Michael Powell's Blog, page 38

Welcome to Can Tho

With over a million inhabitants, Can Tho is the unofficial capital of the Mekong Delta, and a major center of education and commerce. But despite the big-city status, it manages to maintain a slow pace and relaxed atmosphere. We spent four enjoyable days here.

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The bus ride from Saigon to Can Tho takes four hours. We booked tickets on a sleeper bus operated by FUTA, and arrived a few minutes after I had awoken from my second nap. These buses are great; the sleeper seats are comfortable and, a...

Saigon’s Traditional Medicine Museum

Eastern medicine has centuries of history, thousands of cures, and millions of believers… but not much respect in the western world. We visited the FITA Traditional Medicine Museum in Saigon, to learn a little about the history of Vietnamese healing.

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The museum is found in the west of Saigon, inside a beautiful wooden building which is rather new, but designed to look ancient. With its rooms resembling apothecaries, wooden staircases, and intricately carved scenes depicting healers hanging o...

The War Remnants Museum

Having one of those pesky “Good Mood” days? Good moods are the worst, right? So pointless! Let’s face it, your fellow humans are awful and the world is screwed. To be reminded of that, head over to the War Remnants Museum. If you’re still in a good mood after visiting this place, you have some serious issues.

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The War Remnants Museum is hands-down the most depressing museum I’ve ever visited. By far. Never before have I cried inside a museum. But here, it happened multiple times. The images a...

The Museum of the Southern Vietnamese Woman

Vietnam’s politicians and CEOs might be predominantly male, but take a walk down any street in Saigon, and you’ll learn who really runs the show. Women are in charge of every stall in the market. They’re the ones dishing out your delicious meals. They’re mending your clothes, chopping your fruit, brewing your coffee, and taking your money. Oh, how they love to take your money.

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On a local level, women are in charge of everything. And the men know it. How many times have we listened to the mat...

The Tay Son Lacquer Factory

The art form most commonly associated with Vietnam is lacquer painting. While exploring District 3, we walked past the factory of a company called Tay Son, and were drawn like moths to its striking mosaic facade. When the security guy encouraged us to enter, we immediately accepted the invitation.

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Soon, an English-speaking representative from the company introduced himself, and took us on a short factory tour. It was pretty clear that the endgame was going to be a gift-shop, but we still app...

A Secret Weapon Cellar in District 3

You’d never know it, looking at this completely normal house on Võ Văn Tần street in District 3… but I suppose that was the point. A trap door in the floor hides a secret basement, in which the Viet Cong stored guns, ammunition, and grenades.

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Happily, there’s no longer a need for such a bunker, so it’s been opened for visits. They’ve left the weapons in place, though I’m sure they’ve been deactivated. I mean, surely, right? Surely, this tiny quasi-museum has rigorously ensured the safety of...

The Ho Chi Minh Museum and Đoàn Văn Bơ

You might think that, somewhere in the metropolis named Ho Chi Minh City, there might be a good museum about Ho Chi Minh. But you’d be wrong. There’s a museum, alright, but in no way could it be described as “good”. A visit to the neighborhood is worthwhile, however, thanks to the delirious street of Đoàn Văn Bơ.

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I was actually made angry by the Ho Chi Minh Museum. It’s blessed with one of the best locations in the city, in the stately former port headquarters, with an unparalleled view of d...

Saigon Street Food Journal #3

Are you getting sick of looking at pictures of Vietnamese food, yet? Well, I hope not, because we’re not nearly done eating it. Here are six more delicious dishes… just make sure to sanitize your screen before licking it.

Cơm Tấm Gà Rõ Ti

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I knew we were starting to get the knack of Vietnamese, when we were able to figure out this dish without any help. “Cơm Tấm” we knew to be “broken rice”… “Gà” is chicken… and when we saw the chickens spit-roasting to a rich caramel color, we figured “Rõ Ti...

Our Final Day on Phu Quoc: Hàm Ninh and an Endangered Beach

We’ve already mentioned the speed with which the island of Phu Quoc is changing. Soon, all of its beaches will be claimed by some luxury hotel or villa complex… but it hasn’t happened quite yet. On the eastern coast of the island, we discovered a tiny beach where the biggest construction was a shack selling grilled fish. After enjoying our meal, we headed up to the town of Hàm Ninh.

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Following directions from fellow travelers, we took a gravel road south of the Coconut Tree Prison. As we appr...

Phu Quoc’s Coconut Tree Prison

With Phu Quoc’s beaches and easy-going lifestyle, it’d be easy to overlook the fact that the island hasn’t always been so peaceful. This was a major base of operations for the American and South Vietnamese armies, who maintained a POW camp here known as the Coconut Tree Prison.

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“Coconut Tree Prison on fabulous Phu Quoc Island” sounds kind of nice, doesn’t it? Almost like a resort! But don’t be fooled. The most demented of tortures were inflicted on the prisoners unlikely to find themselves h...