Waiting for Yann's blog from Ho-Chi-Minh City

For those who didn't know, I moved back from Canada for another exciting destination - Vietnam!! I arrived in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) last monday after an 11 hours flight on Vietnam Airlines (which I highly recomend for those who wants to visit me). Time difference is +6hrs with Paris and +11hrs with Toronto.

Immediately after landing, I have been struck by the heat, its like 35 deg all the time! Then the traffic. Motorcycle are everywhere by hundreds and you are constantly hearing their noise, smelling their exhauts and trying not to be killed by one when crossing the street! For real, If you have ever experienced such traffic this makes you regret the Parisian peripherique at rush hour...

I am in a very nice small hotel, clean and pretty quiete (with the exception of the rooster screaming every morning at 5am). It is located on Bui Vien Street, in downtown distric 1, one of the most touristy place for its bars and restaurants.

My new work (Gras Savoye) is in an office building about 4 kms away from the hotel and I commute by taxi in the morning and have been walking back so far in order to mark my way when I will have to drive a motorcyle. The cowokers are all vietnamese with the exception of the boss, an other french expatriate. Everyone is very nice and welcoming with me and I am amaised by the number of locals that can speak and understand french.
For lunch time I have been introduced to the local 'cantines' where you can eat a plate of rice (off course) with fried vegetables and a choice of meat/fish/poultry a bowl of soup and some fruits for less than 1 Euro!!!

Food is not the issue in Saigon, the above meal can easily be found for twice less and there are zilions of street vendors (the ones in bicycle or carrying bamboo stick with nets hanging accross the shoulders) selling fresh fruits, subs, or dryed skuids as a snack for VND 1,000 (EUR 1 = VND 25,000)... One can also find anything for the house or clothes at super low prices in the numerous shops and market places. Actually since most of our day to day stuff are made in Asia, this is not surprinsing that I can find all the famous brands here. Between you and I, when I see the prices here, I am so happy I never bought any clothes at Abercrombie in To.

Today, Saturday, I went for a longer walk in the downtown passing by the famous landmarks left by the French colonisation such as the Opera and the Cathdrale.
Tonight I will go to one of the many bars and clubs in my borough and make contacts with the tourists that all converge to the area when the night comes.
Actuall, Saigon is a city to be enjoyed at night. The sun goes down at around 6pm (and rises again at 5am... with the rooster ;o) ) so it is dark when office workers finish and they go out for drinks with their colleagues. This is where all the bars are getting packed and since there is no street light, each shop, bar and restaurant deploys ingenuouse light shows to attract the clients! The night makes the city is much more colorful and exhuberant.
Whith the heat being less intense as well, it is the perfect time to enjoy one cool beer - a Saigon Beer off course!
Cheers,
Yann

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