Epic Vietnam Journey (Day 1-Saigon)

I arrive in Saigon, and right away I notice big differences between Saigon and Hanoi.  Saigon is much more westernized, and really the only difference between a European city (maybe Paris) and Saigon is obviously the Vietnamese people and language.  There are sky scrapers and fine hotels all over the place.  There are jewelry stores on every corner.  They actually have an Opera House.  It’s actually what I expected to see when I got to Hanoi, but I was quite shocked when I first got to Hanoi.  

Hanoi is where you go if you want to experience the real Vietnam.  Although they are trying their hardest to develop (there are half-finished skyscrapers and buildings all over their place), it will take 50 years to get to the level of westernization that Saigon has experienced.  Hanoi should really focus on a few building at a time.  Every time, I saw an unfinished building, it was either completely empty or there were like two works with shovels.  

Other differences.  There are many more traffic lights in Saigon, whereas in Hanoi, there are very few, and the few that Hanoi has, nobody pays attention to them, including right-aways (there is no right away in Hanoi.  People drive the opposite way all the time.  In fact, I drove my motorcycle on the opposite side of the freeway on the shoulder).  I actually prefer the Hanoi traffic.  It is complete chaos, but everyone is on the same page (Rule: I will put myself on a collision course with you, and it is your job to avoid a collision with me).  I wish we could drive that way in California. 

Another difference is that the Vietnamese women tend to mix with Western men at the bars more in Saigon.  In Hanoi, the Vietnamese women are blissfully ignorant.  Western men are a novelty to Hanoian, but you might as well be a completely different species.  Not that I was putting myself out there, but these are my observations of the bar scene.  I actually only stepped inside a Saigon bar for about 15 minutes, and then hung out outside with my French friends, because the drinks were much more expensive than we were used to (another difference: Saigon is a bit more expensive than Hanoi).  I watched who went in and who went out of the bar, and I saw a few Vietnamese women walking out with a white dude.  Now, with Vietnamese guys, it doesn’t matter whether they are from Hanoi or Saigon.  In fact, in Hanoi, it seemed like Vietnamese guys were very enthralled with Western women. 

Another difference is that the weather is Saigon is much more rainy than Hanoi.  It is also cooler, which seemed a bit odd to me, since it is much closer to the equator.  I did not sweat in Saigon (perhaps because it rained the entire time), whereas in Hanoi, I was constantly sweaty.  I did not see the sun once while in Saigon. 

There are also beggars in Saigon (not as much as you would see in Mexico or even your freeway onramp in California), whereas in Hanoi, there are none.  Hanoians are apparently a bit more proud to beg.  They may offer you something completely useless in exchange for money, but at least it is something.

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