ChiFlyer Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Hi, I am looking to make a first trip to Vietnam for one week in August. I will be taking the TGF with, so I am not looking into hobby info. Just as an fyi, my understanding is that the good girl - bad girl line in Vietnam is not as grey as in Thailand. So far I am looking at HCMC. I have Marriott points that I can use at the Sheraton, which sees like a very nice hotel. I am looking for tips for restaurants and some touristy things as well. A friend of the TGF is encouraging us to visit Da Nang instead. I will look into that, but so far it will likely be HCMC for a first trip. There appears to be plenty of good info in this forum, so I will spend a few days browsing thru this before asking too many newbie questions. I do understand that Vietnam is now open to tourists and their e-visa system looks to be straight forward enough. I will likely return to Thailand on a 30 day tourist on arrival visa, in order to reset my OA Non-IM to an O Non-IM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherlock Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Personally, as a first time trip to Vietnam, I would be looking at doing Hanoi instead of Saigon. Where as Saigon is all modern and sophisticated, Hanoi still completely retains that 18-19th century olde world charm of French architecture and passion. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiFlyer Posted June 4, 2022 Author Share Posted June 4, 2022 9 hours ago, Sherlock said: Personally, as a first time trip to Vietnam, I would be looking at doing Hanoi instead of Saigon. Where as Saigon is all modern and sophisticated, Hanoi still completely retains that 18-19th century olde world charm of French architecture and passion. Just to set the mood for this trip beyond the practical reasons for doing so. I am a person whose life was much affected by the Vietnam War. I am an American. My father was killed in the Korean War, so I was draft exempt from the Vietnam War as a sole surviving son (Private Ryan Act). I observed some of my friends from high school coming back home in coffins. I observed many others coming back home damaged in one way or another. As a young 18 year old man, I felt that I should enlist to fight against these perceived injustices. A family friend talked me out of that. I also had the unique experience of observing the police insighted riot that occurred on Michigan Avenue in Chicago during the 1968 Democratic Convention. I was not a protestor. I had a 2nd shift job in an IT department that had a direct view of Michigan Avenue and Grant Park. After that night, I became a person opposed to the war. I have recently been watching the Ken Burns 8 episode documentary on the Vietnam War for the 3rd time. I can only watch a few episodes before taking a few days off, because of how deeply saddened I am about the idiocy that my country engaged in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stillearly Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 (edited) would recommend visiting the rooftop bar at the Rex Hotel , it's where the reporters received their daily briefings, great cocktails , good views If you want a break from HCMC recommend Hoi An as well , especially if you can time with the monthly full moon lantern festival, the gf will love it Edited June 4, 2022 by Stillearly 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalEden Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 The Sheraton is a good choice right in the middle of everything in District 1. Down the road a couple of blocks is a Mom & Pop Bar on the corner with a Bamboo facade. Run by a Vietnam US Vet (deceased) and Viet wife. Place if still open could be run by the daughter. The Bar is era time warp and a good place to have a quite drink. I believe saving Private Ryan is a fictional story. The act/policy? you reference is the Five Sullivan brothers all killed in the same WWII battle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiFlyer Posted June 5, 2022 Author Share Posted June 5, 2022 (edited) 23 hours ago, CalEden said: The Sheraton is a good choice right in the middle of everything in District 1. Down the road a couple of blocks is a Mom & Pop Bar on the corner with a Bamboo facade. Run by a Vietnam US Vet (deceased) and Viet wife. Place if still open could be run by the daughter. The Bar is era time warp and a good place to have a quite drink. I believe saving Private Ryan is a fictional story. The act/policy? you reference is the Five Sullivan brothers all killed in the same WWII battle. I am pretty certain that you are correct about the "Private Ryan" correction. All's that I remember is my mom talking about it at the kitchen table. Also, I incorrectly believed at the time that I did not have to register for the draft because of being a "Sole surviving son". Someone told me that I was wrong, so I went and registered about a month late. The guy behind the desk threatened to conscript me on the spot, after I told him that I would be a 5G status. In addition to "Sole surviving son" that is/was(?) also the status for "Conscientios Objector" which is what Mohamed Ali filed as. I explained that I was a "Sole surviving son" and he snarled at me "we can check that". About 10 minutes later, his partner said "hey, the kid is not lying". After that I was afforded a greater courtesy. Edited June 5, 2022 by ChiFlyer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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