Vinhomes Central Park

Vinhomes Central Park spans 14 hectares in Ho Chi Minh City and was built in 2014. The park was incredible! We saw many different biodiversity animals (giant catfish and koi, many smaller fish varieties, turtles, massive toads, an eel sunbathing!) living in the ponds and nearby marina. The park was alive with people exercising and gathering to take photos dressed in their tradition outfits. The park covers over 1 kilometre of the Saigon Riverfront and has next to it the tallest building in Ho Chi Minh City, the 81 story Landmark 81.

My sister Tu walks here daily for her exercise and to rejuvenate (she works remotely and spend long hours on the computer for the Alberta Government). Her rental property is across the street from this park. She showed me many of the plants and flowers and their stories relating to the family. For example, there was a little plant which looked identical to the “shy plant” that if you touched it, it would close. I tried touching it, but she said it was not the shy plant but a plant as little kids, they would harvest for my sister Tina for her malaria! She showed me the tiny eggs under the leaves. My mind was blown. It was a lovely walk and a blessing to be in such a beautiful park with her.

If you showed me photos of this park before this trip, I would not believe it was in Ho Chi Minh City. So much has changed, time has moved forward and the Vietnamese people too have evolved.

I hope you enjoy my early morning walk with my sister Tu. ❤️

93D

93D is the address of the home I was raised in. It’s currently my uncle’s residence. My auntie on my mom’s side recently passed in December of 2025. My whole entire family used to live in there. There was 9 of us (7 kids, my mom and dad), plus my sister Tina’s husband at the time and their daughter Vanessa. That’s a total of 11 people.

It’s hard to imagine we used to sleep all on the floor like sardines when you enter a space that’s only a few meters long. There was a little burner for cooking and a bathroom in the back. I do not have many memories but I do remember being terrified of the bathroom. There was this bucket you scoop water out to shower and a hole for the toilet. No wonder I dreaded showering as a child! Lol

The house has been completely renovated over the years, with a second floor added. You can see my Auntie’s altar and my grandparents altar on my mom’s side as well. We had a nice visit with my uncle who was cooking his lunch and listening to New Years music. He seemed to be in good spirits.

I always feel mixed emotions returning home and seeing the space where it all began. A bit of heaviness and a great deal of gratitude. From this house to the present moment with life in Canada has been a journey we are grateful because of my parents. They had the courage to leave post war communist Vietnam and start a whole new life in Edmonton.

I made a keychain celebrating the year of the Fire horse with the 3 countries that has connected my family: Vietnam Canada and Mexico, with the heart of 93D that started it. ❤️

Glamour shots

The iconic Vietnamese traditional dress for females is the Áo Dài, a graceful, form-fitting tunic with long, flowing panels split at the sides, worn over wide silk trousers, symbolizing Vietnamese culture, elegance, and femininity through its simple yet sophisticated design, often made from luxurious fabrics like silk for special occasions. While the Áo Dài is the most recognized, other regional styles like the simple Áo bà ba (South) and the multi-layered Áo tứ thân (North) also exist, reflecting Vietnam's diverse ethnic group (Courtesy of google).

My sister Tam’s wish for the trip is that we wore the tradition Áo Dài. Yes, I have a sister named Tam too! So when in Rome….

The city

I took some videos of the traffic but unfortunately the app only allows photo uploads and not videos. When I return home and have my laptop hopefully there will be more options for video uploads and I’ll upload then.

Some interesting facts.

Ho Chi Minh City(2095 km2) is 3 times the area of Edmonton(684 km2). Yet it has 9 times the population at 9-10 million people versus Edmonton with 1.2 million.

42 years later

This is the first time my sisters and I are all back together since we left Vietnam in 1984.

So much has changed, it’s unrecognizable. It used to be filled with small roads with a sea of motorbikes, now it feels like a modern city with cars and skyscrapers. There are still remnants of the old city nestled in pockets of the suburban landscape but that too that has evolved.

Today’s event was very full. We started with an unbelievable breakfast buffet at The Reverie Saigon. It left me speechless seeing a completely different side of Vietnam. I’m so grateful for my sisters for this experience.

This is Tina standing in front of the entrance to The Reverie Saigon.

Airports

Something you don’t realize is how little Edmonton/Alberta is. Culturally we are very young, technologically and architecturally we are in our own little North American bubble. When you travel to other countries the cultural diversity and how advance other societies are, become very apparent. It hits you hardest immediately with airports.

Here was Seoul Korea. I was only there an hour but it was surreal. It had this very light, calming and open feel, unlike any other airports I’ve experienced.

Vietnam

I left Vietnam when I was 7. I had very little memory other than some memories of the home I was raised in Ho Chi Minh City. We will visit the home hopefully this trip. My uncle currently lives there now. The last time I was in Vietnam was 18 years ago. This will be my third visit, and I’m so grateful to share it with my sisters.

Here are 10 facts about Vietnam:

  1. S-Shaped Country: Vietnam is geographically shaped like the letter 'S', stretching along the eastern coast of the Indochinese Peninsula.

  2. Communist State: It is one of the few remaining communist countries in the world, governed by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

  3. Motorbike Capital: Motorcycles dominate transportation, with roughly 10 million in daily use, accounting for most road traffic.

  4. Coffee Powerhouse: Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer, contributing roughly 16% of the global supply.

  5. World's Largest Cave: Son Doong Cave, located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, is the world's largest natural cave.

  6. Common Surname: Approximately 40% of the population shares the surname Nguyen.

  7. Coffee Culture: Coffee is integral to daily life, often served with condensed milk, in a culture known for strong, rich flavors.

  8. Ancient History: The region has been inhabited for around 500,000 years, with a history of Chinese occupation for over 1,000 years prior to independence.

  9. UNESCO Heritage Sites: Vietnam is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the famous Ha Long Bay, known for its limestone karsts.

  10. Rich Biodiversity: Vietnam is a biodiversity hotspot, containing roughly 16% of the world's flora and fauna species

Flying home

Departing Edmonton to Vancouver, then to Seoul, Korea( 11 hour flight). Then to Ho Chi Minh City (5 hour flight).