The Jaded Empress Chronicles

M y all-consuming love affair with Ho Chi Minh City (AKA Saigon), Vietnam’s largest, most modern and let’s face it, craziest metropolis, began in 1998. From day one, I was seduced by the city’s broad sunny smiles, sultry climes, sheer energy and charisma, freewheeling capitalism and brash temperament….not to mention, the after-dark hedonistic fun (well, wouldn’t you, flying-in direct from a snowy London?)   Ah! Nothing will ever recapture the sights, smells, sounds and encounters of those heady first days. In fact, my very first day produced a fitting introduction to this off-the-charts hyper city and indeed Vietnam: propelled feet first into the dazzling mid-afternoon glare and insane motorbike traffic on a cyclo (a three-wheeled seat pulled along by a bicycle driver). Penned-in by motorbikes with no sense of self-preservation, after the initial disbelief (“Are you kidding me?”), I didn’t bat an eyelid and inexplicably mesmerised, simply melted into the melee. From thereafter,

A h! Dynamic, chaotic, seductive, sassy Saigon! (AKA Ho Chi Minh City).... T hose first atmospheric charged days back in 1998 kick started the beginning of a long standing love affair with this dynamic, city-on-steroids down in Southern Vietnam. Which, for three times (or even more, as am sure I was here in my last life), would, er, haul me back by the scruff of my regal Empress robes and claim me once again as a resident. So, after a lengthy absence of nearly a decade, once more I will be gracing my presence in Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon… a most unexpected twist. No time to explain why, or to wallow in nostalgia and regale you all with past adventures, as am far too run-off my satin-clad shoes, preparing myself and my “Top Ten Must-Do’s” list for my grand return back to Vietnam's largest, nuttiest metropolis.  1/ Seek a (New) Emperor… Pronto Lordy, this point is mega important, albeit points #2, #3, #4, #8 and #9 are pretty critical too. Don’t fancy livin