(30) THE REUNIFICATION PALACE - The History in One Building

Balik dari Cu Chi Tunnel gue misah sama Dedi minta diturunin di pusat kota karena lumayan masih ada waktu beberapa jam sebelum check out ke airport. Selain niat buat walking tour ala Lonely Planet, gue juga ada janjian ketemu sama Thuyvu.

Back from Cu Chi Tunnel I separate with Dedi asked to stop in the center of the city because I still have couple hours before check out to airport. Beside of that I still wanna do walking tour like in the Lonely Planet, also I have appointment to meet with Thuyvu.

Tempat pertama gue tuju adalah The Reunification Palace yang dulunya digunakan sebagai Istana President ketika Saigon masih merupakan ibukota negara. Sekarang tempat ini dijadikan museum. Gue tertarik ke tempat ini karena kebanyakan review wisatawan bilang bahwa kita bisa tahu sejarah Vietnam di dalam satu bangunan ini. Jadi bisa dibayangkan gimana semangatnya gue. Apalagi gedung ini pernah menjadi simbol dari pemerintah Vietnam Selatan, yang ratusan ribu orang Vietnam dan 58.183 orang Amerika tewas saat mencoba menyelamatkannya. Ini terjadi pada tanggal 30 April 1975 ketika tank Komunis menabrak masuk melalui pintu gerbang, yang kemudian, menandai berakhirnya perang Vietnam. Itu sebabnya istana ini sebelumnya dikenal sebagai Istana Kemerdekaan dan kendaraan tank tersebut juga masih berada di lapangan di depan istana.

The first direction place where I went is The Reunification Palace which used to be the presidential palace when Saigon was the capital of south Vietnam. Now this place became a museum. I interested to visit this place because mostly traveler review said that we can know the Vietnam history in one building. So you can image how excited I am. Moreover the building was once the symbol of the South Vietnamese government, which hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese and 58,183 Americans died trying to save. It’s happen on 30 April 1975 when the Communist tanks mashed through the gates of, what was then, marked the end of the Vietnam wars. That’s why the palace was formerly known as Independence Palace and the tank also still sitting quietly on the ground in front of the palace.

Istana ini dibangun pada tahun 1966 dan terletak di areal Norodom Palace. Istana ini juga terkenal karena arsitektur tahun 1960-nya yang mencolok, hasil karya bergaya Paris dari arsitek Vietnam yang terlatih Ngo Viet Vietnam Thu. Rada serem juga perasaan gue waktu jalan masuk ke dalem istana. Arsitektur modern yang sangat mencolok dan elegant terlihat dari ruang aula menuju ruang konferensi, Ruang Menerima Presiden, terowongan bawah tanah dan ruang perang, pusat telekomunikasi dan tempat tinggal, serta teras belakang lengkap dengan helipad. Hhhmmm…lucu juga rasanya … baru sadar kalo istana president di negara sendiri malah belon pernah masuk … he he he he he …

The Palace was built in 1966 and on the site of Norodom Palace. The Palace is also noted for its striking 1960s architecture, the creation of Paris-trained Vietnamese architect Ngo Viet Thu. A slightly scary filling when I walked in the palace. The striking modern and elegant architecture from the desert halls to conference rooms, the Presidential Receiving Room, basement tunnels and war room, telecommunications center and the residential quarters, as well as a back terrace complete with helipad. Hhhmmm….so funny … I just realize that I never know the President Palace of my Country.

(29) CU CHI TUNNEL - TRADITIONAL WAR FOOD

Akhir dari tour di Cu Chi Tunnel, kita diajak mencicipi makanan tradisional pada masa perang. Beberapa kali si guide nyebutin kata ”Tapioka”, tapi gue nggak sadar kalau ternyata itu Singkong Rebus. Oaaalllaahhh … gue mikirnya jauh banget he he he he…. Ngebayangin kayak di film-film perang :)

End of tour at the Cu Chi Tunnel, we were invited to taste traditional food during the war. Several times the guide said a word "Tapioca", but I do not realize that it was boiled cassava. Woallaaa …. I was thinking to far ... he he he he .... Imagine that it’s like in the war movies :)

Selain Singkong, di sana juga ada staff yang mendemonstrasikan cara membuat nasi kertas seperti kulit lumpia dan ada juga peyek manis kacang yang banyak kita temui di Jawa. Sayangnya gue lupa namanya.

Beside of cassava, there are a staff who was demonstrating how to make rice paper like a spring roll skin and a sweet nuts cracker that we can find many in Java. Unfortunately, I forgot this cracker name.