Post card from former Miss Saigon..... 5th January 2004

Tourist entertainment in Vietnam

If you have read the book THE QUIET AMERICAN or seen the musical MISS SIAGON or the movie GOOD MORNING VIETNAM or lived through the war with the American you think you will have some idea what to expect.
However for me nothing above really prepared me for the landing in the super modern city of HO CHI MINH. It has changed its name from Saigon and it is like any other modern western city. However the only difference you will notice is that nobody on the road has any traffic rules and to cross any major road, you will have to dodge millions of motorbikes.I guess it is a step better then dodging millions of bikes, rickshaws, cars and lorries and few cows in the street of India!

As you probably know, under the communist rule, everything here is not very expensive for the tourists, including the grand hotels and the fabulous food. The local currency DONG is worthless, and the local people desperately want your hard earned US $ even though it may be going downhill. Provided you understand what US $ is worth, everything is quoted to you in $, no matter where you come from?
Though the Western influence is creeping in as more tourists are finding their way here from next-door Thailand, it is still unspoilt and very few people speak English and French language seem to have died out completely?

Massive big Mr Santa Claus outside every grand hotel and shopping malls, American jeans , T Shirts worn by the young are I guess here to stay. However among all this American influence, it is delight to see a beautiful, slim, tiny china doll like female body wrapped up in her silk national costume, gliding on the streets of modern Miss Ho Chi Minh.

Love,
Davinder x