunately it can be like this for the Newbie.

Took me a few trips to short circuit the scammers.

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## katie23

@Terry57: I've seen some of your travel threads, and they were great! But it seems like nobody is posting pics anymore?  I did the trip last June, so yes, I enjoyed it.  :Smile:  I might go again next year (time and $-permitting).  My aunt is old, and I want to visit her again before...  during the past 9 years, two aunts and uncles-in-law passed away, as did my father.  It's good I was able to see those two aunts before they passed. Such is life...

@ScottishGary: I didn't feel ripped off, but then I didn't go to many places during my visits.  In 2005, it was mainly to see family, while this year, it was a very short trip (3 days).  Also, I look local, so I don't get the farang prices for tourists.  But yeah, from what I've read (blogs, etc) Viet people like to overcharge.

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## terry57

^

Shame about the picture threads death.

Best part of this forum gone. 

Building threads are holding the fort though.

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## beerlaodrinker

> @BLD: thanks for the greet. I was very busy the past few months and wasn't on TD much.  I've read about your visual problems.  I hope your eye is healing well? Are you back in Laos or still in BKK?  Yep, the doc gave me the thumbs up yesterday, still got the gas bubble going on in my eye so had to take the train arrived in udon thani this morning, brilliant trip to, vision has returned although it's still a bit blurry and hard to focus, kind of makes me dizzy but that will go away I'm told, people just assume I'm drunk. And after 2 weeks of lying facedown in the hotel there assumptions will be correct, sort of like being a bull in a china shop. Enjoying your thread, yeah your right not a lot of travel Fred's lately, I'm likely to be of work for a few more weeks will try to bung up a Fred from a short trip a month or so ago to vang vieng where it turned out I was the oldest and best fed hippy in town, Interesting your Vietnamese heritage, I know there was a lot of Vietnam refugees in the Philippines but didn't think many settled there?


used to visit the camp near olongapo in the mid 90,s , got to return to Bangkok next month for a follow up, keep the pics coming

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## beerlaodrinker

Aw shit, I even focked up the quick quote function. 

The 3 or 4 times I've been to Vietnam I found the viets to be pretty reasonable as far as over charging and haggling goes, but I was travelling with a Lao wife and mestizo kids so maybe they just gave me a break, I find the viets to be a pretty switched on and hard working race. Definitely got plans to revisit, it's only an hour and 30 minutes from Vientiane, visa can be had online now to , so no more waiting 3 or 4 days for it.

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## ltnt

The Saigon I remember was pretty packed with humans.  Beautiful tree lined streets and a sea of humanity viewed from the back of a deuce and a half forcing everything out of its way.

I've thought about returning for a visit, but somehow I just can't get my head around it.  What did your dad do in Vietnam?  Was he with RMK-BRJ or with the Philippine Army?  Ran into both types while on tour.

I was always amazed at the absolute beauty of Vietnam's countryside from the air.  Pretty diverse as well going from the coastline to the highlands.  Have you traveled outside Saigon yet?  If not, you're going to love it.

Thanks for the thread, regrets about your dads recent passing.

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## nigelandjan

Hi Katie nice pic thread thanks ,, btw do you have any pics of you without the Arbolour trademark chocolate ? would be nice to see any pretty Asian girl on here.

Do you have any pics of rivers/ mountains I could paint ?

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## katie23

Ach! It's raining hard here and I can't go out, so might as well go online.  :Smile: 

@ltnt: Wow, small world! My dad was with RMK.  He worked in a ship.  

Short version of my parents' love story: Both my parents came from poor, farming families. My dad was able to study in a state university and study for free (no tuition fee). However, the uni didn't provide a stipend, so he worked as a student assistant in several school departments to have spending money, since my grandpa couldn't give enough. 

My mom also came from a farming family in South Vietnam, and her childhood was mostly spent in wartime (war with the French, then war with the North). She was able to get a USAID scholarship and study in the Phils, same uni as my dad.  During those times (60s) there were only a few students, and most people/students knew each other.  They met and fell in love. My dad graduated a year before my mom, and he was able to find work in the uni after grad.  During the last year of my mom as a student, they were already "decided" with each other, so they made plans of being together.  My mom, being a scholar, had to return to her country to serve.  So they got married and after mom's graduation, they went back to Vietnam. This was in the late 60s.

My mom worked for the Ministry of Agriculture (I think it's the cream building in the first pic, or near it).  The Ministry was just on the other side of Dien Bien Phu street.  My dad wasn't able to get work in his field, but he was able to work for an American company, RMK.

In 1975, when it was evident that the North would win and Saigon will fall, the Phil gov't sent a ship to Vietnam to repatriate the Filipino workers and their families. My parents and sister (a baby during that time) sailed home with that ship.  As I've said, I wasn't born yet. Also in that ship were another Phil-Viet couple who were friends of my parents and who also studied in the same uni.  

That other couple settled in Cagayan de Oro city in Mindanao.  One of their kids trained to be a pilot in the Phil Air Force base in Lipa city (where Davis lives) and he reconnected with our family.  We became his second family in Luzon (because his real family lived far in Mindanao). He visited us whenever he had leaves and often stayed for several days. He worked for several years for the airforce, but now he works for a commercial airline. He still keeps in touch. My sis and I treat him like a "kuya" (elder bro). He and his family visited earlier this year when my dad passed away, as they now live in the Metro Manila area.  

