Saigon
Saigon through the Bus Window
“Saigon is hot, full of atmosphere, activity, and commerce."
- Brendan Fraser -
“Does anyone have the right of way in Saigon, or do you just go?” asked a woman from our tour group while the bus navigated through surges of motorbikes and pedestrians.
Luc, our genuine and amiable Vietnamese guide answered “You just go. Whoever goes first has the right of way!”
He was our escort and companion on a 12-day tour of Vietnam, greeting us in Hanoi and saying farewell to us at the airport in Saigon. Though we experienced stunning vistas of Vietnam’s mountains, seascapes and countryside, three days in the country’s largest city was a symphony of sights, sounds, tastes and smells. About 10 million people populate Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Motorbikes are everywhere, swarming like gnats and buzzing like bees. There are about 7.5 million registered motorbikes in Saigon, though 8.5 million cram the streets each day from the city and surrounding area. Horns are the music of the streets. People beep constantly, not so much in anger, as in a warning: “Look out--I’m near!” Everyone seems to cut someone else off as they nudge ahead on packed thoroughfares.
We had ample opportunities to experience Saigon on foot, browsing the shops, tasting pho (a type of Vietnamese soup) at local restaurants or lingering on a corner to witness the waves of humanity flowing by. Yet the bus provided a chance to catch snippets of city life while on the move or paused at a signal light.
From our seats perched above the street, the glimpses of Saigon through the bus windows were spiced with Luc’s narratives and answers to our child-like questions.
Upon seeing bundle-laden pedestrians crossing bustling avenues flooded with motorbikes, buses and cars, someone asked Luc, “How do you cross the street safely here?”
“You start at a curve or light where vehicles must slow down. Then step out and keep moving steadily forward. Don’t stop. Don’t run. Don’t back up!”
And, upon seeing traffic piled up for blocks, Luc said “One of Saigon’s specialties is the traffic jam. Some motorcycle drivers think that red lights are just a suggestion!”
In the morning, people gathered for coffee along the streets. One man napped on his motorbike, while another, barefoot, lounged on his, sipping coffee and reading a paper.
Meanwhile, the ubiquitous motorbikes ooze, sift and creep through the masses, sometimes riding on sidewalks to gain space, often running red lights or squeezing between our bus and the cars in the next lane. Some carry crates, animals or heavy loads. One carried a family of five. Well-dressed women sit sidesaddle behind a driver, maybe on their phones or with their hands serenely resting on their lap in the midst of morning traffic.
Though the pulse of Saigon is best felt on the street, observing its rhythms from the bus window put the heartbeat of the city in perspective.
IF YOU GO
There are many reputable tour operators in Vietnam. We chose World Spree Travel:
For an overall picture of Vietnam, including Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City): www.vietnam.travel
