SAIGON

I consider myself a lover of fast-paced cities and a pretty savvy urban dweller. New York is my home; I love Tokyo's futuristic complexity; even the vastness of London can be exciting when the weather isn't totally gross. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could prepare me for the totally frenetic, youthful viberance of Saigon. There is a throbbing energy, packed night markets, throngs of teenagers everywhere, and insane traffic weaving through it all. I had heard that compared to the exotic crumbling charm of Hanoi, Saigon seemed more flashy but with less character and culture. I did not find that to be the case at all and hope that on my next trip to Vietnam I get to spend more time in this fascinating city.

One of the highlights was the food. My husband was sick and sadly missed all 36 hours we had in Saigon trying to recover and gear up for treking temples in the heat of Cambodia (more on that soon). This meant I was on my own, with the (absolutely necessary) help of my sassy and fun guide Chau, to discover Saigon's food scene. She and I ate at two ends of the spectrum: a trendy, organic, locally sourced neo-Vietnamese eatery as well as a hot, smelly packed night market bazaar stand. Both were outstanding. I don't even know all of what I ate, but here are some pictures of it!

Besides the food, the War Remnants Museum was an emotionally difficult but totally required highlight. My other favorite was the former Presidential Palace, now known as the Reunification Palace. This weird 1960's relic was designed by Vietnamese architect Ngo Viet Thu for the South Vietnamese president Ngo Dinh Diem. It stands where the original French colonial Norodom Palace once stood. That residence was home to the French colonial governors of Indochina and then the South Vietnamese president until it was bombed by Diem's own airforce in a US backed assassination attempt in 1962. The US had of course propped up Diem's corrupt regime during the Vietnam war until he became a liability and we decided to throw our hat in the ring to help get rid of him. The assassination attempt did not work (a later one did) and Diem ordered the construction of this new modern residence in place of the Norodom Palace.

When South Vietnam fell in 1975, the image of the Northern Vietnamese tanks crashing through the gates of the compound signaled to the world that the US had lost the war and Vietnam would be one communist country, hence the new name, Reunification Palace.

Inexplicably, the new govenment left nearly everything in its place as a museum (of victory, I suppose?). All the furniture, draperies, wall treatments, etc. are still there, and the building is a strange relic of swinging 60's meets Vietnamese design. There is actually no air conditioning, but the structure remains cool from open windows and cross ventilation worked throughout the spaces.

My favorite room was the "signatory room," covered in lacquered panels and featuring these bizzare but fantastic James Mont style seating pieces and case pieces.

Love the curtain rods/valances as well. Those are the lacquered wall panels.

The entertainment room. Here is where the president gambled, smoked and partied while the war raged. Those good times would come to an end soon...

The private theatre. Diem was a huge movie fanatic.

COPENHAGEN

Besides seeing friends and biking around town (and Noma, of course) I wanted to take in some decorative arts and history in Copenhagen. Rosenborg Castle, in Kings Park, was the perfect place to do so; it's a small, well preserved repository of some of the finest objects from the 17th-19th centuries in all of Denmark. It also houses the Danish Royal Collections-- the crown jewels. Denmark has one of Europe's oldest continuous monarchies and the castle has many rooms that contain their original furnishings, tapestries, finishes and art.

The original structure was a smallish two story summer house built in 1606-7. Subsequent additions, mostly from the mid 17th century, gave the exterior of the building its current appearance. The earliest remaining interior spaces date from 1619 while other rooms were updated and furnished right up to the end of absolutist rule and the adoption of the constitutional monarchy in 1849. Above, green silk and printed gold wall covering in the king's private study, dating from 1700 behind a painting of Christian IV as a boy painted by Hans Knieper in 1585.

The desk in the king's private study, a scriptor made of ebony and gilt wood dating from 1580 and fabricated in Nuremburg. This desk was moved to Rosenborg in 1751 from Gottorp Castle in Germany (which was also a Danish Royal possession at the time and was essentially raided over the years for it's decorative goods).

Chinoiserie panels with faux tortoise shell and silver painted frames in the king's private bedroom. The panels were originally lighter floral scenes, but were painted over in the 1660's by the fashion conscious king Frederick III.

Chinese porcelain figures (likely made for export to Europe) were installed in the room at the end of the 17th century. Aristocrats and royalty couldn't get enough of the exotic far east. Rosenborg was not immune to these trends and would have looked to the ultimate source of all things fashionable, Versailles, for inspiration.

A detail from the new king's chamber. That is Fredrick III on the left and the ebony with sycamore and bone inlay cabinet made by Lorenz Corbianus dates to 1679.

A Japaned wooden cabinet in the kings chamber.

A detail of the lacquering and bronze hardware.

This embossed leather wall covering is originally from Freidricksberg Palace, one of the king's monarchy's country palaces.

The lacquered panels of a small "princesses chamber" on the second floor. The room was used by the king for private conversations with diplomats and advisers off the Frederik IV room, a main reception hall nearby.

Tortoise and mother of pearl bits imbeded in the lacquer.

Frederik IV's room. Originally a reception hall, it was made smaller in 1700 and converted to an antichamber for the king's sister.

Dutch tapestries, a semi-precious stone inlaid cabinet, and a Viennese rock crystal chandelier. After a while, it became a blur of room after room of priceless objects.

And then a little glimpse into the dirtier side of things... this little mirrored room. No doubt inspired by the hall of mirrors at Versailles, but with a distinctly less formal function, the cabinet of mirrors features a mirror in the floor, making it easy to see up the skirts of visiting ladies. There was also an adjacent room that held the king's collection of erotica and a daybed for "resting." A glimpse into the very private part of royalty, which I think must be rare in tours of grand palaces and castles in Europe.

A carved amber chandelier from 1746-53.

In a room decorated by Christian VIII in the empire style dating from 1820. Once again, France (at this point Napoleonic France) serving as the axis of style.

On the third floor, the throne room. These huge silver lions are still used in official royal/state ceremonies today. This was an interesting reminder that the royal family is still very connected to all of the items in the castle.

Just before leaving I came across the Porcelain and Glass Cabinets. Spaces devoted to the display of the royal collection of rare china and glassware.

The Glass Cabinet may have been the highlight of the entire castle. It was built by Frederik IV when he purchased a collection of Venetian glass in 1709. The room, with its pyramid form displays covered in marbled paper and gilt lead. It was just spectacular.

VICTORIA AND ALBERT

I could have spent months exploring the Victoria and Albert Museum.  Sadly I was limited to one afternoon, so I concentrated on the section of British decorative arts 1500-1900.  Fantastic.  To protect many of the works, the museum keeps lighting exceptionally low.  This makes for difficult photography (flash would damage delicate fabrics and paints) but it did mean a really moody time walking through the galleries.  I loved it.

An unusually simple Chinoiserie style British Georgian period chair.

A settee from the Stuart period is extremely rare for its well preserved upholstery and trim.  Upholsterers were the interior designers of the 18th century, and were often responsible for the decor of entire rooms or suites of rooms in estates of the well-to-do.

The Great Bed of Ware, circa 1590.  Famous for its massive size... it was a 16th and 17th century tourist attraction at an inn in Ware, England and is said to hold up to 12 couples.  I didn't ask further.

At some point, Ted felt the need to carve his name in this fine example of Tudor design.  Rude.

My favorite piece was this Victorian period vanity.  Not much to say... it was just exquisite.