In my place, there aren't many Phil-Viet kids, so we all kinda knew each other.  Being raised by a Viet mom was different, but it was a good and loving childhood.  :Smile:  My mom is a kinda "tiger mom", but now that I'm an adult, I know that she had good intentions.  She is also very frugal (or kuripot - BLD and Davis know that term). But now, knowing how she always lived in war, therefore, always being on the run, makes me understand her better.   :Smile: 

End of post. lol

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## katie23

@BLD - I went once to the refugee camp in Bataan; it was a school field trip.  As far as I know, some of those families were brought to the US (those eligible for political asylum).  Those who didn't go to the US were transferred to Palawan. I haven't been to Palawan, but a friend (who's from there) told me that they have like a Little Saigon colony, where they have businesses and such. Re: your not being overcharged, I do think that being with your wife and mestizo kids help.   :Wink:  As a tourist in SEA, I sometimes get tourist prices, but they're lower than farang prices.  :Very Happy:  Hope your visual condition improves, and I'll look forward to your other travel threads!  :Smile: 

@nigelandjan: What do you mean by "Arbolour trademark chocolate"? I speak/read English well, but I'm not familiar with all slang. As to rivers or mountains, nope, sorry I don't have. In the 2005 trip, we went from one province to another (to visit relatives). The recent trip was very short. We just stayed in Saigon and did a Cu Chi half-day tour.

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## katie23

Okay, on with the pic.  :Smile:   Some random pics from this year.

This building is also on DBP street. From the front, it looks all modern, but the side view is different.

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## katie23

This herbal shop near my aunt's place was also there 9 years ago.





Those are dried bitter gourd fruit (ampalaya in Tagalog), Momordica charantia (scientific name, I think). It's good for diabetes.  


Atiso or artichoke - good for the heart (I think). They make tea with the dried leaves.

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## katie23

Some pics from nine years ago.




Petrolimex office, at the back is the Diamond Plaza building

Diamond Department store. Since it was Christmas season, the windows and decors were in red.  This year, in June, they were blue.



Girl selling Banh Mi (baguette sandwiches). This stall was farther up along Dien Bien Phu, after the rotunda/roundabout.  I think my mom bought one and we shared the sandwich while having our walk.

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## katie23

some family pics...

My mom brought me to several provinces to see different branches of the family. One branch was near My Tho. We visited my mom's uncle, Ong Nam. There was plenty of food because of an "anniversary of the family".  I don't know what particular anniversary or celebration it was. Ong Nam is the man in the pajamas. I don't know why he didn't face the camera. Even the other older people didn't. Maybe because they lived in wartimes and were suspicious of cameras? I don't know.... these people (the older ones) lived very hard lives...

The youth up there (flashing the V sign) looks like one of my nephews. Funny how the resemblance comes up in different branches of the family.  :Smile: 




I don't know what those mean, but they're something to symbolize the anniversary of the family.


These are cousins (probably 3rd or 4th degree) and some aunts. These kids must be adults by now.

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## fishlocker

Thanks for posting the pics. It has inspired me to take the time to post some pics for the Laos section of the forum. "last time in Laos."

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## BaitongBoy

> The youth up there (flashing the V sign) looks like one of my nephews. Funny how the resemblance comes up in different branches of the family.


Little bugger has blotted out "grandma's" face!...Heh...

Absolutely beautiful family pics...And good comments...

Have a happy and safe holiday season...

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## ltnt

> @ltnt: Wow, small world! My dad was with RMK. He worked in a ship.


I was with the Army Corp of Engineers we managed many of RMK_BRJ's projects as well provided training to both Vietnamese and Philippine workers.  Mostly heavy equipment operators.  The loading and unloading, logistics of Saigon's Port was also under the US Army Corp of Engineers.

My first assignment fell into the Delta with the 1st Infintry Div., then to Cam Ranh Bay and its mega projects.  I traveled extensively throughout south Vietnam in support of various operations with the 5th Special Forces, 1st Cav and 101st Airborne. 

What I found interesting in your family story was how both your parents lives seemed to have almost the same origin and path.  Nice how you've articulated their personal history, journey from rural beginnings toward professional lives together, meeting and overcoming all obstacles to be together and remaining so to raise their family and continue the journey throughout their lives.

Well done Katie.

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## Takeovers

Hi katie

Your thread with pics is much appreciated. I am german with a filiipina wife. We live in Berlin Germany. But we visit the Filipino family in Bohol regularly.

Any way we could entice you to do a thread on your area in the Philippines? Would live to see it from your perspective.

Greetings.

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## heartless

> Okay, on with the pic.   Some random pics from this year.
> 
> This building is also on DBP street. From the front, it looks all modern, but the side view is different.
>  i41.photobucket.com/albums/e283/katie2326/vietnam/small-DSC08556_zps0ed088a0.jpg


great architecture. haha  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## katie23

Hi all! I hope everyone had a great Christmas! 

@fishlocker: I'm glad you were inspired to post your own pics! I enjoy the pic threads here - both the pics and comments. Will look into your thread soon!

