The last and longest day of cycling (110 miles) took us to Ho
Chi Minh City, a.k.a. Saigon. Actually, Saigon is one of three
areas of Ho Chi Minh City, but the entire city is still often
referred to as Saigon. The name change has not taken hold; even
the kilometer markers along the route vacillated between the two
names.
It's hard to describe my feelings as I arrived in Saigon. I have rarely experienced such a strong feeling of elation. It was a bittersweet day, bitter because it meant the end of our adventure was near, but sweet because we had met our challenge. At a reception outside the city, we waited for the other riders to re-group and we were greeted by Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, the Minister of Tourism and his entourage, the Saigon Girls distributing leis, and other speechmakers. After many handshakes and mutual congratulations, we all rode together, under police escort, to Reunification Hall for a group photo, passing the former U.S. Embassy along the way.
Saigon is quite metropolitan and, while definitely Vietnam, certainly far different from the rest of the country. We saw other tourists, but they were rare in the north and, with few exceptions, were traveling by tour bus or Range Rovers. In contrast, Saigon was crawling with tourists. Since our trip, President Clinton lifted the U.S. embargo against Vietnam. Many Vietnamese were interested in this issue, and spoke about it. To a soul they were very eager to do business with the U.S. and I am happy the embargo was lifted. These people deserve an equal chance and will make great gains given an opportunity.
The entire trip was an incredible
experience. We were free to do what we chose, were welcomed into
people's villages and homes, and with few exceptions had totally
positive experiences. I have never had a trip that was so consistently
sustaining, always thought provoking. Vietnam is poised for great
changes, and it was a good fortune to see the country and the
people at the onset of what appears to be momentous transformations.
If you are interested in attempting such a journey, you can contact Cycle Vietnam at 1-800-661-1458, for international inqueries, you can fax at +1-503-331-1458. I have no affiliation with Cycle Vietnam - just a satisfied customer. You can also visit their web site at www.cycletheworld.com.