Venice in Saigon....really!

A couple of days following the food poisoning episode, which you will learn about later, I felt well enough to go exploring again. I was annoyed that two entire days of my vacation had been ruined by having to rest in bed and drink salty water. But, here was a new day, and a chance to get to know Saigon. So, with my trusted yellow cap securely on my head, off we went.


The Venezia Restaurant, which is located on the street level of the Continental Hotel, saw us more than once during this trip. This was the first time, as we made our way from the Indochine Hotel and stopped in for lunch. What an ideal way to escape the midday heat! The atmosphere is more Italian than anything else, as you catch a glimpse of the white-and-red-checkered cotton tablecloths (by day only; at night, the linens change to pure white). Dark wood doors and wood trim frame the room. Huge windows give the diner an eagle’s eye view of one of the busiest intersections in Saigon. Luckily, both times, we had window tables.

Italian all the way....

I couldn’t help but notice a huge, well stocked bar near the rest rooms, which were impeccably clean. And then, there are several bottles on a tabletop in the middle of the restaurant just waiting to be "plucked". Each table had two menus: the regular lunch menu and the pizza (8 varieties) menu. Chef Leonardo Lanfranconi and his staff bring Venice to your door; no kidding. Small touches, like two sets of glasses, way too many forks and spoons, and a small vial with a fresh flower on each table adds to the mood. 


Since they serve Vietnamese food as well, they required chopsticks and Oriental soup spoons--spoon rests are all there. It is obvious that someone knows how to turn linen napkins into birds or some such thing. We digressed from Vietnamese food that day and indulged with pasta, Bolognese for me, with clams and white sauce for Chuck. White wine and water drowned some of the garlic, but rest assured, the plates hardly needed to be washed after we were done. It is positively amazing how well spaghetti is prepared in Vietnam. We had it at the City View Cafe in Hanoi, and it was superb! Again when we went to Sapa a year later, and it was heavenly. 

Service is extremely courteous, and dangerously slow, but it’s a great reminder that hurry is not the order of the day. When the bill comes, be prepared to see a letter-size invoice with your damages in dong and U.S. dollars. Still, I can't help but giggle to see 80,000 anything for two dishes of pasta. 

There was a wedding party going on that evening at the Continental Hotel

Our second visit to the Venetian was our last night in Saigon as we regaled ourselves with a yummy Italian dinner just before we went for cocktails at the Saigon Bar across the street at the Caravelle Hotel. Now that we were hotel guests, we were quickly recognized and given a wonderful table. Live music filled the air, now that the piano had a human sitting in front of it, and three ladies accompanied him, one with a guitar, a cellist, and a violinist. Unfortunately, the pictures of the musicians, and of the restaurant were dreadful, as they were blurred, and off-color. The only ones I could save are what you see right here. This probably means another visit is required...
 

A large group from France was gregariously enjoying their dinner, and I never heard English until an American couple sat next to us.

The wine came to our table chilled, and I suggested we do the pizza del padrone, which had cheese, tomato sauce, and spinach with the tomato and mozzarella salad. Bread and butter are always present, and I do try so hard to ignore that. In summation, it seemed that no matter what we ordered, it was always excellent. Compliments to the Chef. 

la pizza del padrone

The Continental Hotel is still the jewel of Saigon

Sure, there are hotels that are more 'posh' and modern, but if I wanted to have those, the US can drown me in them...actually, now that I think of it, so can Abu Dhabi. However, no matter if you stay at a five star, or a two-star, you need at least a weekend at the Continental. There is an atmosphere in the place that makes you want to talk to the walls, as they'd probably have so much to say.

 The Venezia Restaurant has replaced the old "Cafe de la Musique" in this dated picture

The Continental Hotel earned its place in history, as its former terrace café served diplomats and journalists during the American War. If you saw the movie “The Quiet American,” then you might remember that the Continental Hotel was the locale for part of the story. If you didn't see the movie, go ahead and rent the DVD. It's a great and romantic love narrative and you'll get acquainted with Saigon.