@BaitongBoy: Happy Holidays to you too! I bet that "little bugger" is a handsome young man now.  :Wink: 

@ltnt: Wow, it's really a small world! From his stories, my dad's ship was assigned in many places, but Cam Ranh Bay was mentioned several times.  The ship he was in was called "New Jersey". He had many amusing stories of his time there.  

@Takeovers: Danke Schoen. I hope you had a good Weinachten?  I haven't been to Bohol, but it's on my bucket list. A pity that some parts of the Chocolate hills were destroyed due to the strong earthquake last year. As to doing a pic thread of my area, hmm, I don't have many pics of my area, and it's not really very picturesque.  I have some pics of a trip early this year to Camiguin island in the Mindanao area. If/when I finish this thread, I might post them - depends if I have time. I might be very busy again with work in the new year. Btw, do you have half-breed kids? Are they "showbiz material"? Half-white kids become famous in showbiz here. lol  

@heartless: Glad you liked the architechture. lol

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## katie23

Pics from "then"

The way going to the Reunification Palace. It was late December, so they had put up a New Year sign.

This pic was taken on Christmas day. My mom and I attended mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral, then had a walk around. There were several men dressed as Santa Claus at the park in front of the Palace and kids had their picture taken with Santa.  The celebration of January 1st was just mild - only few fireworks. They have their grand celebration during Tet, or the Lunar New Year. 


Reunification Palace, a.k.a. Independence Palace.  We just passed by and didn't go inside for the tour.  Those gates were destroyed by forces of the North in 1975 when they conquered Saigon/ unified Vietnam - depends on how you look at it.

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## katie23

Pics from "now"

Along the way from the Cathedral to the Palace


See how these locals calmly crossed the street despite ongoing traffic. 


Diamond Department Store and Diamond Plaza

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## katie23

Approaching the Palace


The gate which was destroyed and rebuilt


Entrance ticket, costs around 1.5 USD, you pay more if you hire a tour guide. We didn't since we had a Viet friend with us at the time.

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## katie23

If you're lazy to walk, you can have this bring you around. That's my niece.  :Smile: 


Notice the group of people walking toward the fountain.


Those peeps assembled in front of the Palace for a photoshoot. The women are wearing the traditional dress or ao dai (pronounced "aw yai")

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## katie23

The Palace was made into a museum and hasn't been used as an office since 1975. So most of the stuff are from the 70s. You don't see these nowadays...


Many tourists during that day. It was early June, so start of school holidays for the kids.  The guides wear the ao dai as well. This was a large ceremonial hall on the 2/F (or first floor for the Brits). 


Niece was sulking at this time. lol

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## katie23

Some tour guides for you.  :Wink: 



The above pics were taken from my phone. Most of the pics (the ones with the June timestamp) were taken by my sis on her camera. I had done 2 pic threads on TD by then, so I took these for the guys, just in case I made a thread again.  :Wink:

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## katie23

View from the 4th (or 5th?) floor of the Palace.

On the rooftop


Side of the building

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## Takeovers

> I took these for the guys, just in case I made a thread again.


Thanks! Much appreciated. :Smile:

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## katie23

In the basement, there are communications equipment, various war rooms with maps, and the kitchen. On the first floor, there are some cars and a room with a photo exhibit and souvenirs. 






On the same floor, there are small rooms with A/C where you can watch a 30-min film about the construction of the Palace and how the North won the war. The films may be watched in Viet, English, French, Russian and Chinese. We watched the film, since it was so hot and humid at the time, and the A/C was nice. lol 

The captions on the photos, the films, etc - they were interesting to me because they were written from the viewpoint of the North - the winner in the war. Since my family is from the South, I heard different viewpoints while growing up. So looking at history from a Northern perspective was very different. I had Viet friends (more or less my age) who are from the North, and they are good people. But we didn't talk about the War or politics.  :Smile:

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## ltnt

> my dad's ship was assigned in many places, but Cam Ranh Bay was mentioned several times.


Loads of cargo off loaded in Can Ranh.  Our headquarters office was just opposite the DeLong Piers.  Built by Chinese labor imported by DeLong from Hong Kong. We used to take off from our runway and fly inbetween the "jacking legs," of the pier.

Beautiful port with white sand used by the Japanese for fine optical's then.  Our Group had 5 Construction battalions, and seven separate construction and combat engineering companies including one of a kind Port construction company.

At night the cargo boats would drop handgranades in the water surrounding their boats to keep VC swimmers away, so they said.  Lots of ammo ships as well. Our medics often serviced the merchant seamen who often had no medical support on board.

I recall the ao dai's in Saigon.  Seemed like they floated along the sidewalks rather than walked.  Nice pictures of the tree covered lanes as I remember Saigon from years.  Pretty heady stuff for a 19 year old.  Saigon was teeming with activity during those years.  It seemed to be like a sea of people all moving without actually having any real direction.  The heat and humidity was over powering then, as well the various smells that seemed to stagnate throughout the cities atmosphere.  Gas, diesel fumes, smoke from open cooking fires, open sewers, human waste, rotting garbage, you name it.

18th Engineer Brigade Headquarters was in Saigon adjacent to MACV.  I knew one thing for sure, I didn't want to be assigned to Saigon after a visit for assignment to those offices.  

For me and my personal vision/impression it wasn't or couldn't be real.  All my senses told me this was an imaginary scene from some movie of cliche's.  I came through Saigon a couple more times while in country, but it never changed from my first experience.

