The waiter who served me this morning glory salad flip-flopped like John Kerry in 2004
I've attempted to ascertain whether the Vietnamese here call the city Ho Chi Minh or Saigon. My efforts have produced more confusion than clarity. Since most of the population speaks little English, I've limited this question to English-inclined waitstaff, tour guides, etc. The first response is clear and definitive: "Ho Chi Minh City." Or, another girl, with equal certitude: "Saigon." Ugh. Content with some sort of answer from each respective conversation, I move on: Where did you learn English? "Univeristy." Here? "In Saigon, yes." Only this was the guy who had originally said HCMC. And the waitress who originally said Saigon later referred to "working in Ho Chi Minh City." This happens in a handful of instances. Ha-whaa?? My tour guide says Ho Chi Minh City, "but Saigon OK." One waiter said, "either," and then when I called it Saigon, he corrected me: "foreigner say Ho Chi Minh City." I give up. Saigon is quicker to say, HCMC quicker to write. I'll go with that. Cam on. 
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