 The hotel tells you its age: since 1880

As you walk in, you can almost feel the history envelop you and beckon you to stay. It didn’t take much convincing actually, as we had established a silent dialogue between us that said we’ve got to experience this.


The hotel itself is situated in the heart of District One in Saigon, where anything worth its weight is located. In fact, most of the hotels I mentioned are within walking distance of each other. The Caravelle sits right across the street, only separated by the majestic Opera House. One of the entrances is on posh Dong Khoi Street, facing an amazing bookstore called Fahasa, which deserves its post. I had gone in there, and was thrilled by the selection of French books, something I had not seen since the Librarie de France shut down in Rockefeller Center.

 inside courtyard where you can dine al fresco

On one of the other corners, construction is going up fast and furious, and we learn a new mall is coming. Shame, since Dong Khoi has a string of fantastic boutiques of silk and mother of pearl crafts, lacquered items that are positively bewitching, embroideries, art and more.


We were shown a room prior to our booking during our first phase of the trip in Saigon , and we were awestruck. The room we finally did get was no less regal. We did not have decent photos of the room, which was humongous, so to get a feel for the interiors, I am giving you a link to the hotel's website. When you begin the see the layout of the rooms, and all the wood carving, you'll understand what I'm trying to convey. It looks exactly as the photos. We had one huge king size bed instead of the twin beds that appear; other than that, everything is identical.


 We were able to share the balcony with large potted palms in the evening, as the air was less humid. As we arrived in the room, the living area, which is larger than my own living room at home, was so very welcoming with an assortment of those gorgeous fruits, from the Mekong Delta undoubtedly. The hot-water container was there, with the magical white coffee that became our addiction. The ceilings were so high and adorned with exquisite woodwork that continued from the entrance hall and turned into wall-length closets with plush, white robes and straw slippers for the bath. A king-size bed anchored the room, separated by a built-in wooden room divider with some lovely, typical Vietnamese sculptures.

Behind that were carved benches and sofa for “entertaining,” and one could conceivably have a party here for six or more people quite comfortably. I later realized this is very typical of luxury rooms, as we had a similar arrangement in a deluxe room in Hanoi, at the Hong Ngoc Hotel. Room rates range from $100 to $170, exclusive of VAT and a 5% service charge. A fabulous breakfast is included in the room rate.

 how's that for a welcome?

 Facilities include a banquet, conference room, bar, and fitness center. On the ground floor, you will find the executive business center and a concierge (they call it public relations). The hotel has its own website , and I encourage you to check it out. The folks at the reception area are very polite and accommodating. There are historical pictures on the walls of the hotel from as far back as the 1880s.




The morning breakfast spread is an eye opener...exotic fruits rule one long buffet style table; pho is de rigueur and then there will be cheese, yoghurts, tea and coffee...just lovely.

A cyclo ride, pets and the Saigon River

There's a first time for everything, as the old cliché goes. But much truth lies in those trite adages, especially when you embark on a cyclo in Saigon, which is a far, far cry of an experience from boarding a cyclo in Hue for instance. My suggestion, after having taken this ride in different cities, is to do Saigon first. The reason for this is that if you can survive Saigon, all cyclo rides will be cake walks thereafter. So, today, is a bright sunny day, perfect for sightseeing, and I've already learned to cross the street without fainting. 

 expert cyclo drivers will follow you till you relent

 
During my two days in the hotel room, Chuck had been wandering the streets of Saigon, was all over District 1, photographing every last molecule of the place and talking to strangers, which is perfectly normal. During his jaunts, he told me of a particularly insistent cyclo driver who wanted to take him everywhere. You never have to look for a cyclo, as they are there and always looking for you. They are much more aggressive than the tuk-tuk drivers of Bangkok, in that they will follow you, hound you, grab your arm, and if you don’t want them now, how about later? Don’t ever think that the word later gets you off the hook, because they will pin you down to a time. And as luck would have it, they also know from which hotel you hail. Or at least, they knew where we were staying, and I have to blame Chuck entirely for that. Chuck Not only did he become best buddies with the baker, but also the drivers got to know him, the restaurant owners, and the cabbies. It also doesn’t help that his camera has a lens that looks like a weapon.

