Saigon Symphony

The early evening view from the top of the Rex Hotel (above), looking out across the main road to the revamped Hotel Caravelle.  The Rex Hotel was famously the site where American soldiers provided skewed press briefings around five o'clock each day and today it continues to thrive along the Nguyen Hue Boulevard in the city centre as both a lively day and night gathering spot.  The Caravelle Hotel, across the road at Lam Son Square, served its own distinction to attract hordes of diplomats and journalists during the sixties and early seventies - and when opened in 1959 at ten stories high, was the tallest building in this bustling metropolis.  Both the New Zealand and Australian Governments once maintained embassies here.
It is worth a visit to the renovated marbled roof top bar.

The colours are bright pink and do not fail to catch the eye of the passer by in District 3 - with arched windows and doorways, plus immaculate grilled iron work, this Catholic Cathedral has tall spires and side alcoves that are based on French architectural traditions.  This is the second largest church, after the city's well known Notre Dame Cathedral -  the Tan Dinh Church ( or Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus).  Saigon has several religious buildings of note, and they include the Cao Dai Holy See, the Quan Am Pagoda, the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the Mariamman Hindu temple.

When I reflect of grassroots Saigon, I recall this roadside scene with fondness - electric cables that grotesquely meet and almagate, peddlers in traditional coned hats , motor cyclists, modern city buses, side stores and people going about their commercial lives - in front of a large market venue.

One can sip filtered Vietnamese coffee anywhere - on roadside pavements, in heritage coffee shops, from a village stall, in a tourist hub or in a modern cafe based on franchised lay outs and in air-conditioned comfort - above picture was taken at a Trang Nguyen outlet in Saigon along the Hai Ba Trung in District 1.  No paper filters are utilised in the making of the cafe sua da - drip coffee that requires no massive cleaning effort afterwards or use of large machines.  Vietnamese coffee is infused with chicory, a caffeine free herb and dark roasted blends are always used.

Bamboo and rattan  bird cages hang from a high ceiling (picture above) in front of heritage buildings  whilst below, a snapshot in a room at the Novotel Saigon Centre, which opened only this year.  The affinity with bird cages is well documented and known in south-east Asia and China - they are used to keep song birds in courtyards, gardens and outside houses and shops.  Such birds are taken by their owners to accompany them for meals with friends and family.  Interesting enough, such bird cages are increasingly utilised as lamp holders or as mere decorations to bring up the vitality of an otherwise empty space or high ceiling, especially in heritage hotels.

My Son, Central Vietnam

The grandeur and extent of Hindu based empires in south-east Asia  from long ago may be understated in the current make up of the countries that make up ASEAN today. Echoes and suggestions of this significant past influence can only be reminded to us when we visit Bagan in Burma, Ayuthaya in Thailand, Borobudur in Java and the Angkor Wat in Kampuchea.  My early history school books did mention about the Champa Kingdom that extended from the 4th to the 14th centuries AD throughout most of what is referred to as IndoChina in contemporary times. So with eagerness, I relished the opportunity to explore the collection of sizable ruins and remains of tower temples at My Son in Central Vietnam (south-west of Da Nang).  Sanskrit and Cham languages were heavily used in this hub of religious and political practice, with around seventy structures existing at the height of the power of the Champa Kingdom.  "My Son" in the Vietnamese language simply means "beautiful mountain".

My Son is primarily dedicated to the devotion to the Hindu deity Shiva, under the form of the Linga and under the name Bhadresvara.  King Bhadravarman who ruled from 380 to 430 AD had a special plea to his successors "Out of compassion for me don't destroy my gifts."   It is with sad irony that the ruins were further damaged by American B52 fighter planes when engaging militarily with  the Vietcong in the sixties last century.  The area also witnessed significant intrusions from the Chinese from up north, notably by General Liu Fang in 605 AD, and to military encounters with the Viet.  Most of the standing buildings today originate from around the tenth century AD.  Rediscovered by a Frenchman, M.C. Paris in 1898, the site had been reclaimed by the tropical jungles after the advent of the Viet  - and the Chams themselves had transformed to a different culture and some of whom are Muslims today.  My Son's  restoration is mostly supported by the governments of Italy and Japan.

Key icons of the Champa Kingdom include the elephants (photo of their motifs above) and a rich cultural heritage, as exemplified by the show put on for modern day tourists (picture below).

My Son also offers a much appreciated walk in the forest, away from the high density regions in Vietnam, away from the hordes of fast moving motor bikes on city roads and engaging with the atmosphere more akin to the Central Highlands of Vietnam. A gateway (below picture) is only one of varied features of architecture you can examine and feel - there are causeways, long passages, shrine halls, gate towers, fire houses and more.  A kalan is a bricked sanctuary used typically to house a deity.

Remains of altars in both pictures above and below are only a shade of what it must have looked like centuries ago.  There is an internal gallery at D2, which offers in one spot a collection of the main artifacts.

The buildings that remain in My Son were made of red brick, with only one designated as B1 constructed from stone.  An intriguing question is how were the bricks were held together, as no mortar can be evidently seen as not utilised (photo above). Important messages were inscribed on steles and they often relate to commemorations of gifts made to God, whether they are foundations made for altars, pedestals or temples, or community acts such as gifts of treasures or land. . 

