We tried to postpone our trip to Vietnam for a couple years by now.  We did not want to visit Vietnam because of its communist government.   Many our friends were excited about Vietnam, so we’ve decided to take a risk.

Streets of Saigon

Streets of Saigon

The country took us by a pleasant surprise.  How foolish we were! The first stop was Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon.

Street cafe

Street vendor

Relaxing in the park

Boy with a toy

We fall in love with Vietnam and its people!

Yes, we love Saigon!

Streets of Saigon

Ho Chi Minh square

Nobody can describe the modern Vietnam better than Lonely Planet:

Streets of HCMC

“ Communism, the mantra for generations, has taken a back seat to capitalism and the rush to embrace the market” …”The result is a contradictory blend of ultra-liberal economics and ultraconservative politics that has left many Vietnamese confused about the country in which they live.”

Ho Chi Minh Square

Old and new

..” Marx and Lenin may have been laid to rest in their homeland, but they are alive and well in Vietnam”. …”Ho Chi Minh remains a man for all seasons. Politics aside, he was a nationalist and patriot who delivered Vietnam its independence….Come what may to party Ho’s place in history as a hero assured”.

Souvenirs

Old and new are nicely blended in Saigon.

Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral

Pedestrians, share the road

Shoes shopping

Saigon parking NY style

Four days and three nights are not enough to experience the depth of such vibrant city. We will be back!

Almost forgot to mention. Saigon has a huge expat community and all retire comfortably there. Visa regulation are more relaxed now (we got our 3 months visa on arrival) . You can get affordable luxury at a fraction of the cost of other similar cities in the US or Europe.