This hotel has been around since 1925, and is on the corner of Dong Khoi Street and the Saigon River hugging Ton Duc Thang Street

One of those afternoons, Chuck returned from what he called the 'Pet Market'. With photos naturally. The dogs and cats were simply adorable; when it came to the snakes, I wasn't particularly taken with the idea of a pet snake, and then I saw the turtles. I began to wonder if the 'pet market' was a food market in disguise. Let me show you pages from a menu, one of the many, that I insisted we photograph, because of the unusual offerings.

 
The turtle is considered a lucky animal in Vietnam. This doesn't prevent people from eating it. The word for turtle is 'quy', and during our travels, we would find this name attached to restaurants and shops quite often. On the menu, it shows up as 'ba ba'. This appetite for turtles has nothing to do with the giant turtle  that was recently spotted by scientists in Northern Vietnam, where in fact, scientists have been very concerned about conservation efforts. Have a look at the turtle sale going on here, right by the Saigon River. The women are crouching or sitting on small plastic stools and covered almost completely, as they do not want to tan. The turtles are at the bottom on the cage rack, with snakes in between. Speaking of snakes, this animal is considered to bring virility to those who eat it. There are specific restaurants in Saigon who serve only snake, and various ways of eating it. Some also partake of the snake's blood, squeezed directly from its neck, for its aphrodisiac qualities. No thanks, I'd rather be frigid. However, if this sort of thing excites you, please visit this web page where you'll also see a photo of the blood squeezing exercise, tips on how to get to Snake Alley, the cost of a typical snake meal, and other juicy tidbits. Actually, the snakes for sale by the Saigon River look like worms compared to the King cobras which you can eat for only $600/each.


This brings to mind the Snake Village we had visited in Northern Chiang Mai when we were in Thailand. It wasn't about eating actually, but rather watching the skill of the Thai in not getting mortally bitten by poisonous snakes. Quite a show!


Now you want to see the kind of pets I'd like to hold?

way too cute to eat

and I don't recall seeing anyone ever walking a dog!

Well so much for the pet market. Back to our two friends and their cyclo adventure. Or was it our adventure? Not an English word was exchanged, but we were getting a tour and being dropped back at the hotel. You will agree to a price, the length of the ride and ascertain they know where they are going. And of course, it means nothing. OK, OK, OK . These are the most famous Vietnamese words in the vocabulary.Each one of us had a camera, but in truth, I was too frozen in fright to take pictures, so there may be one or two that were mine, but most were Chuck who I caught laughing, along with my driver about my expressions. The ride started rather calmly on Hai Ba Trung Street, and got progressively more daring as we made our way round the circle and toward the Saigon River.


Ton Duc Thang Street is more like one of those beautiful wide boulevards that are the legacy of the French colonial days, and runs all alongside the river, and if you take the time not to panic, you'll see many renown spots, like the Majestic Hotel, pictured above. There is a great aerial view of the street here, but believe me, the traffic is never so sparse.

This monument is the center point of a circle around the large statue of Tran Ngyuen Han in District 1. It is at the end of Le Loi Boulevard, another major artery, which is reputed for the Ben Thanh Market, which I promised we would visit.


Ton Duc Thang Street is also replete with high rise buildings, cafes and restaurants, banks and other businesses.

If you are on foot here, you'll be able to watch the freighters and passenger ferries all busy at work. Here you can book a dinner cruise for later in the evening or perhaps plan an interesting one-day tour upriver by speedboat with several stops, including the Binh Quoi Tourist Village .

You will now witness the sequence of photographs capturing my introduction to oncoming traffic on Ton Duc Thang Street. This is not meant to discourage you in any way whatsoever. Rather, by doing this, it really enabled me to become fearless not only riding cyclos but crossing just about any street in Saigon or Hanoi.

 you can see the beginning of alarm on my face here

 my toothless driver signals peace, but I'm not sure he should

 this is the point at which he lost his mind....

 and I thought I was losing my mind as well

 we are finally on the right side of the street going in the right direction

 what kind of hand signal is this?