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## Takeovers

> @Takeovers: Danke Schoen. I hope you had a good Weinachten? I haven't been to Bohol, but it's on my bucket list. A pity that some parts of the Chocolate hills were destroyed due to the strong earthquake last year. As to doing a pic thread of my area, hmm, I don't have many pics of my area, and it's not really very picturesque. I have some pics of a trip early this year to Camiguin island in the Mindanao area. If/when I finish this thread, I might post them - depends if I have time. I might be very busy again with work in the new year. Btw, do you have half-breed kids? Are they "showbiz material"? Half-white kids become famous in showbiz here. lol


We are married 35 years now. All the time in Germany except vacations. We have two children, boy and girl, both adults now. Yes the daughter is a stunner, even compared with all the german/filipina couples children we know with a lot of beauties. :Smile: 

But they would not be interested in showbiz. For some reason the daughter does not want to hear how beautiful she is.

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## katie23

@ltnt: Thanks for the stories. My dad told a lot of stories of his stint with RMK, but I've forgotten most of them. He told most of those stories when we were kids or teenagers, and some of them just went past through my head. Sometimes we just pretended to listen, and said, "yeah, yeah". You know how teenagers are with their parents. lol  

One of the stories I remember is that when the ship would dock somwhere and he would have some shore leave, my mom would be waiting at the port. According to him, she would be waving her hands, and her hair and dress would be blowing with the wind. But maybe that's just his romanticized version. lol My dad also said that my mom always came to the port during his shore leave so that he would be guarded and wouldn't have a "con gai". lol Smart of my mom.  :Wink:  

Speaking of con gai (spelling?), dad also said that some of the secretaries at RMK were spies for the North. I wonder if the bosses at RMK knew that.  

@takeovers: Wow, 35 years of marriage! Congratulations!  :Smile:  Re: half-breeds (mestizos/mestizas), there are many of them here who are in showbiz. Sometimes they just come here to visit family, then they are spotted by talent scouts, which then lead to modeling or acting careers.  The Miss World 2013 is Megan Young - she's from here (an actress) and she's half-American. I saw in some news here that she's passed on the crown to the next winner. 

Were your kids ever approached by talent agents in the mall or beach here when they were teens?  Re: your daughter being a stunner and not wanting to be reminded of it, maybe she doesn't dwell too much on her looks. Good for her.  :Smile:  Besides, with great beauty comes great responsibility.  :Razz:

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## katie23

On with the pics...

From "then" - statue at Le Loi Square, which is in front of the Ben Thanh Market






Sorry for the different sizes of pics. I resized them at different times and I must've forgotten the settings that I did previously.

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## katie23

Ben Thanh Market, where we went shopping for souvenirs


Here's mom looking at some souvenirs to bring for folks back home

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## katie23

After some shopping, we saw a stall nearby and ate this. It was my first time to eat Bun Bo Hue, and it was delish! It's noodle soup with pork, and is originally from Hue (the middle part of Vietnam). Pho, with beef, is originally from the north. Or so mom said. Also according to her, centuries ago, Vietnam was composed of 3 kingdoms: North, Middle (Hue) and South.



These are some kids who were at my aunt's house. They're students of my cousin. My female cousin and her daughter lives with my aunt, who is a widow. My cousin is a Math teacher in grade school. These students were doing extra work after school and my cousin taught them at the house (for extra income).  The house is narrow, around 4x10 meters, and 2 stories -typical of houses in Saigon. Cousin taught the kids in the living room. Kids were happy to pose for the camera.  :Smile: 

These kids were from neighboring houses and they walked home after their extra class.  The kids wore uniforms - shirt and culottes (split skirt) for the girls (ideal for riding a bike/motorbike), shorts for the boys. These were city kids. In the province, the boys wore white shirt and black shorts while the girls wore the white ao dai. I don't know if the provincial school girls still wear ao dai now, or they use Western style clothing.  Seldom do ladies wear the ao dai now (mostly for occasions or ceremonies), unlike in the 60s or 70s when it was more common.

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## katie23

Some "now" pics

After the Palace tour, we spent time at a small park behind the Palace. 


We enjoyed the breeze, as it was very hot and most of the Palace was non-AC. There's also a small playground, which niece enjoyed. Behind the Palace, there are some eateries. Since it was around noon, most of the places were packed.

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## katie23

After the Palace tour, our friend brought us to a casual resto for lunch. But we had to pass by the market to get to there, so here goes.

Le Loi Square now - lots of construction in the surrounding areas



That semi-conical tall building wasn't there 9 years ago. According to friend, it's just recent - maybe 4 or 3 years(?), I forgot...

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## katie23

If you're lazy to walk around the city, you can hire one of these to bring you around. Not for "large mammals" though. lol


Motorbikes again

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## katie23

Some street views while walking to the restaurant






Oops, I think this last one was taken while riding a taxi at a different time.

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## katie23

We ate at this place - it was recommended by Friend. Apparently it's famous, and when I looked online, it has many branches.  comtamcali dot com 


I like seeing what other people ate during their trips, so I'll post food pics here too.



