Bob and Fran's Excellent Adventures: Saigon

Saigon seems to have fewer sights and less history; the history seems largely tied to the American war (note the terminology here). We explored the Reunification Palace and the old American Embassy site, and all their special rooms. The war museum did little more than remind us how truly horrible war is, over and over and over. The photography section was especially devastating.

The city itself is growing explosively. Already with 9 million people, Saigon is projected to reach 16 million in less than 10 years. There are construction cranes everywhere. (Would I invest in Vietnam? Every penny I could. 60% of the population is under 30, they all keep having kids, and everybody works 7 days a week, up to 18 hours a day. Unbelievable productivity.)

The Reunification Palace

The recently renovated Post Office in Saigon. really nice!

A church in Saigon that's (kind of) a replica of Notre Dame in Paris. Only open Sunday mornings. Closed all other times.

The War Remnants Museum, which focused on the "American War." Depressing.

The Opera House in Saigon

The highlights of Saigon were the market and our private concert. The market (one of hundreds here, of course) is as staggering and colorful as the largest in Hanoi, with sights and sounds and smells we could not possibly record. Ridiculous prices – my knock-off (but high quality) Polo shirts were $5 each.

The Food Court at the Saigon Market.
Fran could not get used to the agressiveness of the merchants at the market in Saigon. They kept touching her and insisting that she buy from them. A few times she had to give them the New York attitudinal look when saying "No, Thank You [You touch me again and you'll pull away a stump!"]"

We visited Dinh Linh and his wife, in their home, for a private music session. He’s a most accomplished musician, probably plays more than three dozen instruments well. He and his wife sometimes accompany the President of Vietnam when he travels abroad, to bring Vietnamese culture to the world. He makes his own bamboo flutes, and played about 15 of them, in many keys, for us, as well as about 8 other instruments.

His wife is as accomplished as he, and they are a fabulously talented duo. This instrument is made of rocks, carefully shaped and toned to precise pitches. It has a lovely, mellow sound.