Reunification Palace

the reunification palace is well worth a trip. It was very affordable, at about a dollar entrance.

The reunification palace was the former palace of the South Vietnamese government and president during the war. We were lucky eough to arrive just in time to be shown around by a free guide, who spoke absolutely excellent English, which meant that we heard a lot more about that than we would have learned on our own; it was well worth doing.

IN particular, I had seen old documentary footage of the palace falling in the war, but knew very little of the Vietnamese side of the story or about what happened next. Being able to stand in the palace and learn a bit about the other perspective was fascinating.

Another striking feature is the architecture and decor. Made to resemble bamboo at the front, it has been preserved as a piece of 1960s modernism almost intact. As many places have worked hard to hide their 1960s architecture, the only other place I have seen decor quite like the casino is in Thunderbirds. ALthough that might seem like a bit of a back handed compliment, it is an interesting era of design and very well preserved. Of course, there are a lot of differences between the little 1960s stuff I had seen and this, because we were in Vietnam. There was a lot of exquisite lacquer work, for example. The tour guide told us all about the symbolism of some of the paintings and why some rooms were green (to encourage peaceful discusion) and others yellow (for happiness).

The palace is still apparently occasionally used for state functions when a head of state comes to HCMC rather than to Hanoi, and given how impressive it is, I can see why.

The guide gave us plenty of time to look around at things and was humerous. It was nice to be able to talk to her between rooms.

I would definately recommend a visit.

Very interesting look at what, to a western tourist at least, is the flipside of the Vietnam conflict and re-unification. Be sure to book a guide (either human or audio) if you are interested in the outer sections of the Hall, otherwise you may find yourself wandering somewhat aimlessly through the corridors looking at a variety of 60's decor in a vaguely historical context.

Further inside however, intrigue seizes the journey. Historical notes and leftovers of the occupation (be they authentic or replicas) bring the underbelly of the building to an eerie life of its own. This makes the Hall an essential part of any HCMC visit.

Oh, and if you're lucky, you'll arrive the same day as a touring school group. One of the most endearing experiences you can have here is a busload (or several) of Vietnamese schoolchildren eager to test their English. When greeted with a chorus of 'Hello's, feel free to respond in kind and bask in the celebrity for just a moment.

It was only one morning, but it's this mix of experiences in the one place that made our trip here so worthwhile.