Marketing the images of Saigon

Hi all,

If you read some articles on TuoiTre daily news recently, you might know the contest: "Marketing for the images of Vietnam".

The contest on TuoiTre daily news

As a Saigon citizen who speaks English a little bit well (or very well), have you ever thought that you can be a friendly guide for any tourist come to Saigon? Do you think that in a future day, when talking about Vietnam, tourists will image of your smile, your deeds, your friendliness and other good aspects of Saigon, Vietnam? Some of our friends in Hanoi did, and I think it would be great if we can do too.

This topic is opened for you guys to express your ideas about Vietnam tourism, especially in Saigon. And if you decided to take part in that contest, this topic would also be a place to give you the information. I hope that few months later, SEC''''s members would be some of the greatest guides for the tourists in order to marketing the images of Vietnam.



Được JoannaFalconer sửa chữa / chuyển vào 12:43 ngày 26/10/2006

Oh sure! We, HanoiKids , really want to have more partners. As we said, we imagine that one day we''ll grow up as a system like VietnamKids. Hope to see HoChiMinhcityKids on the same way as ours ! The more Kids, the more powerful !
Do it for yourselves and for our country !
For more info and support, visit

Saigon? I just see the reality that there are more and more children who do not go to school but go along with foreigners and ask "please give me money...". So sad to say that but honesty is the best policy.
And prostitution, absolutely terrible. You may walk along the street in the center such as: Dong Khoi, Mac Thi Buoi....to realize the other side of Saigoi and sometimes you need break to be able to continue walking.

i dunno how bad the society is, how much bagger, how much pros walking around.....but saigon, is still the most beautiful place in my mind. the ppl and the society itself is still very nice, isit

Great idea, let me take the 1st
Notre Dame Cathedral

Built between 1877 and 1883, Notre Dame Cathedral, with her two 40 meter towers topped with iron spires is one of Ho Chi Minh City''s major landmarks. It is built in a neo-Romanesque form. The cathedral''s red bricks and colored glass windows were imported from France. The cathedral was consecrated in 1962. Full services in both Vietnamese and English are held every Sunday morning.


Look forward to hearing from you

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Yyfjl2A9fq7f2ZYpW21Sqho-?cq=1&p=1497
It seems that not many people is interested in this idea but still having hope...

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Saigon​

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Like many cities in Vietnam, Saigon did not escape the wrath of war. Since the beginning, Saigon has had quite a traumatic history. There are many citations to the birth of Saigon and the origin of its name. In the 15th century, this area were swamps, marshes and thick forests. By the early 17th century, a small township was formed. According to one theory, Saigon or Sai Con has its root in a Khmer word Prei Kor (Kapok Tree Forest).
The name Saigon was used officially in 1698, when Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu sent Mr. Nguyen Huu Canh to this region to create various districts and to form a government for this southern outpost. Because of its strategic location for trade and commerce as well as military importance, Saigon continued to grow and became a bonafide city. By 1772, Mr. Nguyen Cuu Dam began to fill many of the canals to form streets.

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In the mid 19th century, the French with the aid of the Spanish invaded this port city and destroyed the fort. This event was the precursor to the long struggle between the people of Vietnam and France leading to the historical defeat of the French in 1954. In the years after the defeat of the French, Vietnam was divided into two separate countries and Saigon became the hub of resettlement for many as people from north and central Vietnam immigrated south.

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In the 60''''''''''''''''s and 70''''''''''''''''s, Saigon was bustling with commerce and business. It was the cultural center and the capital city of South Vietnam. Already heavily influenced by the French in terms of culture and style, the city had an air of a French provincial town with a Vietnamese twist. Saigon was dubbed the "Pearl of the Orient" by the foreign press. The city was alive with activities and cultural diversity that rivaled any Asian city at the time. ​

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After the fall of South Vietnam to communism in 1975, the city and many of its inhabitants were in a state of chaos and turmoil. In 1976, the new government renamed the city Ho Chi Minh City and shut its door to the rest of the world. Although recognized world wide as Ho Chi Minh City, to the people of Vietnam, the city is still lovingly referred to as Saigon. ​

