Revisiting the madness of Saigon, one of my favorite cities in the world

Ho Chi Minh City - still Saigon to locals - is a beautiful ballet of chaos that shouldn't work but somehow does. I first visited eight years ago and fell in love. Six years ago I moved there. All the things I loved while visiting started getting to me when I had to deal with them everyday. The traffic and constant honking can become really stressful. Commuting everyday on a motorbike through some of the craziest traffic in the world got to be too much. I made it 9 months, then moved to Thailand where I had lived briefly the year before. I haven't been back to visit Vietnam since, until last month. Over my next few non-travel days I'll share stories, photos, and maybe a video about what I got into in Vietnam.

Here's a quick recap of 4 days in Saigon:

I've got to start with the traffic. It's actually gotten better since I was last here - I think. People seem to respect traffic lights more, which especially helps at the roundabouts like the one pictured here.

One of the things I missed the most about Vietnam was the food, especially a great bowl of Pho.

When I lived here I usually avoided Bui Vien - the backpacker street. Now there's a really nice night market on Friday and Saturday. The police close down the street to traffic, and it's actually mostly locals. Really enjoyed a night out here.

There were plenty of skyscrapers and fancy bars and restaurants when I lived here, but there are a lot more of them now.

This looks very militaristic, but it was just a group of dancers rehearsing a routine along a street one night.

I caught up with some old friends: two English guys I used to work with, and an American I went to university with for a year way back when we were 18!

I never went here while I was living here but I'm glad I made it this time. This is the Thich Quang Duc Monument which memorializes the monk who set himself on fire in 1963 to protest the anti-Buddhist policies of the US-backed South Vietnamese government. The monument is in a small park on a busy corner. The self immolation took place right at that intersection. The statue and a bas relief wall behind it are interesting in that they're in a Soviet Realist style, but commemorate a religious figure (or so my very limited art history knowledge tells me).

In the center of District 1, remnants of the French colonial past are everywhere, especially in the cathedral and the post office which is next to it.

Another thing I really miss about Vietnam (especially living in Thailand) is how easy it is to find good baguettes. My go to breakfast while I lived here was a fried egg Bahn Mi - a baguette served with some fresh or lightly pickled vegetables, a bit of pate, and some chili sauce. This is a little heartier, but delicious.

One of the most fascinating museums you'll ever see, the palace of the President of South Vietnam was captured on the final day of the war, and left almost exactly as it was. The US-funded building is a stunning example of 1960s art deco, with some wonderful Vietnamese and Chinese influences added by the architect. The place is stunning, but completely un-remodeled. I don't think there can be many other places like this in the world.

One of the coolest parts of the presidential palace are all the rooms in the basement. There are map rooms, communication rooms, bunkers and more. The place is full of giant pieces of equipment for transmitting, receiving, and recording. At the time they were state of the art. Today a single smartphone could probably replace just about everything in the place.

This West German-built Mercedes belonged to the South Vietnamese President. Someone seems to have stolen his hubcaps.

That's all for Saigon. Next up will be Sapa, a mountainous region in the far Northwest of Vietnam known for its terraced rice fields and the various hill tribes that live in each village.