You should. We have a consulate in Saigon (I refuse to call it Ho Chi Minh City). Our Embassy is in Hanoi.
I spent a year in Danang 1967-68.
Yes. I totally get that.
I was a bit too young to go to the war, though not a whole lot. But have always thought about Vietnam. Sort of wondered what it was like now.
Decided to travel last year, thinking I would do some visiting to various places. Ended up liking Vietnam, and staying. It is not like Thailand, or Cambodia, much more family-oriented (saying that also to mean, there is much, much less nightlife, and that which is there is far more subdued than in either of those places), but I really was quite surprised by the place. Not at all like I figured it would be.
“Nightlife” there is also very, very early to start, and also very early to go home. The thing is, everyone seems to always go out in pairs, all the time. There is a LOT of dating which goes on, everywhere. All the time.
People there all seem to like Americans. Not a few. Not some places. Everyone seems to be very welcoming. That is what really surprised me. The amount of English spoken there is still relatively small, but growing.
As for Saigon / Ho Chi Minh City, I think the locals are also of split opinions on that. Of course Ho Chi Minh City is the official name, it seems what one calls the city depends in part, on whether the person is from there.
Those from the northern part of the country say Ho Chi Minh City. Those from the southern part of the country tend more to say Saigon. I call it Ho Chi Minh City, but mostly because the lady I am with is from the north, and she is quite insistent, that the name is Ho Chi Minh City.
Not something I want to make an issue of, myself. :D
Not a problem though. It is their country.
The place is very interesting. I think one would either like it a lot, or hate it. I’m more of the former camp.
Seems like the country is the only one I am aware of in the area, which is not completely for integrating with China.
Every other country in this entire part of the world, seems to be enthusiastically lining up with China.
Vietnam is quite surprisingly independent, in my view.
I visited there then and was at Cam Ran Bay when LBJ visited in 1967.
(I had already gotten out of the Navy and was a civilian then)