Yayingeyona hotele intle eSaigon — hayi ngo-1998, ingekude. It ndinayo kube kanye, emva xa amaFrentshi enesilumko parasols bephithizela kwigumbi lokungenisa kwaye Ho Chi Minh wayesebenza njengebhasi e-Boston. Ngexesha lokufika kwam, ilizwekazi lalibonakala-lilungile, libulewe kakhulu kunoHo Chi Minh, onesidumbu esidlalwe esidlangalaleni ubuncinci esifumana ulondolozo rhoqo. Akukho nto isebenzayo: iiwotshi kwigumbi lokungenisa, zixelela ixesha elingalunganga eParis naseMoscow; izibane zokukhanya ezitshintshiweyo, ezinombhalo ophumayo kunye nefermé, ezingakhange zivule kwanto. Iifom zokuhlamba zazineebhokisi zokutshekisha i-waistcoat kunye ne-tuxedo. Akukho mntu eVietnam wayenxibe abo kwiminyaka engama-60.

Ndiyithandile indawo phofu. Kwakusakhangeleka kumnandi, ubuncinci esitalatweni, apho uphawu lwe-neon kunye ne-1880 ye-façade yeediliya yayime njengenenekazi elikwi-hoopskirt. Intendelezo, kunye nedama layo le-carp, imithi ye-frangipani yekhulu leminyaka, kunye ne-cascades ye-bougainvillea, yayiyindawo enokuthula njengoko ungayifumana entliziyweni enomsindo weSixeko saseHo Chi Minh. Kwaye indawo leyo yayingenakubethwa — kanye eDong Khoi, i-boulevard enomthi womthi amaFrentshi abizwa ngokuba yi-Rue Catinat, kunye neeyadi ezingama-20 kuphela ukusuka eQ Bar, neyathi yakuthatha ixesha elifutshane ekupheleni kweminyaka yama-90 yayiyeyona bar inkulu e-Asia. Ndandihlala kwilizwekazi kutyelelo lwam lokuqala eSaigon ndaza ndawa ndingenathemba, ndinga thandanga ngothando, njengokuba unokwenza nge-poodle enemilenze emithathu.

Ndikhe ndawa nzima naseVietnam. Ndaye ndaziva ndikhathazekile ndibuyele eManhattan, kwaye ndazifumanisa ndikhathazeka ngendlela endinokubuya ngayo. Ndizimisele ukubhala inoveli, kwaye ndiyicwangcise eVietnam. Kunyaka olandelayo, ndathi ndakuphelelwa sisivumelwano sentombazana nentombi yam, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiyishiye iNew York — iinyanga ezintandathu, unyaka, nokuba kwenzeka ntoni — ndize ndifudukele eSaigon.

Ngelo xesha abantu bamanye amazwe eVietnam bahlawula amatyeli ali-10 kunaleyo yayiqeshiswa ngumntu wasekhaya. I-expats i-leapt ngokutshisa iihupu ze-bureaucracy ukufumana nje umnxeba. Ukufudukela kwihotele (ekucingelwa ukuba) yinkonzo egcweleyo kubonakala kuyenye into ebubulumko. Kwaye ukudodobala kweAsia kubangele amaxabiso ukuba ehle. Ndiye ndakhwaza i-Continental ukuze ndibone ngokubhukisha igumbi. Umnumzana Tin, owayengumphathi wokubhukisha, wayethetha isiNgesi esinegama elinomdla kodwa elinomdla.

me: Ndilindele ukuhlala iinyanga ezintandathu ubuncinci, ke ndiyazibuza ukuba singasifumana na isaphulelo.

Mr. itoti: undwendwe lwexesha elide, ixabiso elikhethekileyo- ikhulu elinamanci mathandathu anesihlanu eedola ngobusuku.

mna: Mmm. Bendicinga ngaphezulu kwamashumi amathathu.

Unqumamo omfutshane, isandi sokushicilela iphepha.

Mr. itoti: Ireyithi ekhethekileyo, amashumi amathathu eedola ngobusuku.

Oku kwakuhamba kakuhle. UMnu Tin wandixelela ukuba igumbi libandakanya umbala weTV, umenzi wecoffe, kunye nomatshini wefuk.

me: Uxolo?