"Com tam" is broken rice 

The kiddie meal




The place had A/C, which was nice, Western music played on the speakers - good atmosphere. Clients there with us were tourist families or higher-end office workers. Prices of food were higher than ordinary eateries. However, sis and I weren't impressed much with the food. But as our friend was the one who brought us there, then of course we thanked him for his efforts. The resto was in a pricier part of the city too - with shops containing well-known brands.

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## katie23

Starbucks - what more can I say? lol  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   It wasn't there 9 years ago.


It was horrible crossing this intersection. I stayed close to Friend who was an expert in navigating these scooters. haha  My sister took the first photo, while I took the second one. I think hers is  better, as my mind was more focused on crossing the street than in getting a nice photo. lol



Petrolimex gas station

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## nevets

Katie,   thank you very much for taking the time to put the pictures up , i have enjoyed looking and reading about your Mom and Dad they looked after you well and i see you love them very much, i wish you all the best for the future.

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## katie23

After lunch, we went back to Ben Thanh market for some souvenir shopping. 
Saw this hat store along the way.


After shopping, we went to Pham Ngu Lao street (recommended by Friend) to book a half-day tour to the Cu Chi tunnels.  Passed by another park and niece played a bit on the exercise machine while we rested on a bench. (It's tiring to shop! lol)


Pham Ngu Lao street is like Khao San Road - lots of hotels/hostels, travel agencies and money changers.


Road perpendicular to Pham Ngu Lao, still lots of shops & money changers


We arrived at the first travel agent (Hasu Viet) along the road. Since we were tired and had some shopping bags, we booked a tour with them (125,000 VND, I think) because we didn't want to walk anymore and canvas for prices. However, after some time, we still had to walk to find a money changer. And then we saw this agency with lower prices. haha


It's a laundry shop/money changer/travel agency


The next day, we asked our van-mates how much their tour cost. A group of Pinays told us that their hotel charged them 250,000 VND (they booked through the hotel). For 2 older Singaporean ladies who stayed at a posh hotel, the hotel charged them 600,000 VND for the tour.  So sis and I still got a low price.  :Smile:

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## katie23

After shopping and booking a tour, we got tired and hang out here for a bit.

We also had a taste of this.


After that, it was time to go back home to aunt's house.

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## katie23

We got caught in the rush hour traffic on the way back home. Sis took the time to snap some pics while in the taxi.  She was more of the photographer, while I was more of the guide since it was my 2nd time already in Saigon.



Some legs and heels for you guys.  :Wink: 


This girl was more conservatively dressed.


This guy didn't have a helmet and wore flip-flops.  :ourrules:  (first time I used that smiley! lol)


Another one in mini-skirt.  :Wink:

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## katie23

This was dinner at aunt's home. 


It was a simple meal.  :Smile:  My aunt is a retired schoolteacher, and her daughter (my cousin) is also a teacher. 

This was another meal at home. Sis and I noticed that my aunt's cooking is similar to mom's. Quaint.  :Smile:  (They had the same mother - hello! lol)

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## katie23

@nevets: Thanks for the note! Glad you liked the pics. I have to pick my head sometimes for the stories, because these "now" pics were taken 6 months ago, while the older pics were from 9 years ago.  I initially came to TD to ask for info about crossing a certain Thai-Cambo border in preparation for a backpacking trip (couldn't find it in blogs), then looked around and found the pic threads.  I like the pic threads and the stories that come with it, and the way people jump in and tell their own/similar experiences. I especially liked BLD's and Terry57's threads.  All in good fun, innit?  :Wink: 

I haven't done the backpacking trip because of time, work commitments and personal/family stuff (including the death of my dad), but I hope that I'll be able to do it next year.  This talk of RMK and the 60s/70s makes me miss my dad.  :Smile:  When I visit my parents' house, I'll ask my mom for dad's pics of Vietnam during the olden days and scan them at the office. I think that would be interesting.

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## ltnt

> I'll ask my mom for dad's pics of Vietnam during the olden days and scan them at the office. I think that would be interesting.


Funny, "the olden days."  As a kid I used to ask my mother and her sister and brothers to tell me stories about "the olden days."

I'm sure RMK had VC pretty common assumption with all TCN hires.  there was a screening process used by the Military, but I seriously doubt it was anything very exotic.

I don't think your father was being romantic when he said he would see your mother waving to him from the dock and her ao dai fluttering in the breeze.  Pretty light weight those.  As I write I can almost visualize it as well.

The port of Saigon was the source of much corruption.  US military assigned to the port were rumored to be at the head of this corruption as well RMK-BRJ.  Also rumored was that the VC received more goods from this location than did the military it was suppose to support.  I do know that the black Market had a better supply of military clothing than I could get from my company resource.  It took me 3 months in country to get issued Jungle fatigues and boots.  By then the leather boots I had issued from Basic were rotting off my feet.

Of course Tu Do street was the most infamous location in Saigon as well Cholon District.  Lots of action for in country R&R or as we referred to it as I & I, intoxication and intercourse.  My XO a Lt.Colonel and our Group Sgt. Major ran a in country R & R center in Nha Trang.  With the endless resource of men under their command they rotated many troopers through their private "whore house," and reaped the financial benifits.  Their partner was a so called "Madam," widow of some South Vietnamese military officer, who was the Lt. Col.'s G/F.  She also had the laundry services all wrapped up through connections with the commander of the 5th Special Forces and RMK.  Needless to say this business venture ended on very destructive futures for both the Lt.Col. and the Sgt. Major.

