We entered the gates
of Ho Chi Minh City in
Vietnam like travelers
setting foot on a once
forbidden kingdom.
The sight of Viet police
in authoritative
stances (specially if
seen inside
immigration booths)
imposed caution, if not
fear, from any tourist.
As we stepped out into the streets however, it was free
abandon. Vietnam showed us a face never seen before in
the history books. It was a sincere, sweet smile.
Two nights in Saigon
We left NAIA at 4 p.m.
and landed on Tan Son
Nhat Airport in Ho Chi
Minh, by 5:30 p.m. We
reset our watches for
the one-hour time delay
from Manila.
There were five of us
from the Philippine media,
who were sent to
Vietnam as participants in the “New Millennium
Rendezvous” familiarization trip organized by Vietnam
Airlines and Vietnam’s Department of Tourism. Included in
our group were Philippine Star’s Christine Dayrit and Anne
Marie Oriondo, Manila Standard’s Bum Tenorio, Women’s
Journal’s Bayani Sandiego, and this author for Manila
Bulletin.
Our trip was arranged through the efforts of Nguyen Tien
Nam, Vietnam Airlines’ country manager for the
Philippines, and Robert Lim Joseph, president of Columbia
Transport Inc. (COLTRANS), Vietnam Airlines’ general
sales agent.
Saigontourist Travel Service Co., one of the leading tour
operators in Vietnam, picked us up at the airport. They
would be our tourist guides for the next five days.
There was a slight drizzle as we stepped out of the
airport and boarded a shuttle bus. We would see later our
bus would be one of the few vehicles on the streets of
Ho Chi Minh.
The streets were overrun
with citizens on
motorbikes and scooters,
children and teenagers
on bicycles, and mostly
elders and tourists on
cyclos – a local pedicab
with the passenger seat
in front.
People on the street
gave us curious smiles,
privy to the presence of
tourists. They might as well get accustomed to foreigners
as many more are expected to visit the country soon.
Saigon is the former name of Ho Chi Minh City which was
once also called the “Pearl of the Far East”.
Still the largest city and the industrial and trading center
of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh is undergoing fast-paced
development while retaining the spirit of the city.
Modern life is evident in the many hotels of international
standard, restaurants, cafés, and night spots.
However, it is amazing to note how Ho Chi Minh
preserved its pagodas, temples, museums, and markets
which give visitors knowledge of the city’s history and
evolution, as well as local people’s daily life.
The five of us were
billeted at Rex Hotel,
which is strategically
located in the heart of
Saigon.
At the corner of Rex
Hotel is the City People’s
Committee Office, while
in front of it is Ho Chi
Minh Park where a statue
of the late leader stands.
A few meters away are the Saint-Marie Cathedral, the
Opera House, the Reunification Palace, and the old US
Embassy (reconstructed in the play Miss Saigon’s classic
Helicopter Scene).
These establishments are evidently well-preserved,
showing the deep veneration of the citizens for their
history and their city’s treasures.
Even Rex Hotel, which started operations in 1959,
retained a regal facade and an elegant building. Guests
feel like royalty in the hotel’s 230 guestrooms beautifully
decorated in a traditional design, while being equipped
with modern amenities such as a fax machine, electronic
safe, and cable TV.
For a predominantly Buddhist country, the spirit of
Christmas was prevalent in Ho Chi Minh’s hotels and other
establishments. Our guide, Anna Cam, told us only 10
percent of Vietnamese were Catholic, but the country
has adopted the Christian holiday.
Rex Hotel, like most hotels is adorned with holiday
trimmings – a giant Christmas tree and Santa Claus
mannequin greeted visitors at the front lobby.
By 7 p.m., we were brought to our first official
rendezvous: a welcome dinner with our host officials from
Vietnam Airlines, as well as other participants of the fam
tour at the Saigon Sofitel Plaza Hotel.
Representatives from different countries, such as France,
UK, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Japan, China, Korea,
Malaysia, and Thailand, were present.
Dinner was continental, a fusion of Vietnamese and
international cuisine which satisfied the tastebuds of the
participants from different nations. Noodles were served
side by side with pasta, while meat, fish and other
seafood were ornately cooked to familiar varieties. The
fruits, however, were very Asian. It was my first time to
sample a dragon fruit, which tastes and looks like a white
kiwi.
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