Mr. inkcenkce: Umatshini weFuk. Ungayifumana ifuk egumbini lakho.

me: Oh, umatshini wefeksi. Eyoyikisayo, ndiza kuyithatha. Ngaba ungakhathazeka ngokuthumela ileta yokuqinisekisa?

Mr. inkcenkce: Nika inombolo yakho, ndiyakufaka.

Ngaba ndikhankanyile esona sizathu sokuba ndikhethe ilizwekazi? UGraham Greene ubhale inxenye UmMelika oThuleyo -Inoveli yam endiyithandayo-ngelixa ndihlala kwigumbi lama-214; Uninzi lweziganeko ezibalulekileyo zencwadi zibekwe zijikeleze ihotele kunye nebha yethala layo. (Ngokungaqhelekanga, i-façade ye-Caravelle Hotel, kwi-square, yema kwi-Continental yakudala ngo-2002 ifilimu kunye noMichael Caine.)

Ngexesha lemfazwe yaseMelika ibar yehotele yaphinda yatshutshiswa ngoonozakuzaku, oonondaba, amajoni kunye neentlola. Ixesha kwaye Iindaba zeendaba bagcina amaziko abo aphezulu. Emva kokuba ulawulo olutsha luthabathe indawo ngo-1975, ihotele yavalwa, ishiya i-façade ukuba ibole njenge-bourgeois relic. Ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yama-80, nangona kunjalo, njengokuba urhulumente wajika kwezokhenketho njengomthombo wengeniso, iihotele ezininzi zelifa lemveli, kuquka ne-Continental, zabuyiselwa kwinkonzo. Ihotele ngoku ilawulwa nguSaigontourist, ugunyaziwe wezokhenketho waseburhulumenteni waseVietnam, oziqhubayo ngendlela efanelekileyo njengoko ubuya kulindela ukuba uburhulumente buzuze imali ukuze busebenze ihotele yodidi.

Ngo-1998 yayiyigobolondo elilahliweyo neliporho. Ibha yethala kwakukudala ikhutshiwe; irestyu ngoku ikhuphe yonke ingxolo yenkonzo yasentolongweni. Kwindawo yokuphembelela ibhodi yezibhengezo yaphawulwa ngeziganeko zanamhlanje, kodwa akukho nto yakha yathunyelwa kuyo. Ingoma ekuphela kwayo yayiyindlela erekhodiweyo kaMuzak yokurekhoda kukaFür Elise, edlala kwiluphu engapheliyo kwilifti. Igumbi lam, elinguNombolo 233, lalinedesika yokurola, ithelevishini eneesentimitha ezili-14, kunye nesihlalo esiqinileyo esirhabaxa. Isango laseFrance lavulwa kwibhalkoni ngaphezulu kwentendelezo. Ngexesha lasemini igumbi lifudunyezwa njenge greenhouse, ngaphandle kokuba uzobe i-velvet ebomvu ebomvu, ebomvu epinki ukusuka elangeni.

Okwangoku, kwakungekho kubi kangako: bendinefrangipani ngaphandle kwefestile yam, kwaye isitya semango kunye nesiqhamo sedragoni sihlaziyekile mihla le. Ndandinokugcinwa kwezindlu simahla, umthambo onesidima, kunye nomatshini wefuk. Eyam ibibubomi bangeCawa. Ntsasa nganye bendisenza ikofu eshinyeneyo yaseVietnam ngesihluzi esinexabiso eliphantsi. Ngexesha lesidlo sasemini bendikhwela ndiye kwiNtengiso yaseBen Thanh utata Nge-vermicelli okanye inyama yehagu-ne-pâté banh mi , emva koko ndibuyele egumbini lam ndibhale kwaye ndiphephe ubushushu basemva kwemini. Xa ipholile bendilungisa enye ikofu ndiphume ndiye kwiveranda yam, ndityiwe iimango ngelixa ndimamele umthombo ongezantsi kunye nezithuthuthu ezingcangcazelayo eDong Khoi. Ukutshona kwelanga bendizulazula emlanjeni ukuya kuvavanya iicranes kunye nokwakhiwa okuphezulu kwesiqingatha, emva koko ndityile isidlo sangokuhlwa phambi kokuba ndiwele kwiQ Bar yeemartini okanye ezintathu.

