19th May 2015

We were late to breakfast at 7:15 am, but there was no “Asian nonsense” on the menu for us this morning, just good old British fare, with a nod to the French in the form of their toast.

The rest of the morning was spent making last-minute adjustments to our baggage, enjoying a shower, and lounging on the bed while watching the National Geographic channel. Sue’s knowledge of dangerous creatures has now reached an encyclopaedic level; anything she doesn’t know must either be entirely tame or simply not worth knowing.

A minor errand required attention; I needed a new lock for my suitcase, as the previous one had mysteriously vanished during our last flight. Across the road, I found a Cambodian equivalent of an ironmonger. Surprisingly, it wasn’t difficult to find what I needed. I pointed to a large lock on display and indicated “smaller,” and after a few iterations, we reached the perfect size. It cost just 25 cents and felt far more robust than the one it replaced, though the box’s “Made in China” label was hardly reassuring.

The pick-up time was 1:30 pm, and by 12:50 pm, we were at reception, ready to settle the bill. I had estimated our total expenses; cars, guides, meals, drinks, and so on, would come to around $350–$360. Perusing the list of charges (with my glasses on for accuracy), everything seemed to add up. However, the reception staff insisted the total was $150. Despite pointing out their error and showing them the itemised bill, they stuck to their figure, nervously waving our signed slips to confirm their stance. Seeing their growing panic, we decided not to argue further and handed over the $150, leaving them visibly relieved. When our driver arrived moments later, we departed feeling slightly awkward, half-expecting airport security to detain us for underpayment.

Fortunately, no such drama ensued, and before long, we were relaxing in the departures lounge. Sue picked up a few more trinkets from duty-free while I idled on Facebook, eventually succumbing to a hot dog. Sadly, aside from the mustard, it tasted distinctly plastic.

Ron and Jenny appeared in the lounge, and we had a pleasant chat with them before boarding the plane. The flight to Ho Chi Minh City was brief, lasting less than an hour. Immigration was swift, and our bags were the first off the carousel. Outside, our driver was waiting with my name on a sign, ready to whisk us away to the Paragon Hotel.

The drive can only be described as a live-action version of ‘Mario Kart’. Vehicles of every kind weaved and sped along, with no regard for traffic rules, white lines, or pedestrian rights. Horns blared continuously, and traffic lights seemed to serve no purpose beyond adding a splash of colour to the chaos. Despite setting off 10 minutes before Ron and Jenny, we arrived 10 minutes later, likely because our driver was slightly more cautious, possibly influenced by Sue’s frequent gasps of concern at the numerous near-misses.

When we finally reached the Paragon Hotel, we were greeted with a delightful surprise: we had been upgraded to an executive room on the top floor! Even better, it was a corner room with stunning panoramic views of the city, particularly breathtaking at night. It’s safe to say our earlier investment in a sack of rice has already started paying dividends.

After collecting some brochures from the foyer, we spent a short time back in our room reviewing the options before heading to Reception. With the help of the Concierge, we booked a couple of trips that piqued our interest, then returned to our Executive Suite for a coffee break.

Feeling refreshed, we ventured out to explore the city. Sue had struck up a conversation with one of the many friendly hotel staff earlier, and their recommendation of the Opera House had caught her interest. Determined to see it, we set off and found the building with ease.

Standing outside and snapping photos, we were approached by a polite young lady who asked if we were interested in tickets. Curious, we inquired about the performances, and she showed us a video showcasing a production titled ‘A Unique Way to Experience Vietnamese Culture’. It looked captivating, so we decided to book two tickets. To our delight, we managed to secure front-row seats! According to her, the seats had just been returned, appearing as if by magic.

It seems our streak of good fortune continues; can we do no wrong?

Feeling fortunate, we set off in search of the Night Market, but upon arriving, we discovered it was winding down for the evening. We decided to find a restaurant and return to the hotel later. Earlier in our stroll, we had come across a statue of Ho Chi Minh and had been informed that it was his birthday. It seemed that preparations were underway for some sort of event.

Returning to the statue, we found a place to eat that had air conditioning and refuelled our diminishing energy with some delicious Eastern cuisine. While dining, we noticed a great deal of activity unfolding outside.

In just about 45 minutes, the entire street had transformed. Stages had been erected, sound systems set up, and hundreds of performers were rehearsing. The street, around a mile long, had been divided into roughly five sections, each with its own stage and theme. The first featured military music, the second rhythmic dancers, the third folk music and dancing, the fourth blended traditional music with rock, and the fifth showcased pop music with, I assume, well-known Vietnamese artists. There were also plays being performed.

We lingered longest at the last two stages and spent only brief moments at the others. Each act performed three or four numbers before changing, and all were impressive, although we couldn’t fully grasp the interpretation. However, five musicians with traditional instruments and a singer captivated us with a catchy, well-known Vietnamese folk tune, as indicated by the crowd’s reaction. Then, they turned the piece into an eerily superb rock rendition, with the female drummer who played a string of wooden rods suspended like a hammock, delivering a solo that outshone anything Ginger Baker has ever done. It was absolutely marvellous! Unfortunately, they played only one more song before making way for Vietnam’s equivalent of the Spice Girls.

The Vietnamese certainly know how to celebrate a deceased leader’s birthday. I’m curious to see how the Prime Minister, David Cameron, would compare!

Returning to the hotel, we lingered for some time in the bar, enjoying beer and cocktails before retiring. Or, were they mocktails?