52 LIVING TRAVEL EXPRESSION OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2013 STREET SMART From top left: A mural reminds visitors of Ho Chi Minh; IN SAIGON Banh Mi stall; The Saigon Opera House with The Continental Hotel to its left a young tourist on a Vespa Adventure. For a new kid on the block, Saigon, elmets are compulsory ma’am’, insisted my guide and set our small caravan of three vintage Vespas on the road of discovery. chauffeur for the day as I clambered on to the vintage The tour is offered by Vietnam Vespa Adventures, run by Stephen or Ho Chi Minh City as it is officially H Vespa. A beautiful, buttercup yellow ride with gleaming Mueller who brought his love for Vietnam and the vintage Vespa called, has the laid-back sophistication chrome work. “Hurry up, mom,” my nine-year-old urged, eager to together in this amazingly successful venture. With a fleet of 50 of a people at ease with themselves get on the road. His orange, old school, helmet matched his Vespa. restored vintage Vespas, Stephen offers tours that map Saigon – from Though still not quite convinced what I had signed the family up for, I the Insider’s Saigon (the one we opted for) to food tours, from bar- and their history; eager to seize the caught the excitement in his voice. As excited was my husband, also a hopping adventures to Saigon’s Wartime Memories; the experience future. Neetinder Dhillon encounters writer and amateur photographer, eager to capture Ho Chi Minh City curated with great insight and passion. the raw energy of the city tempered through his lens, ‘Let’s move, the light’s perfect.’ The drivers, articulate young men, with a great sense of pride in “The concierge said you wanted to be back by 2pm,” the guide their city, were eager to show it off; their enthusiasm infectious as we with a civilised anything-goes attitude. clarified as he strapped on his helmet. “Don’t worry we have plenty rolled down the broad tree-lined Le Duan Boulevard. The dramatic Photos: Gavin Nazareth. of time to see Saigon, get a coffee and a walk in the park.” Hoping images of the American withdrawal, the airlift from the rooftop of the I hadn’t sacrificed a decent cup of coffee at the executive lounge of American Embassy as Ho Chi Minh’s army drew closer were brought Sofitel Plaza Saigon for nothing, I nodded. The only signal needed to into focus as we drove past the American Consulate (the erstwhile 54 LIVING TRAVEL From left: The Flower Market; a Chinese herbalist; squid stall outside Notre Dame; The Art Arcade on Hai Ba Trung Street in the shopping district. Below left: Ho Chi Minh City Hall. Below: Ten Thousand Buddha Temple. American Embassy) practically forgotten. The anger one would the landmarks but it got off the My cup of Cafe Sua Nong is perfect opposite the Sofitel Plaza Saigon. have expected, seething under the crowded tourist trail often enough with the crusty baguette that is the Just a few decades ago war had surface, behind the instant smiles, to give us a peek into local culture hallmark of streetfood in Vietnam. come to District 1. A year after is missing. and history, we encountered sights Wherever you are one is never Ho Chi Minh’s victory, in 1976, The city’s roads though most visitors would never hear far away from a bánh mì Sài Gòn Saigon was renamed after him. positively seethe with traffic: bikes, about, ventured down streets that stall. Your options are bánh mì thịt It’s a different world now. scooters, cycles, cars, pedestrians, are likely not even indicated on nướng (baguette with grilled meat), The broad tree-lined boulevards yet road rage is absent. Every tourist maps. bánh mì xíu mại (baguette with dissecting the city give it a pavement is equipped for the First stop was the Tao Dan pork meatballs) and bánh mì pâté Parisian air, a relaxed ambience city’s predilection for the bike, Park on Thang Tam and Nguyen chả thịt (baguette with pâté). completely at odds with its bristling with exit and entrance Thi Minh Khai, in District 1, Back on the Vespa it is turbulent past. Only a few decades ramps and designated parking just three city blocks away is time for a solemn encounter with ago the city was ravaged by war. space. Almost as if the city fathers the Reunification Palace. It’s an Saigon’s history at the Thich Quang Today the American Consulate decided if you are going to use amazing, tree-filled escape in the Duc Memorial on a nondescript sported banners advertising a film the bike we might as well make it heart of a bustling city. Perhaps, crossing of Nguyễn Đình