 

I am beginning to regain my composure as we have made it safely from oncoming traffic to the right lane, which runs along the sidewalk closest to the river. I believe it was at that point that I felt safe enough to take my camera out of my purse. I caught a couple of pictures of Chuck, but altogether, nothing else. He looks like Mr. Cool here with a thumb up, as if nothing major is happening. He actually also had the courage to get on a motorbike with one of his photography friends. So this must be child's play for him. 

This looks like we are back on Leloi. Actually, these guys are sometimes a bit tricky. They wanted to drop us off in the middle of nowhere, claiming that on certain streets cyclos are not allowed. We refused to pay them, and with hand signals and a map, insisted they take us back to our hotel. However, have fun with your ride, and remember that whatever you end up paying them is pennies compared to relative costs of transport anywhere else.

This is coming around that circle again. I'm always full of admiration when I see a woman driving one of those bikes. They are positively fearless.

The Rex Hotel

We did not stay at the Rex Hotel, however, it's impossible to come to Saigon and not visit this place, if only because it served as a base for US journalists during the war. This was the place of intrigue and espionage, where the military would come to take respite and perhaps find solace.


The hotel was built by the French originally as a garage for Renault in the 1950's. In the 1990's , it underwent a massive renovation and today, though it might be considered a luxury hotel, it has a bit of gaudiness to it. The façade is quite regal (aptly as the name implies), but as we circled around the building, and looked at some of its walls, it was strange to notice a full length ad for a Beatles-like concert, with an admission of US$35pp.


The Rex is minutes away from the City's People Committee Office, an extraordinary building with its own history, as well as the Opera House, posh Dong Khoi Street where you can shop till you turn blue, and overlooking Ho Chi Minh City Park, a stretch of green with lovely flowers with Uncle Ho's statue at one of the park's ends. It's right in the city center, along with other major hotels, so you are really in District 1 where you want to be.


One of the hotel's claims to fame is its rooftop bar, which we didn't see, but it is heavily advertised within the hotel itself, and of course, I picked up a postcard/brochure, below.

The photo was in bright colors but I decided to modify into sepia tone, as it fit the image of a refuge during war times. This is the place where the memories still remain, of the famous “Five O’clock Follies” where the international correspondents were covering the Vietnam war. What was that? The "Five O’clock Follies” was the name given to Saigon press briefings during the war, and as one blogger said it: "It became famous because of lines like, "We had to destroy the village in order to save it."


On the bright side of things, Newsweek called this the best rooftop bar in Southeast Asia. (1996). There are several other restaurants and bars in the hotel, notably the Hoa Mai Restaurant which serves Vietnamese and French Cuisine, the Cung Dinh Restaurant that offers 3 different types of regional Vietnamese Cuisine, a shushi bar, and coffee lounge and the Rose Garden, which is geared toward large capacity events.

As we made our way through the entrance, I began to understand the word "kitsch". This seating area is quite lovely, but I am not sure it is enhanced by these enormous ivory tusks, which say nothing about Vietnamese culture. Right next to this was a huge aquarium with some of the most exotic fish I had ever seen. At one time in my life, I had 5 of these in an apartment, so you can imagine that I know something about fish. You can actually stare at them for hours and never tire.

This one looks more like a flower or some sort of painted marigold than a fish. The other one has characteristics of an angel fish, but with more rounded fins, and of course, color!!!

One of the other pieces of publicity I picked up in my ramblings around the hotel was about the Mimosa Club, which is located on the 6th floor. You need membership, but it looks like it has things that dreams are made of. A sauna (not the wet kind, the dry kind with wonderful wood panels), a swimming pool which someone had mentioned was too small, a gym, a jacuzzi which is my favorite and a tennis court. I may be overruled here, but I can't see myself playing tennis in this kind of heat. There is also a beauty salon and massage...the stuff of aahhhhhh's. Preview below.