Street Scenes​

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With a population of over 5 millions people, Saigon is one of the densest urban area in the world. On many streets, it is common to see houses with the ground floor converted into a business front while several families share living areas on the upper levels.​

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Common mode of transportation just a few years ago, the ubiquitous "cyclos" are becoming rare since they have been banned from many streets. Replacing them are fleets of taxis and "Honda ôm" - Japanese motocycles that you just wave down and jump on the back to be transported anywhere in the town. ​

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Unlike other cities in Vietnam, Saigon is very active at night. Music halls often play to sold-out local crowds and restaurants stay open late into the night. During the summer months, sidewalks are dotted with colorful fruit stalls.​

Ben Thanh Market​

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Ben Thanh market has long been one of Saigon''''''''''''''''s most famous landmark. The market has been in existence since the French occupation. The original market was located on the shores of Ben Nghe river by old fort Gia Dinh. Its proximity to the fort and the river where merchants and soldiers would land was reason for its name (Ben meaning pier or port and Thanh meaning fort). In 1859, when the French invaded Saigon and overtook fort Gia Dinh, Ben Thanh Market was destroyed. It was rebuilt shortly thereafter and remained standing until it was moved to its present location in 1899. ​

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Built on a landfill of what was once a swamp named Bo Ret (Marais Boresse), the new Ben Thanh Market is located in the center of the city. Under the French government, the area around Ben Thanh Market was called Cu Nhac circle (Rond point Cuniac), named after Mr. Cuniac, the person who proposed filling the swamp to create this area. The area was later renamed Cong truong Dien Hong.​

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Proposed to be one of France''''''''''''''''s most ambitious project in Indochina at the time, Rev. Colombert laid the cornerstone for the cathedral on October 7, 1877. Three years later, in 1880, the cathedral was opened to the public. These two dates are inscribed on a marble placard in the cathedral.The bricks used to build the structure were shipped from Marseilles. Artisans from Lorin Company (Chartres, France) were commissioned to create the stained glass windows. The cost of construction was a whopping 2.5 million francs. In 1962, the Vatican gave the cathedral the title Basilique.​

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Located on Cong Ly boulevard (or Nam Ky Khoi Nghia), Vinh nghiem is south Vietnam''''''''''''''''s most majestic temple. Construction of the temple was completed in 1971 after the design was drawn by Mr. Nguyen Ba Lang and associates. The ground floor consists of the library, the au***orium, and offices. The temple is located in a large parcel of land. On the left of the upper court yard stands a tower or the seven-level Avalokitesvara Stupa. Next to the tower hangs a large bell given to the temple by the Japanese Buddhists Sangha. ​

Dinh Doc Lap - Independence Palace​

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Dinh Doc Lap or Independence Palace was completed in 1966 after three years of construction. The plans were drawn by Mr. Ngo Viet Thu, winner of the architectural excellence prize in Rome. The palace was built on the original site of the French governor''''''''''''''''s headquarters in the 19th century.
President Diem commissioned Mr. Thu to design the new palace and supervised its construction. Unfortunately, the president was assassinated shortly after construction started. The Palace became the home of then President of South Vietnam Nguyen Van Thieu until the fall of Saigon in 1975. It is now called the Reunification Hall with all the original furnishings still kept intact. ​

Source
u?c coldbutcool s?a vo 18:35 ngy 01/11/2006

Lucke có đọc bài báo nói về HaNoiKids, thấy cũng thú vị lắm. Các bạn Hà Nội thật nhiệt tình, mong các bạn sẽ duy trì được các hoạt động này và ngày càng phát triển
Hôm trước dừng xe chờ đèn đỏ ở ngã 4, Lucke thấy có 2 người nước ngoài đang cầm bản đồ thành phố chỉ chỉ chỏ chỏ. Vì đã đọc được bài về nhóm HaNoiKids nên Lucke cũng mạnh dạn dừng xe và hỏi "May I help you?". Sau một hồi Lucke cũng giúp được họ đi tới Bảo Tàng chứng tích chiến tranh. Thế có được coi là marketing vè SGese ko ?

You may know who I am through 3F, and I will join your group. However, I can''t take part in the conference tomorrow evening. If possible, we will meet directly on Sunday. Hope to see you soon.