The first thing we noticed as we entered Saigon was how different the South is from the North, just by looking around us. Saigon is decisively more developed than Hanoi, however, we spent each day searching in vain for the same amazing Vietnamese specialities food experience that Hanoi had to offer.
Is it an expat thing or a tourist thing that explains the unpopularity of authentic Vietnamese dishes, we don’t know, but the places we found had a strong Westerner influence. So we turned to Japanese gastronomy to satisfy our taste buds, with much success.
OK, so we did not only eat while in Saigon, we also walked the city in all directions – well, District 1, mainly, as it is a rather large city - and enjoyed being part of Saigon day to day living. TaiChi practice for elders in the park, young couples holding hands and whispering to each other on a bench, tens of people gathered in a circle and playing their version of hacky sack (never knew how to spell that!).
Architecture in Saigon is quite beautiful. Both the old and new have kept a French colonial flavour that makes it absolutely charming. The central Post Office is a magnificent building located just next to a just as impressive pinkish cathedral.
We also had to check out the War Remnants Museum and the Reunification Palace and found that they have rather a unique perspective of the facts...
All in all, a great four days that allowed us to transition from our maximum chill out beach holiday and get ready for our trip to Cambodia.
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