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Pham Ngoc Thach - District 1

T he cameramen were not impressed, although the area was quiet and pleasant, offering sanctuary for couples obviously in love.
"This is a bad copy of the Hoan Kiem Lake (Restored Sword Lake) in Ha Noi. just because there is no lake in the city, someone must have thought of creating one here," one of them remarked disparagingly.
"However," his companion contributed, trying to soften the criticism a bit, "it is not too bad. We can do with some cool and relaxing atmosphere in our film."
Around the "Turtle Lake," youngsters and students of the nearby National university and Economics University sat on plastic foldable chairs, drinking coffee and coconut milk.
And the cootchi-cooing couples were definitely reminiscent of ha Noi's green lakes.
This HCM City "lake" is actually a large artificial pond from which emerges a high concrete pole topped with a flower sculpted in concrete.
There are walkways as dividers within the lake and a large mound with a conical stairway running down to an area below the pole.
To the southeast, can be seen, through the telescope of two tree lines, the red-painted back of Nha Tho Duc Ba (Our Lady Basilica) on Dong Khoi or Catinat Street.
Even though the city's Water Supply Company is still located at No.1 Cong Truong Quoc Te (International Plaza) Street opposite the lake, not many locals know that the lake was originally a water tower.
In 1878, the French colonialists decided to build a water tower called Place du Chateau d'eau (Cong truong Thap Nuoc or the Water Plaza) at the roundabout of what are now Pham Ngoc Thach, Tran Cao Van and Vo Van Tan streets, to supply water to the inner city's residents.
The tower with its conical stairway was used until 1921 when the increasing population exceeded its capacity.
at the base of the water tower, the French built a memorial statue dedicated to French and Indochina soldiers who died in World War I. It is estimated that about 90,000 people from Indochina, most of them Vietnamese recruited by the French to fight against the Germans or work in ammunition and weapon making factories in Europe, died in this war.
Completed on November 11, 1927, it was renamed the Martyrs' Place. after 1931, it was named Marshal Joffre, after the death of a soldier who led the invasion of the North.
When the Geneva Accord was signed in 1954 and Ngo Dinh Diem came to power, the place was renamed Martyrs' Plaza.
In 1972, the Nguyen Van Thieu administration destroyed the French soldier's statue and built the international Aid Plaza to thank allies for supporting the former Sai Gon administration.
In the middle, he built the high pole with the flower on top, prompting cynical comments from the citizens, who said the petals were actually hands outstretched to receive dollars.
The current name of Ho Con Rua derives from the turtle carrying a stele that used to stand at the base of the pole. This cultural vestige was destroyed by bombs in 1975.
But, offers another local cynic: "It also refers to the slowness of the old regime."

Doyen among Sai Gon streets

These days, the water fountain is surrounded by cafes and other shops selling small-eats. A college built near the tower has brought more visitors to the site.
The fountain divides one of erstwhile Sai Gon's most ancient streets, now named Pham Ngoc Thach.
A flower shop on the street, Duy Tan, recalls to the mind of old-timers one of the names the 720m long street has gone through.
During the colonial days, the street was popular as Catinat noi dai (or Catinat prolonge).
In February 1897, the French gave the street two names, with the section running form Le Duan Street to the International Plaza at present called Blanscube, and the rest, from the International Plaza to the intersection with Vo Thi Sau Street, Garcerie.
In November 1952, when Bao Dai reigned after being propped up by the French, Garcerie was renamed Duy Tan after the 11th king (1907-19160 of the Nguyen Dynasty.
Under the former Sai Gon administration, Catinat prolonge and Duy Tan Street were joined together and called Duy Tan in March 1955.
The present name, given in 1985, is remembered with gratitude by those who had been to the southern front during the American War, as the physician who helped them to fight malaria.
Thach is famous for his research into finding drugs to fight the mosquito-borne disease that was the bane of soldiers fighting and hiding in the jungles.
Thach was born in 1909 in the central Quang Nam Province and graduated from the medical college. Before the August 1945 Revolution, he led a pioneer youth group which later became to the core for the civil uprising to seize power from the Sai Gon administration.
He was appointed member of the provisional Nam Bo (southern) administration and later became the chairman of the Sai Gon-Gia dinh Administrative Resistance Committee.
To benefit from his knowledge and experience, he was called to Ha Noi and made Health Minister.
When the war against the US broke out in the south, Thach returned to the front, and died there in 1968. - VNS