I think you'll find rural Vietnam pretty much the same as 45 years ago, except they have no military ruining their lives from either side.  Farmers are pretty much the same always.

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## katie23

@ltnt: Cheers! A toast to the olden days! lol  If I get to post pics of the 70s, you're welcome to tell stories because I wouldn't be able to recognize those places anyway.  As to the bars, we didn't go to the infamous places as we had a kid with us. Besides, we had other things to do than see scantily clad women.  :Razz:

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## katie23

Some pics from "then"


Mom and I passed by this on our walk from the Cathedral to the house.  Now that I've seen the War Museum, I think this isn't it, rather it's the Ho Chi Minh City Museum.

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## katie23

After Christmas, we spent a few days in Dau Tieng  province with other relatives.  

They have both passed away in recent years. RIP...
My uncle's hands were damaged due to chemicals from the war. He worked for the south.  


Food from one of our meals. They cut up the baguettes and serve it with other food.

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## katie23

Another family pic.  The 3 women seated on the left are sisters. 


House of one of my cousins. This is a typical design for countryside houses - flat roof, one story, with a porch. Other houses in the neighborhood were similar in design.

There's a space on the side of the house where my cousins do extra teaching/tutoring.  My male cousin is an English teacher in high school while his wife is a Math teacher.  The folks in the province spoke less English than those in the city. It was fortunate for me that I could converse with my cousin in English.  I asked him many questions about life and culture.  There were three houses in the vicinity - my aunts', teacher-cousin's, and manager-cousin's.  Manager-cousin was the youngest son in that family and worked for a nearby company. 

This is a pagoda that I saw along the way to my other aunt's house.  This aunt's province is after the Cu Chi tunnels.  We didn't go to the tunnels that time, but I went to the tunnels during the recent trip.

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## katie23

In the recent trip, we did a Cu Chi tunnels half-day tour.  The minivan left Saigon at 8-8:30. It takes 1.5-2 hours to get there. I think we reached after 2 hours, since we had a stopover at a handicrafts workshop.

We were told to be at the travel agency before 8am.  I think for some tours, they pick you up at your hotel.  For this one, the meeting point was the travel agency. 

Some pics from the taxi on the way to Pham Ngu Lao street.


Morning rush hour

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## katie23

Taken while waiting at the travel agency.  Red bus is a tour bus, green bus is a public one.


Waiting at Pham Ngu Lao street

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## katie23

Some scenes along the way.  These were taken by sis from the minivan.  


Some artwork for sale

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## katie23

Trung Nguyen coffeehouse - apparently it's famous there

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## katie23

After ~1 hour of travel in the minivan, we stopped by this handicrafts workshop.  The workers there are handicapped.  According to the signs, their condition was brought about by Agent Orange from the War.   

We went to the War Remnants museum on our first day, so we had already seen the pics from the war and Agent Orange destruction.  These pics are from the 3rd day - I'm not posting the pics in sequence.


These were some of my van-mates.  There was a young Kiwi couple, 2 Singaporean ladies, a Korean family of four, 4 Pinays on a friend-group travel, then three of us = 15 people in the van (13 adults + 2 kids).  It was a tight squeeze.  Good thing none of us were very large mammals. lol

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## katie23

More handicraft making.  This was made from eggshells.



The painting process

The workers didn't mind us photographing them as they're probably used to tourists.  The workshop isn't airconditioned, but there's a store beside it, with A/C, which displays the finished products.  The prices were a bit higher than those in Ben Thanh market, but maybe they're of better quality or workmanship (?).  But their selling pitch is that when you buy, you're helping the handicapped, so it's all good.  :Smile:

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## katie23

Raw materials - shells of mollusks


The cleaning/finishing process


The finished product

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## katie23

I think this was the manager of the workshop.






That's it for the handicraft shop.  Sis and I didn't buy anything, as we had bought already some stuff from Ben Thanh market.  But some of our van-mates did buy.  

This pic-posting is time-consuming! lol I was on a roll since my internet cooperated with me.  I'm off for the New Year - more pics later.  Happy New Year to all!

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## beerlaodrinker

Brilliant thread Katie, turns out I've got a Vietnamese connection as well, My mother in laws dad was a Vietnamese dude who moved to Lao in the 60's  have a great new year and thanks for taking the time to bung up a wonderful and interesting thread.

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## katie23

@BLD: Cheers and happy new year too! Interesting re: your Viet connection.  So your wife must be 1/4 Viet, and your kids 1/8.  Was your wife's grandpa from the north or south? Just a thought - maybe when your kids are bigger (and can appreciate it), you can again make a trip to Vietnam and look for the ancestor's relatives - if your wife and kids are interested.  For me, it was very memorable to meet my relatives and know some of the culture and history - especially the talks with my teacher-cousin.  He was old enough to remember the war as a kid and knew my parents (even my dad) when he/they were younger.  

Some info that I got from my mom recently as I went home for the New Year:

The area at the back of the McDonald's is where my parents first lived when they arrived in Saigon.  They rented a small, 3x5-meter studio-type apartment.  When their conditions improved, they moved to a bigger place, also in that area, since my mom's office was just across the street (the Ministry of Agriculture building). As I recall, there were many small houses/apartment at the back of the McD building.  In the recent trip we didn't explore that area, so I don't know if the small houses are still there.  