Now you know as much as about the Rex as I do. If you click on the link above, you'll be taken to their website where you can view accommodations, pricing, etc..However, one can usually get much better pricing going through an agency.

Lunch at the Pho Binh Café

There are way too many things to see in Saigon, and heaven knows if I'll ever get to see them all. This particular pho shop was in my guidebook, and the two or three sentences that followed the name had me completely smitten.  This was just a place we had to see. Chuck as usual, was all atwitter about what kind of place is this, and who goes there, and what not. 

 

We took a cab there, since I had no clue where it was, and since it wasn't within District One, I didn't want to waste time getting there. And so this is what we saw when we arrived at destination. 

 

 

Motorbikes are always parked either on the sidewalk, or inside the shops. Actually, at the Indochine Hotel, they had 3 of them parked in the reception area. It was not very crowded inside, but the entire area around the restaurant was bustling. Chuck was definitely antsy, but I got a bit closer to check the noodle stand outside the premises. After our second trip to Vietnam, it was a foregone conclusion that you cannot have a bad bowl of pho, no matter where you eat it. 

 

Now doesn't that look yummy? If you don't know it, pho noodles are rice based, therefore much lighter than wheat based noodles and very easily digested. Vietnamese have pho any time of the day, including breakfast. We did go inside, and I wanted to insure that we had found the right place.

 

The man who owned this pho shop played host to both American soldiers and Viet Cong during the American War, and his son has amassed quite a collection of pictures and citations in the name of his father. As we were the only Westerners in the shop, a tall man came toward us and for lack of understanding each other, I showed him the guide book, and he immediately understood what I meant. He showed us to a table, and returned with many albums. 

 

 

There was obviously tremendous pride in what Ngo Toai had done during the war, and his pho shop rose to prominence, but he absolutely refused to give his tables and chairs and any of his war memorabilia to the War Museum. The restaurant floors beg for a good scrubbing, but it is with reverence that one enters the premises.

these tables and chairs are witnesses to the men who fought

during the war and came here for a bowl of pho

 

Here we are below, completely captivated with reading and looking and pictures, while enjoying the best bowl of pho ever, and I squeezed as much lime as I could find into it. 

If you look at the picture on the right, above are two framed certificates. I was able to capture on camera a close up of the larger one, and the other one has a photo of Ngo Toai with American soldiers eating in his soup kitchen. Many wrote him letters after they went back home. The newspaper clippings are stained and in some disrepair, but they are a greater source of pride as they are written in English.

There are certificates on the wall bearing the red communist star; medals are photographed but now shown.  When the war ended, Ngo Toai returned to his beloved noodle shop and continued to serve his magical brew. It seems the menu has not changed much since that day. Heartwarming are the photos of U.S. veterans who returned to this shop, and have their arms around the old man. 

 

 

how priceless is this? 

 

The Reuters article above provocatively begins this way: “ In the early years of the Viet Nam war, Ngo Toai lived a double life: seller of noodles to U.S. personnel and surreptitious revolutionary”. And of course, you read on. Apparently, a few days following the Tet offensive, a South Vietnamese tried to kill Ngo Toai, but somehow he escaped death only to find life imprisonment and torture instead.

 

 

the circled area of the page talks about the liberation of Toai

 

As you can read, Toai was captured and tortured; our guide to the Mekong Delta would later inform us that many people were sent for "re-education". I leave it to your imagination to figure this out. 

 

The shop served as a front for the undercover command post from which the plan for the Tet offensive was devised. After the war, foreign tourists would pay up to $13/night to put their heads on a pillow in the very area that served as a gathering place for the Viet Cong. I regret that we didn't decide to do likewise, but we had quite an itinerary on this first trip, which had been set back somewhat due to an unexpected food poisoning episode.

All things aside, this café does serve a wicked pho. They also have "bia", which is the Vietnamese word for "beer" , which actually came from the French word "bière". 

 

the view from inside the restaurant

 

 

you can see the parked motorbikes inside