Of course, I had to visit the Independence Palace. It's after all one of the major sights of the city. So one morning, I walked the short distance from my hotel to this very prominent building, in the centre of Ho Chi Minh City.
The Independence Palace was built from 1962 to 1966 by the architect Ngô Viết Thụ. It was designed to replace the old palace, which was destroyed. This one is now a museum, and absolutely oozes a 1960s atmosphere.
The exterior somehow reminds me of my old university in the Philippines, with wide long lines, and somewhat an open-air structure, where there's hallways that are accessible to the elements, allowing for free ventilation. Of course, there are rooms where there could be air conditioners, but the overall structure does not encapsulate space and instead puts the hallways on the open-air edges.
There was this massive hall, with red carpeting, and was intended as a reception hall. The information panels indicated the various important meetings that have occurred in this space.
There was also the room containing an oval table, which was intended to be the place where the Cabinet would be able to convene.
There is a staircase right in the middle of the building, which was opulent but also relatively simple. I suppose there was just this 1960s vibe which I thought was so retro, and it was well-preserved in my opinion.
There was a yellow room, with glass walls that could be opened, giving a very airy impression.
And there was the room where receptions were held, and dignitaries from other countries were received.
I saw offices and many other rooms, which were less magnificent, but nevertheless still interesting. I saw retro-style phones. I saw old maps. I saw massive tables intended for important people's work areas.
There were several other interesting rooms, but perhaps the best room I saw was this Asian-style room, with massive magnificent furniture that looked grandiose but at the same time not so comfortable. In any case I am glad I didn't have such furniture at home.
Eventually I slowly made my way out of the building. It was a large building and it took some time for me to explore it.
And a few hours later, I slowly made my way out. It was time for lunch, and I was getting hungry.
