My corporate responsibilities include meeting clients and prospective partners and most of them are scattered around the world. This time it’s off to Vietnam for a week. This is my first time to visit this country, whose impression in my mind is a place ravaged by war. My first stop Ha Noi.

Ha Noi is the capital of Vietnam. This city is vibrant and very much like Manila, yet it is quaint and its French influence can be seen in its architecture. The windows are definitely European influence especially the terraces and the the fountains and parks in several parts of the city. Quaint yet elegant, it is like time stopped in some places — heritage definitely preserved.

Another amazing thing is the sheer number of motorcycles in the road outnumbering cars. From simple Honda/Yamaha underbones to the classic Vespa. Mind you and nobody here is wearing a helmet. I believe it is only required if they are on the freeway (going to the airport). It is truly maddening if you watch them crisscross and weave their way in the streets.

Even my hotel is a standing reminder of a grandiose past, Sofitel Metropole and still living up to its reputation as the best in the city.

Then it is time to go to another popular city, Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon). We stayed in Caravelle Hotel. One thing popular with this hotel is the rooftop bar. This was used before as the based for international media covering the war. This is where mediamen compare notes while gulping cold beer.

Ho Chi Minh is more cosmopolitan than its sister city Ha Noi though a lot warmer. One popular place to visit here is Dong Khoi Street. Restaurants, shops, curio shops, galleries populate the area. The best way to enjoy this place is to have a leisurely walk. It is a wonder that shopping, dining and nocturnal activities can be all in one street.

Even with the numerous meetings that blocked my calendar, it was definitely a blast seeing these places. Here are some snapshots of beautiful Vietnam.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 14th, 2007 at 8:26 am and is filed under Freetime (sometimes ...). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.