So this is the take on my latest visit to Vietnam, an amazing recovery story of this war torn country ,wonderful sights and great friendly people. Always a pleasure to return and see old friends as well. The only sad part, it was another trip coming back empty without my dear late wife Martine...she would stayed very late waiting for me to return home.
I came back to Ho Chi Minh City (previously Saigon and still a district is call like it today). it was a short visit of five days as always here a business trip with some time to see other things in the city. It has been my 4th time to HCMC and Vietnam. Many souvenirs and good friends to last a lifetime; do not know when back but the memories will lingered as in all my travels.
As usual I landed in Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City and was waited by a driver to take me to the office , work, and then to the hotel. The trip was flawless from home by car to Nantes Atlantique airport, then Paris CDG T2F transfer to T2E M direct to HCMC. Vietnam airline has won several awards recently and it shows, very good.
After the usual greetings with the now friends, I was taken to my hotel in district 1 , the main city center district. As usual , I came back to the Grand Saigon Hotel, very nice roofstop terrace bar ,swimming pool, and fitness center as well as walkable to many shops and restos in a nice area of which you can see the City Hall building nearby. The hotel webpage in English is here: Grand Saigon Hotel
As I came during the southeast Asia Suzuki Cup football.soccer competition and Vietnam was playing first the Philippines (was there last month) then advance to the final vs Malaysia, the away game ended 2X2 with many good plays by Vietnam, the crowds in the area were huge with many congregating near the hotel on an endless rows of motos and scooters and even cars flag waving.
While this was going on downstairs, I was upstairs at a nice bar with some friends from Hanoi staying there about. We saw the game and the celebration from the Gartenstadt Restaurant 34 Dong Khoi Street, drinking my favorite Krombacher pilsner German beer I drink at home!!! We had not only the beers but an assortment of sausages and meat dishes as usual there too numerous to recall lol! The resto webpage is here in English: Gartenstadt Restaurant
Even after finishing late at the above resto I came back to the hotel passing some nice areas and still the celebration was continuing as Vietnam did a good job holding on to a tie. The resto is just around the corner from the hotel!
As I walked and drove in the city , I like to give some shots of this passing, including the still in renovation Cathedral and from my office there!
I left the city to visit another area and came back the last night to stayed at the Grand Saigon hotel. While here had my outing to Wayne’s Coffee shop near our office which is always a gathering point for us there. The Swedish chain is a bit behind posting on their site as this was open already right lol! More here: Waynes coffee in Ho Chi Minh City
Again before a private driver taken me back to the airport at HCMC, flight again on Air France direct to Paris CDG T2E K then transfer to T2F for the last flight home to Nantes Atlantique where my car was waiting. However, at Paris , there was a controller’s strike (did I said we are the champions!) and the flight was delayed from leaving at 21h30 we finally did it at 23h30! Finally ,by car ,reaching home by 02h (2am Sat).
In all, was a short pleasant visit full of memories that would not like to post or put photos here but it was memorable. Do not when will be the next time, but HCMC will be forever in my mind. Thank you all folks there.
Further anecdote, when arriving our plane was included the 7th million foreign visitor to the city this year!!! The webpage for the Tourist office of Vietnam is at Tourist office of Vietnam
Popular unofficial page on travel info in Vietnam and of course HCMC, Vietnam online: Vietnam Online on HCMC
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 