The herbal shop (in former pics) near my aunt's place has been there for decades - it's been there since the 60s.  I've also confirmed from mom that the atiso/artichoke is used by people with hypertension or heart conditions.   :Smile:

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## katie23

On with the pics..

I've always been interested in the Cu Chi tunnels, ever since I saw the sign "This way to Cu Chi tunnels" nine years ago.  I saw that sign on the road as the bus I was riding passed by the turn-off point to Cu Chi.  My relatives live around 1 hour farther along that highway, in the same province.  I asked my cousin what those tunnels were about, and he replied that those were used by the VC during the War to hide from the Americans.  I wasn't able to visit the tunnels due to time constraints - we were there for two weeks but moved from one province to another to visit relatives, with some "rest days" in Saigon.   

So during this recent trip, I made sure that Cu Chi was in the itinerary.  Since then, there have been many blogs (and pictures) about the tunnels, mostly by white bloggers/backpackers/digital nomads, so I had an idea on what to expect.  

Some rules before entering the tunnels


Map of the tunnel system


Tunnel in the olden days

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## katie23

The entrance fee to the tunnels was 90,000 dong.  This was aside from the tour fee that we paid at the travel agency.  So if you're planning to do a tour with an agency, ask if the price quoted is inclusive of the entrance fee or not.  The 2 SG ladies in our van raised a racket because of this because it turned out that the entrance fee wasn't included in what they paid. To be fair, they were charged much higher than what the others were charged, probably because their hotel got a big cut from the fee.  

Children up to a certain height are free - you have to bring them to the office to get measured. Niece didn't reach the maximum height, so she got in gratis.  :Smile:  

Edit on the number of passengers in the van: there were 15 tourists (including 2 kids) plus 1 driver and 1 tour guide, so total of 17 people in the van.  We were lucky that we had a very energetic and amusing English-speaking guide.   :Smile:  

After you've paid for the tickets, you pass by this to get to the "arrivals" area


You'll have to watch a short film (propaganda) about the tunnels, then on with the tour.  

B-52 bomb crater


Some blogs mentioned to beware of mosquitos, so we wore shirts and cargo pants/trousers.  Other tourists wore shorts though, and weren't bitten much, I think.  I guess it depends on the season - we visited in summer, so not much mosquitos.  Expect more mosquites in the rainy season.

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## katie23

Many tourists that day. This is our tour guide explaining how one of the traps worked.


That's the Korean family on the left side of the pic.  Niece is on the right side.  



He pushes the trapdoor with the stick


And out come the spikes - yikes!

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## katie23

Here's one of the holes that the VC used as a lookout point - you can go in & try it out (and have your pic taken too!)


Getting out of the hole is a bit tricky as you have to hoist yourself up

I did try that hole, but I'd rather not show the pic here, as it shows my fugly face. lol

Other holes... that's my shoe... sis took the pic



Other women tried this...  

Those gals were from another tour group

My net is acting up - can't load the pics from photobucket.  To be continued...

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## beerlaodrinker

> @BLD: Cheers and happy new year too! Interesting re: your Viet connection.  So your wife must be 1/4 Viet, and your kids 1/8.  Was your wife's grandpa from the north or south? Just a thought - maybe when your kids are bigger (and can appreciate it), you can again make a trip to Vietnam and look for the ancestor's relatives - if your wife and kids are interested.  )


The grandpa was from the north, a small city called Vinh, My mil last paid a visit to the viet  relatives some 15 years ago, after that very little contact, We also went through Vinh on a road trip from Laos a few years back, I have a plan, perhaps this year to do that trip again this time we will be sure to try to look up the long lost tribe, Vientiane to Vinh is about a day and a half drive crossing the border at lak São, Vinh was heavily bombed during the war and the rebuild was done in the soviet style and is Pangit (ugly) there are some beaches nearby that need a bit more investigation by BLD though, The wife is expecting seafood gluttony at its best :Smile:

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## terry57

Nice thread katie,  I really like the story regards the family and their pics.

Cheers.

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## katie23

@BLD - I had to look up Vinh in googlemaps.  Turns out it's not too north.  My mom hasn't been to the north, since it was closed off during the olden times.  Now that it's open, I told her to go there and visit.  She said she doesn't really want to, since she doesn't know anyone there.  Will look forward to your Vinh trip and lots of gluttonous seafood feasts.   :Smile: 

@Terry - Thanks! I'll try to include some stories every now and then.  I actually have some Viet relatives in Perth.  My uncle-in-law was a "boat person" and went to Aus in the 80s.  After some years, his family was able to follow.  My cousin (who grew up in Perth) graduated from UWA and is now an engineer.  I met him when he & his mum (my aunt) visited the Phils.  I also have some other distant cousins who are now doctors in Perth. I think there's a large Viet community there?  There are also some distant cousins in Melbourne.  Small world innit?  :Smile:

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## katie23

More of the Cu Chi tunnels... another hole



I went down that hole, took the cam from sis (sis didn't want to go down as she isn't so agile), put my phone there for scale, then took the pic.  My phone is ~2.5 x 5 inches.   These holes were covered with bushes or leaves during the War.

