Ho Chi Minh City

Category : Vietnam

Date : November 25, 2016

Ho Chi Minh City was our first stop in Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City (commonly known as Saigon) is a city in southern Vietnam famous for the pivotal role it played in the Vietnam War. It’s also known for its French colonial landmarks, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, made entirely of materials imported from France, and the 19th-century Central Post Office. Food stalls line the city’s streets, especially around bustling Bến Thành Market.

vietnam_2016_hcmc_jusmedic_299-edit

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Entirely built by 100% French imported materials, Notre Dame Cathedral is one of Saigon most popular attractions and still remains in regular use by local worshippers. Compared to its namesake in Paris, don’t expect anything as ornate, though this building has a certain charm to it. There is a small garden out the front which seems to be where all the pigeons in Saigon regularly gather around the statue of Mary (who caused traffic chaos in 2005 as she reportedly shed a tear down her cheek). Built in 1880, it’s long overdue for some maintenance and major renovations are earmarked for the future. Unfortunately, this might mean the thousands of newlyweds that come here for photos may need to find another beautifully golden-bricked and historic building as a backdrop.

vietnam_2016_hcmc_jusmedic_94

vietnam_2016_hcmc_jusmedic_89

Central Post Office

Completed in 1891, the Central Post Office is a grand example of gothic and renaissance influenced architecture. Recently renovated, it bears a lovely new paint job in the original bright yellow hue. Once you move inside, the decorations are just as ornate as the facade and a huge arched roof curve down towards two large hand painted maps showing old Saigon city and the former south-eastern area of Indochina. These were original decorations. For all intents and purposes, it’s still a fully functioning post office with helpful English speaking staff, a range of quirky and reasonably priced souvenirs as well as a half a dozen international phone boxes.

vietnam_2016_hcmc_jusmedic_95

The Independence Palace

The Independence Palace also known as Reunification Palace, is a landmark in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It was the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was the site of the end of the Vietnam War during the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, when a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through its gates.

vietnam_2016_hcmc_jusmedic_98

vietnam_2016_hcmc_jusmedic_32

Streets of HCMC

vietnam_2016_hcmc_jusmedic_78

vietnam_2016_hcmc_jusmedic_141

vietnam_2016_hcmc_jusmedic_130

vietnam_2016_hcmc_jusmedic_155

Bến Thành Market

Bến Thành Market is a large marketplace in central Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam in District 1. The market is one of the earliest surviving structures in Saigon and an important symbol of Hồ Chí Minh City, popular with tourists seeking local handicrafts, textiles, áo dài and souvenirs, as well as local cuisine.

vietnam_2016_hcmc_jusmedic_147