There is also a Museum of Cham Sculpture in nearby Da Nang, but nothing beats strolling amongst the ruins on a quiet and early Saturday morning, when colourful butterflies seem to float around and above the surrounding foliage - and when visitors can imagine the vibes of another time, another place in history.  The then ruling Dua Clan ensured almost ten centuries of continuous development and maintenance.  A footnote - there are comparable buildings in Nha Trang, but much more well preserved, further south along the coast in Vietnam.- the Po Nagar Cham Towers.  One will not easily forget the boat shaped roofs and carved pilasters of My Son.

Vietnam - Food Delights

Grilled corn cobs outside the Cu Ci Tunnels not far from Saigon.

The pho, unique from Vietnam, for the soup concoction, graced with rice noodles, aromatic herbs and chili cuts.

Breakfast tasty - egg omelette laden with ingredients of your choice and can include mushrooms, sausage bits, shallots and more.

Grilled meats, satay or skewer styled, here shown above held with wooden utensils, served at the Restaurant 96 in Ha Noi's bustling Old Quarter on a Wednesday evening in early November 2012.

A bird's eye view of street food in Hoi An, central Vietnam - sauces, greens and wraps accompany the ubiquitous grilled meat sticks.

The best Hainan-styled deep fried spring rolls as discovered at the Green Chili Restaurant in Hoi An's Old Quarter.  The owner spoke to us on his careful and dedicated approach to ensure a really crispy batter outside with a fulfilling tasty bite inside.

Above picture captures two women busily holding court in a road corner stall in Hue selling the favourite pho noodles.  We sat on really low plastic chairs and downed our piping hot noodles with a yogurt also provided by these ladies.

Vegetarian delights provided by monks at a monastery in Hue (photo above) and a delightful  outcome of a fruit and vegetable carving demonstration aboard a cruise ship at Ha Long Bay  (photo below).

The omelette, right in picture above, wrapped fillings in a traditional Vietnamese snack - taken in Hue.

Star View Restaurant, Georgetown - Penang

Duck slices served in a crusty edible cup holder, above, was an unusual creation I came across at the Star View Chinese Restaurant in the middle of Georgetown CBD not far from Burmah Road and next to the food court at the New World Park.  Petite and tasty, it served as an attractive bite-sized idea.  The Star View has been building up a reputation in Cantonese inspired dishes on the island of Penang and the challenge is to maintain the energy and reputation for discerning diners.  Mum and family members recently had lunch there on a quiet Saturday afternoon.

We chose traditional favourites like marinated pork ribs, looking red as they should be. What caught my eye initially was the so-called dry version of the stir fry broad rice noodles (hor fun in Cantonese).  I must say it tasted to me like fried char koay teow and yet it did not rise to the oomph of Penang's top hawker stir fry. Maybe I was too entrenched in the delights of the hor fun with a gravy laced with gooey egg and smooth texture.  The Beijing duck came served with northern Chinese styled buns (the man tou) - picture below.

The prawns (photo above) with the dessert of tong sui (body nurturing ingredients like longans and gingko in a mild sweet soup (photo below) wrapped up the course meal.  The lunch was not overbearing and moderate in pace.  I enjoyed the quiet pace in the restaurant, sans the noise,crowds and clutter that can characterise most Chinese restaurants around the world

Hue, Vietnam - Motorbike Tour

A well renowned Zen master, Thich Nhat Hanh, hailed originally from this city in central Vietnam - Hue.

This hub which served as the political base of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945, also boasts its so-called royal cuisine, which tends to be spicy and emphasises on small servings, including the well known white rose dumplings.  Hue is also located near the infamous DMZ, created after the French colonists lost the battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954.  The national dress of Vietnam, the ao dai, originated from Hue, based on royal clothing styles.  Together with the Champa ruins in My Son and the nearby multicultural town of Hoi An, Hue is also a declared UNESCO heritage site, focused on the imperial Citadels, royal tombs, elephant versus tiger fighting arena and a strong underlying Confucian and Buddhist culture.  It is currently the administrative capital of Tua Thien Province in Vietnam.

Above picture shows the dragon head of a boat moored on the Perfume River in the evening we arrived, and below is a detail reminiscent of China's Forbidden City in Beijing.

The Hue Citadel ( Dai Noi) has recently experienced a restoration effort, with a royal compound open to visitors (above) and an impressive facade outside, surrounded by a moat.  You can see clear damaged walls from the significant fighting in the sixties between the US forces and the Vietcong. In the past, the royal families actually lived inside this area, with specific buildings dedicated for major purposes - including the  Mieu temple and  the Hall of Supreme Harmony.  There are several gates.  Hue was the capital of a previous unified Vietnam, before the recent reunification of the country in 1975 with Ha Noi as its capital.

The Thien Mu Pagoda complex in Hue sits on a hill beside the Perfume River ( Song Huong) with a large compound, including the main shrine and prayer hall, a monastery and independently standing pavilions, including one that provides the names of scholars who achieved attainment of passing Vietnam's royal examinations (held in the same spirit as the Chinese ones further up north).  Such honoured names are inscribed on a tablet held by a stone turtle ( second picture below).

My group's motorbike tour also included visits to a previous American bunker area overlooking the Perfume River (picture below), which has now been re-vegetated with planted flora and used mainly now by courting couples.  Above, the joss sticks with colourful handles made in a village that specialises in this handicraft.