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## katie23

Some mannequins of VCs... they're just chilling

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## katie23

The VCs also bore holes in termite nests for ventilation in the tunnels.  Here's a termite nest.  Notice the hole on the lower right.



Close up of the termite hole, with the pen for scale

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## katie23

Some of the traps that were used... sticking trap for the legs


Clipping armpit trap.. if the soldier fell down the hole, he would be trapped by those spikes

The VCs were a cunning bunch.  Politics aside, I'm from the South (or my forebears are) but I admired them for making these traps and elaborate tunnels (3 levels) using primitive tools and harsh conditions.

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## katie23

There's also a shooting range where you can pay and test your shooting skills.




Souvenir shop, also sold some food & drinks.  This is also the resting station (and to wait for others who might still be in the shooting range).


Time for an ice cream stick

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## katie23

After a short rest, on with the tour...

This is the old way of making the spring roll wrappers. The water-rice flour mixture is in the basin. The mixture is spread thinly on the stove surface, then allowed to solidify. When it's solid, it will be picked up by the rolling pin, then placed between those bamboo slots.  The bamboo slots will then be placed under the sun.  Nowadays, the wrappers are machine-made.


There's also a sandal factory.  This type of sandal was used by the VCs during the War.  They're made of old car tires.

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## katie23

Finally, the chance to go inside the tunnels!  The tunnels have been widened already for tourists as they were much smaller in the olden days. 

For this tunnel, you can choose to be under for 50 meters or 100 meters. Underground, there's a crossroad of sorts - turn right, and you can go to the surface already.  Turn left, you go farther by 50 meters, making a total of 100m.  We just did 50 meters.

That's niece going down. We followed after her.



Most of the ppl in our group went down the tunnels. I think only the 2 elder ladies from SG didn't go under.  The tunnels are cramped, and you'd have to crouch or crawl.  If you're claustrophobic or a large mammal, or have heart or lung problems, then it's not advised to go underground.

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## katie23

After the tour, we were given free snacks - boiled cassava and hot tea, which were what the VC usually ate/drank during the olden days. (or so the guide said)

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## katie23

Passed by some bomb casings and another souvenir shop on the way out

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## katie23

Some pics taken from the van on the way back to the city


Rubber plantation


Y'all know what ricefields look like

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## katie23

Typical countryside house, similar to that of my cousin's - one story, porch, flat roof


Here's another one. The size differs but still the same basic design

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## katie23

Passed by 3 cemeteries.  Here's one of them


Passed by a hospital too



It rained in this area but not in the tunnels, thankfully.

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## katie23

Back in the city... some street shots

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## katie23

The municipal theatre - still looks the same, legacy of French colonial architechture

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## katie23

Also passed by a mosque


It was around 2:25 when we got back to the city


That new tall building, as seen from Le Loi square, is the Saigon Centre

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## katie23

Back to Le Loi square then to the agency in Pham Ngu Lao street for a late lunch.  The Saigon Centre, mobifone and other skyscrapers weren't there 9 years ago.


Back to the map


That's all for now.  To be continued...

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## katie23

Wow, there are so many pic threads now! It's great!  :Smile:  Will continue this next time - PB can't load, slow net.

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## katie23

Seeing crocman's questions made me remember that this thread existed and that I wasn't able to finish it. 

I'll add a few pics and let's see if I'll be able to finish it.  Depends on time & internet (my net is cranky). 

So after the half-day Cu Chi tunnel tour, it was back to Saigon city center.  As it was past 2 pm, we went off to find some eats and came across this place.  It's along Pham Ngu Lao street and near the tour agency. 



The food - we had some Pho

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## katie23

More food - this was the kiddie meal


Fried rice


Fresh spring rolls - yum!

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## katie23

These were our lunchmates - some locals and a couple of backpackers


The view while having lunch

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## katie23

Some pics from 2005

Crocman, if you're seeing this, my memory is correct that there was a NY eve party at Rex Hotel.


Caravelle Hotel

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## katie23

Caravelle Hotel is just beside the Saigon Theatre


This was nearby too.  When I visited in April of this year, there was some construction along the road to this City Hall.

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## katie23

We went to Thuan Kieu Plaza (a mall), and we saw a Jollibee store.  I had to have a pic.  :Smile: 

In 2005, there were only 2 Jollibee stores.  Last year, our guide said that there are more than 10 stores.  Business must be good.

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## katie23

Some pics from last year

After lunch, we saw this sandwich cart. I told my sis that she had to have a Banh Mi (baguette sandwich), as it's typically Vietnamese.  We bought one and had it wrapped for later.





See the gold bracelets on this lady.  Business must be good.  :Smile:

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## katie23

After lunch, we went back to Ben Thanh market to do some last-minute shopping.


This is Niece carrying the lacquer painting bought by her mom.

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## katie23

Last year, we weren't able to go to a mall or to a Jollibee, but I saw this along the way.  :Smile:

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## crocman

Amazing thread Katie. Thank you very much for updating on my behalf. My report next year will have to be a good one to match your standard. 

I have to spread the love, but a big green owed.

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## flyingboxx

Huge effort of Vietnamese people altered Saigon landscapes in such a fascinating way. Good to see this !

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## katie23

Cheers, crocman & flyingboxx. Glad you found this thread useful.  I'll try to upload more pics when I can.  Happy safe travels, crocman & welcome to TD, flyingboxx!

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