Chiểu and a book festival. convenient. As we zipped in and it is spaces like this park dotting Street and Cách Mạng Tháng Tám It is obvious that the city, the out of the traffic, taking shortcuts Saigon that act as pressure valves, Street. On 11 June 1963, Thich people, the country as a whole has tourists would never know about, relieving the stress. The focus of Quang Duc, a Mahayana Buddhist moved on. There’s a raw energy it became obvious the Vespa the park is the Bird (Tao Dan) monk arrived in a blue Austin that feeds the city, an energy Adventure was more than just a Café. Bird lovers bring their caged Westminster sedan along with that’s oddly sophisticated and good idea. It saved time, we saw songbirds every morning so the 350 monks and nuns, a solemn laid-back at the same time. The more and we experienced the city birds can sing with their feathered procession. Duc emerged from American Consulate drama is just at street level. friends while the owners revel in the car, sat on a cushion in the a footnote in history. History has For a few hours I became a birdsong, get their morning bowl middle of the road and immolated not been forgotten, and a casual part of Saigon, or at least a part of pho and drink coffee. himself protesting the persecution conversation proves this as it’s of the traffic that flows like a This is where I get my shot of of Buddhists by the Ngo Dinh a rare Vietnamese whose family seething river through the city’s dark Vietnamese espresso (drip Diem-led South Vietnamese was unaffected by the turmoil. wide boulevards. The itinerary coffee) poured over a generous government. Malcolm Browne’s But the people have forgiven, not is carefully created, touching all layer of sweetened condensed milk. iconic photograph of Quang Duc 56 LIVING TRAVEL Facing page from top left:Thich Quang Duc during the self-immolation brought the world’s attention to Saigon. appeared to be the temple committee provides the soundtrack for our Memorial; Thien Hau Temple in Cholon; Tao Browne was awarded a Pultizer for it and US President Kennedy explorations. “Why are they fighting over a pot?” asked my curious Dan Park. said in reference to it, “No news picture in history has generated so son hoping perhaps that a fist-fight was in the offing. My reply ‘they This page from top much emotion around the world as that one.” Duc’s body was later are probably discussing where to put the new one’ brought a typical left: On Lê Loi Street; re-cremated at the nearby Xá Lợi Pagoda and his heart that remained nine-year old retort: ‘Are we done here then?’ The temple on 710 the perfect souvenir; intact was preserved, revered as a bodhisattva. A small shrine at the Nguyen Trai Street, District 5, is in the centre of Chinatown – a great Reunification Palace, Louis Vuitton store; The crossing marks this moment in history. place to sample some of the local Chinese cuisine. We make a note of Post Office. A few years ago a bigger memorial was erected that recreates the specialities on offer here and decide to comeback another day. The Malcolm Browne’s image as a frieze behind a statue of the monk. It’s guides, happy to make recommendations. hard to believe that this unremarkable crossing was the site of a game- Our next port of call is a local Chinese herbalist, who takes us changer in world history but it still has the power to put us all in a through a fascinating array of herbs and concoctions. Our son though reflective mood, even our usually ebullient son. We pay our respects can’t understand why we find dried leaves and flowers fascinating. and move on. Moving on we drop anchor at the Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda. Ho Thi Ky flower market in District 10 is where we are headed. The exterior rather ordinary, nothing marks it from the three-storey The street bristles with eateries, cafés and bánh mì stalls. Friendly residential buildings that flank it. The entire complex, including the smiles dot our journey as we stroll along the narrow flower-lined temple building, appears to be just a regular residential colony. But alleys past families doing what they do: selling flowers (mostly from once inside, it fascinates. Besides, the main Buddha image thousands Dalat), cooking, kids catching up on their homework… there are of tiny Buddha statues repose in small recesses, tier upon tier. Each around a 100 trading families here. Our Vespa adventure then reveals one numbered, each one with its own individual name written on the another layer of Saigon society with base in Chinese.