HCMC, the capital city

5 days in Mui Ne and Miguelito HAD to move on. Against his will he force dhimself out of Mui Ne on a morning Bus to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).

4 more hours of hot journey at the back of a bus where I came across Benfica news on the cover of a Vietnamese newspaper... remember..?
Was a painful journey, not physically but mentally. I didn't really want to go. But I had to!
My next desired stop was not even Ho Chi Minh City, but the Floating Markets on the Mekong Delta, way south of Vietnam. But a stop in Ho Chi Minh City seemed reasonable, also because of its historical meaning.

After 2 weeks away from the cities, the last thing I wanted to face was the grey concrete again, high buildings, motorcycles noise and rushing people people and more people... And having talked to travellers on the way down I kind of new what was expecting me. So the plan was not an exaustive exploration of the city but instead to stay only for a full day in order to check a couple of things and then live to the Mekong Delta.
There are far more beautiful and interesting things to see out there then a city and I was now counting the days down to get into Thailand. My Thai visa would only alow me to enter the country by the 18th May and still had to pass through Cambodja... so no time to waste on big cities.

VIP seat for the driver's assistant




At a first glance this seems a random inocent picture, but lets look closer:
we have a huge truck right ahead of our bus. Ok, no problem.
But this truck is already on the oncoming lane overtaking another truck... With our bus tailgatting it. But the worst is, our bus driver was trying to overtake this truck at the same time!!!
Not to mention the oncoming motos pulling over to the hard shoulder...
I am so gonna miss Vietnam... Pure Adrenaline, mate!



Out of the bus, this little man offered his Hostel services. Through narrow halleys we went till we get to the Hostel. Staied on the 4th and very last floor. The tinniest room I have been so far, but with a terrace all for myself...
















Roof toops in Ho Chi Minh City


































Dropped my stuff and went for a walk to collect information. And who do I bump onto??
The Ozzies, Stevie and [can't remember his name, sorry] and their crew!! On the way to the airport and home.












Saigon Online

Forest of cables and wires, street after street after street

Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam. It was once known as Prey Nokor, an important Khmer seaport prior to annexation by the Vietnamese in the 17th century.

Under the name Saigon, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina and later of the independent state of Sout Vietnam from 1954 to 1975. In 1976, follow its fall after the American War, Saigon merged with the surrounding province of Gia Định and was officially renamed Hồ Chí Minh City (although the name Sài Gòn—formally known as District 1—is still commonly used).

The city center is situated on the banks of theSaigon River , 60 kilometers from the South China Sea and 1,760 kilometers south of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

The metropolitan area is populated by more than 9 million people, making it the most populous metropolitan area in Vietnam and the countries of the former French Indochina.

And 9 million people need transportation... And most of them do it in motorcycles. The old Xe Om!
The noise is back!








Spent some time standing still on this corner with the video recorder on... Speachless!

























One of the things to do in Saigon is to pay a visit to the War Remnants Museum, so Miguelito jumped on a bike and experienced the city's mad traffic.
If one goes to Paris, one's got to see the Eiffel Tower 'innit? If one goes to Argentina, one's got to see the pyramids right? Same same...


You can judge the americans the way you like, but one thing has no dispute: they are bloody good in militar engineering!!

The War Remnants Museum















CLASSIC...












But what impressed me the most: The mighty BULDOZER!!!







Now... This museum is pure anti-american! It exposes all the horrendous atrocities suffered by the Vietnamese to the hands of the Americans.
The exhibits and photographs displayed in the museum are horrific. Taking pictures inside is allowed but the content of the exposed photographs is too perturbing to take home... so I didn't.
From tortures being applied, to lacerated bodies by machine guns and bombs, to human mutants born during and after war, victims of chemical weapons.
Some exhibits include graphic photographs, accompanied by short copy in English, Vietnamese and Japanese, covering the effects of Agent Orange and other chemical defoliant sprays, the use of napalm and phosphorus bombs, and atrocities such as the My Lai massacre.
To see a few examples scroll down on the following link:

http://www.downtheroad.org/Asia/Photo/3Vietnam_Pictures/3War_Remnants_Museum.htm







The Classic M-16 on the right and M-18s on the left.





"Remember you bunch of ladies!!!! Doesn't matter what happens when you're out there, there's one only thing you have to keep shiny dry! Your gun is your best friend!!" "Sir! Yes, sir!!!"











Legendary words from a US Commander












"Xiiiiiiii!!! Essa merda é muita longe!!! Fica lá na Cochichina!!!"
Sempre me interroguei onde seria este tão mítico lugar que toda a gente faz referência...
Mas esta minha dúvida de menino teve aqui um fim! Não é mais um lugar virtual, se não real.
A CochiNchina (e não Cochichina como sempre lhe chamava) fica aqui mesmo meus senhores... Pós lados do Vietnam, na antiga Indochina!
Conchichina... Indochina...
Sim! Faz sentido...
Oh fáchavor ler...













School uniforms



Deixa-te disso!! Vai mas é pa casa jogar playstation!! Amanha copías pelo Tanh Txin Pon!











Virtually, the first meal of the day at 4pm... Stopped at this food stall to have a nice pork noodle soup with my old friends.





















Is there a place where they DON'T drive these things?












People watching at Cong Vien VanHoa Park
The daylight was coming to an end and Miguelito follow its guidebook advice. Thought to spend the last few hours in Saigon watching people from Saigon.

'One of the best ways to experience local city life is to while away an hour or two in one of the city's public parks. Early morning Tai Chi and badminton keep the older folk in shape, evenings aerobics classes are open to all and young romantic couples whisper sweet nothings on their parked motorbikes at dusk' by Rough Guides.


All ages! They run or walk the circumference of the park






















play badminton







read porn.. i mean... the News...







Flirt...








behave like monkeys...







simply move their arms and legs about...







old or young...







on their own...








in dancing groups...








socialize...










They keep active and social regardless their age or status! Its just natural on this part of the globe I guess...