Kwaye yahamba njalo, iiveki neenyanga. Ndonwabile ukuba nesiqhelo, kwaye kunqabile ukuba kwahluke. Kwaye andidinwa nguSaigon uqobo, olwaluguqulwa phambi kwamehlo am. Le yayiyiminyaka elishumi eyadlulayo, kodwa isixeko sasisondele kwikoloniyali yaso kunye nexesha lemfazwe elidlulileyo kunoko kwakungaphambili. I-Gridlock yayiyinto yekamva; Kanjalo nePizza Hut kunye neCitibank. I-Caravelle yayingekavulwa kwakhona, kwaye ngakwicala elilandelayo, indawo yePark Hyatt yayingumngxuma nje ongemva kokudilika. Kwakuza kuthatha iminyaka ngaphambi kokuba umsebenzi ugqitywe.

Ukuba iSaigon ibonakala ngathi yindawo enkulu yokwakha ephawulwe ngokuza kungekudala, yenze ukufana okungathandekiyo kubomi bam. Ndandineminyaka engama-27, ngokucacileyo ekupheleni kwento ethile, kwaye nangona ndandiqinisekile ukuba ndinethemba kwaye ndonwabile (u-Q Bar's martinis wanceda), rhoqo ngentsasa yesithathu ndavuka ndiziva ndililolo kunokuba ndandinjalo ebomini bam bonke.

Ngethamsanqa bendinayo inkampani. Kwakukho ubulongwe (obizwa ngokuba nguYoong), owayehla enyuka uDong Khoi ethengisa abakhenkethi i-Xeroxed, edityanisiweyo UmMelika oThuleyo , Umthandi , kunye Iplanethi eyiLonely yaseVietnam . Ubulongwe babeneminyaka eli-12 ubudala kwaye enolwazi olunzulu ngesiNgesi. Rhoqo ebusuku wayendithengisela ikopi yosuku KwiHerald Tribune yamanye amazwe , Ezintsha ezivela kwizitulo zeSingapore Airlines ngenqwelomoya 174, ke owona mthombo ungcono wamaphephandaba angaphicothwanga. Intengiso nganye yayihamba nesishwankathelo sikaDung semixholo ephambili: Le Suharto-wayi-bastard! Okanye, le Ken Starr-yena jackass!

Kwakukho umgcini-emnyango wasehotele, owake wandinika ikota-gram ye-opium. Uvele wandinika, ndingamenywanga, njengoko umntu ocacileyo osesangweni enokubonelela ngesambrela. Mhlawumbi wayenokuxelela ukuba incwadi yam yayingahambi kakuhle. Yayisongelwe kwibhola ye-tinfoil kwaye inuka njenge-plum paste eyomileyo; kuko konke endikwaziyo mna plum paste. Ukusukela ngoko ndambiza ngokuba nguPoppy. Xa ndidlula apho wayedla ngokukhanyisa oobhontsi kunye nokuceba iyelenqe, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba longeze iziyobisi.

Ndandinaso nesigcilikisha sasekhaya. Uvele ngobusuku bokuqala, ebambelele eludongeni, eluhlaza oqaqambileyo kwaye engashukumi. Wayelala emva kwepeyinti eyoyikekayo eyayixhonywe entla kwebhedi yam, kodwa rhoqo ngokuhlwa, kanye xa ndibuya ukubhala, wayevela akhangele ukutya. Ebencwina kancinci, wazulazula ezindongeni ngelixa ndandihambahamba phantsi. Ekuqaleni ukukhala kwandenza ndaphambana, kwaye ndandijula ​​izinto eludongeni ngenzame yokumgxotha: iiteki, iscrimp rolls, I-Graham Greene ephathekayo . Kodwa iingcinga zakhe zamacikilishe zikhawuleze kakhulu — ngokuqhwanyaza nje uyoma emva kwepeyinti. Emva kwexesha ndiye ndancama. Ndakuqhela ukuhlala kwakhe ephaphile, ukuntyiloza kwakhe okuqinisekisayo. Ndamthiya igama elinguGordon. Ubuncinci wazinakekela iingcongconi.

