There are so many words to describe seeing Vietnam for the first time but the most prevalent one is dense. There is so much and so many in such a small space.
We landed at the airport around 9:45 am and able to get through customs and get our luggage with ease. Ms. Pham’s friend met us at the airport with our transportation and a mangosteen (hello why are these not in the states?!?!)
The first drive through the city was surreal. There was just so much! People, buildings, and SCOOTERS EVERYWHERE!!
After sleep the better part of the flights to Vietnam, we were ready to hit the ground running. We go to our hotel, showered to clean the filth of travel away, and were treated to a wonderful welcome lunch at the hotel full of egg rolls, soup, chicken, pork ribs, and green beans,
After lunch the boys headed off to do a suit fitting and the girls headed to the Ben Thanh Market. It is a bazaar of sorts (very similar to the Straw Market in the Bahamas). There was so much stuff!! Clothing, bags, food, fruit, tea, coffee, dried fruit…pretty much anything you can think of. I bartered for a backpack and was able to get it from $750,000 dong to $280,000 (equal to about $14) and I think I did a pretty good job on my first go round.
From the market we took a taxi to the famous post office and bought some postcards and stamps then waited out an afternoon thunderstorm. We then walked to a few bookstores down the street and pretty much just explored all afternoon until we had to meet at 6pm for dinner.
Dinner was fun, a few of us took off to another dim sum place when the original place we went to were out. The food was incredible! Walking around Saigon at night is an experience unlike any other. There are so many lights, the smell of food cooking on the roadside, the distant sound of both traditional and dance music floating through the alleyways. It was at this moment I fell in love with Saigon.