At home in a River: Saigon River by Night

Type: Street dwelling, walking tour

Date: 29 June 2019

Mode: Strolling, sitting, sleeping

Duration:  Overnight (6:10 pm to 4:00 am the following day)

Expenses: Dinner 50k, Ice cream 10k

Difficulty: Heat of the day, uncertainty of safety

Highlight: Speaking with locals, enjoying nature, open air sleeping

The dangerously adventurous reality of a solo traveler is that they can just plan their own trip without the hassle of considering another person being inconvenienced by the sudden change in itinerary. In fact, I intended Vietnam visit to be as free-flowing as can be without losing the enjoyment and without ruining the element of awe and wonderment in each experience.

It was already evening at around 18:00 when I reached Notre Dame Cathedral. This cathedral and the surrounding areas give me a much western feel in the heart of an ASEAN city. Except for this place, all other areas in the city gave me a distinctly Vietnamese feel and Southeast Asian aura - streets with some bummer, thugs, homeless, beggars and garbage collectors. But these should not eclipse the uniqueness of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). 

In fairness, the city has a lot of high rise buildings although not as high as the ones seen in the Philippine metropolis or KL. It also has a bus system but not as functional and interconnected as expected. Bus trip ends at 10 pm. It also gave me a reminder to take a rest after a day’s walking tour. But along the areas where I was a nomad and a bummer, I saw to cheap hotels or inn to stay. It was an unwelcoming area amidst high rise building. 

The only place where I would find refuge for a night is near the river as it shows in the mapsme that it is nearby. After many attempts to ride a bus, I was not able to catch one that heads to the airport. I planned it that way because I was planning to sleep at the airport for a night and wait for the other morning before I will check in for any hotel.

After the mass, I walked around the city again looking for street food to fill my hunger from a day’s walking tour. I was able to find one along the street. It was a noodle soup with one big chunk of pork legs at 50k dong. It was a tasty soup but my inner gut cringed when I realized that the place may not be clean. Whatever dirt there may be, it is concealed by the darkness and dim night as the place is only lighted by some candles. It is also a pathway so many people were passing by and may even bump at the customers while eating. I was relieved though when I saw some people in decent clothing joining me for an early night’s dinner with the noodles.

After dinner, I searched for the river and finally found it. There, on a cool bench, I rested by tired backbones. I made my backpack as a pillow. It was so soft, I can feel the comfort of lying down. If it were a bed in a hotel, I could have slept immediately but I cannot just sleep. I consumed all night thinking and pondering about the world filled with beauty and the beast.

The river is filled with lights from buildings that curtains the riverbanks and from the boats and ships that are either docked along the banks or are passing by the vast span of the tranquil-flowing water.

From the first bite of darkness to late night at around 23:00, people flock the riverbanks until they gradually disappear towards the midnight. What is left are some street hawkers, some one or two groups of fishing enthusiasts. They have impressive fishing rods of various length and designs. From midnight to the morning, the river became totally silent except for some cars passing by the boulevard traversing the length of the river.

The night is relatively safe, but I still kept myself alert. I did not really sleep. I observed the surroundings the whole night. And, while dawn approaches, some street food sellers, peddlers set up their stools and some food carts. I had a cup of coffee in one of the stalls. And when the sun has started to emerge, my inner core was shouting with happiness as I survived the night on the streets and along with strangers and the strange and mysterious river of HCMC.