Njengoko iiveki zidlulile ndaqala ukubuyisela igumbi lam ngokunyuka, phantsi kwe-radar. Nditshintshe amakhethini evelvet. Uthenge amashiti amatsha, ikhethini entsha yokuhlamba, kunye nesitiriyo esinexabiso eliphantsi laseTaiwan kwimarike yaseBen Thanh. Phantse umzobo omtsha eludongeni ukuze uGordon azifihle ngasemva. Kwaye emva kweentsuku ezingama-50 ezichanekileyo zokunyamezela uFür Elise kwi-elevator, ndafumana i-screwdriver ephambukayo kwaye, ngobunye ubusuku, iingcango zokuphakamisa zivaliwe, ndavula i-plate plate kwaye ndaqhawula iintambo zesithethi.

Kodwa ke ixesha lomtshato wasentwasahlobo laqala, kwaye ilizwekazi laba liziko elishushu elimhlophe. Qho ngeempelaveki bezisa omnye umtshato uthixo egcekeni, ngokuthe ngqo ezantsi kwebhalkhoni yam, kunye nedin eqalekisiweyo yekaraoke: Imibala yomoya evela IPocahontas , imihobe yabasebenzi bezentlalo-ntle, Molo nguLionel Richie. Ndaye ndaqiniseka ukuba ukuba ndithe ndeva uRichard Marx's Right Here Waiting one more time I might hack up the groom with a chicken cleaver.

Yaphela imali. Wangenelela omnye umsebenzi; inoveli yaphela emehlweni. Abahlobo babuza ukuba ndibuyela nini ekhaya. Kwakukho iminyaka ukususela ekubeni nabani na wayesebenzisa igama lam elifanelekileyo; uninzi lwabantu lwalundibiza nje Mhlekazi.

Imonono yafika, kunye nayo yaba yimvula yokuqala ngeenyanga. Sasiyiva ivumba ukusuka kwiikhilomitha kude. Intsasa yonke uPoppy wayemi ejonge amafu aqokelelweyo, embombozela ngovuyo. Mhlawumbi wayephezulu. Xa ekugqibeleni izulu lavuleka, wonke umntu kwigumbi elisekungeneni — uPoppy, umqeshwa wedesika engaphambili, mna, mfo woshangu — bagxalathelana ukuya esitratweni bancama ukusela emathontsi emvula. Ubulongwe babukhona, nabo, bujikeleza kwizangqa, bakhe IHerald Tribunes ifakwe emanzini kwaye yahlulwa. Iqondo lobushushu lehla ngesiquphe — lafikelela kuma-105 kuloo veki — kwaza kwafika umoya onuka kamnandi usuka eDelta. Yonke into ebukekayo ngoku ibengezela njengeadayimane. Ndingcangcazela kwihempe yam yelineni, ndihleka nabantu endingabaziyo kwaye ndedwa, ndayazi ukuba le yindlela yam yokuhamba.

Ndijonge iveki kamva. Ndithathe ingqalelo yokuthuthela ngokungekho semthethweni uGordon wabuyela eNew York, okanye ubuncinci be-opium eseleyo. Ekugqibeleni andizange ndithathe nto, nditsho nefoto.

Ndichithe ubusuku obuninzi kwilizwekazi kunayo nayiphi na ihotele eMhlabeni, kodwa ndiyathandabuza ukucebisa kubahlobo njengendawo yokuhlala. Kukho iindlela ezingcono kakhulu, njengePark Hyatt engummelwane, ethe ekugqibeleni yavula ngo-2005. Kungenzeka ukuba ndikhethe ukugcina ilizwekazi njengelitye lam labucala. Mhlawumbi ukuyixabisa kufuna i-nostalgia ethile yeempawu eziphelileyo ze- Indochina endala . Okanye mhlawumbi kunjalo nje njengehotele, uhlobo lwelizwekazi lokufunxa.

Nangona kunjalo, ndiyavuma ukuba ndiyazisola malunga neengxelo zokuba uSaigontourist uceba ukulungiswa kwezigidi ngezigidi ukuzisa ihotele kwinqanaba le-21st-century. I-Saigon ineehotele ezininzi zangekhulu lama-21 kule mihla, zonke ezinokuthi zibe seToronto. Kodwa ayisiyiyo le. Kwaye ngaphandle kweempompo ezingasebenzi kakuhle, ukusilela kwamandla ngeyure, kunye ne-karaoke yomlilo, ndiyalikhumbula ilizwekazi njengoko lalinjalo. Ilungu elidala elidibeneyo linomphefumlo.

UPeter Jon Lindberg ngu Ukuhamba + Ukuzonwabisa umhleli-omkhulu.