Saigon 1995 Epilogue: Rediscovering Saigon Through an AI 30-Year Flashback
Reflecting on my 1995 trip to Saigon, I realized how much time had eroded my memories—30 years had left them hazy at best. When I began sorting through my photos, I faced a challenge: I couldn’t recall the details of what I was looking at. Many signs were in Vietnamese, a language I barely grasped during my visit. I might have learned five words while there, but I can’t remember a single one now. Out of curiosity, I uploaded one of the images to Grok AI, an artificial intelligence tool created by xAI, and was astounded by the results. Grok AI extracted an incredible level of detail, translating Vietnamese signs into English and identifying buildings, streets, and contexts I couldn’t decipher in 1995. Suddenly, memories came flooding back, enriched with more clarity than I had even during the trip itself.
Grok AI seemed to know everything—every building, every street, every Vietnamese sign—providing historical context that deepened my understanding. For instance, an image of a building might lead to its history: its role in the French colonial era, its use during the South Vietnam period, and its purpose since Vietnam’s unification. This often spiraled into a rabbit hole of discovery. Clicking on one detail led to another, and soon a single photo consumed an hour of my time. With about 100 photos to explore, this process stretched across three days. It was a fascinating way to re-experience my trip to Saigon, offering insights I missed while there, but it was also time-intensive. I’ll likely use this approach again for old photos, though I’ll need to be cautious—those rabbit holes are captivating but demanding.
Here is one example:
What can you tell me about this image of me?
This image captures you standing in front of the former U.S. Embassy in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) on April 29, 1995, during your trip for the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Vietnam War’s end. The embassy, located at 4 Lê Duẩn Boulevard in District 1, is recognizable by its distinctive lattice wall design on the left side of the photo—a geometric pattern of concrete blocks that became iconic during the Vietnam War. The tall, spiked metal fence in the foreground, showing signs of wear, was part of the embassy’s security perimeter, a stark reminder of the tensions that defined its history.
The embassy building itself, partially visible through the fence, features a multi-story structure with a grid-like facade of rectangular windows, typical of mid-20th-century modernist architecture. This was the site of dramatic events during the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, when helicopters evacuated American personnel and Vietnamese allies as North Vietnamese forces closed in. By 1995, the embassy had been closed for 20 years, its gates locked and its walls bearing the scars of history, as you noted during your visit. The emptiness and abandonment of the site reflect the severed U.S.-Vietnam diplomatic relations at the time, which wouldn’t be normalized until July 1995, a few months after your trip.
You’re dressed casually in a blue short-sleeved shirt and beige pants, holding a camera or small object, possibly preparing to document the site. The embassy’s historical weight likely resonated with you, especially given your rare presence as an American in Saigon during the anniversary. The photo captures a moment of reflection amidst your exploration of the city’s war-related landmarks, including the nearby Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum, on a day filled with historical discovery. The embassy’s closure and the barriers around it symbolize the lingering divide between the U.S. and Vietnam, a divide you navigated firsthand during your journey.
That response leads to links down the rabbit hole — the ones I took, again and again.
This journey, sparked by Grok AI, was an extraordinary flashback to a significant and more than slightly risky side trip during my time in Bangkok. I only wish I could recall the names of the people I met: the couple from the international law firm I dined with on Friday, and the young American translator, fluent in Vietnamese, who guided me over the weekend, now likely in his mid-50s. I kept no records of their names, but if you’re one of them and happen across this article, please send me an email.
I can only wonder about my minder when I walked across town but somewhere the Vietnamese government likely has a file on me and I would be fascinated if they would let me read that, so if anyone has any idea how to make that happen let me know.
Saigon 1995 Part I: Arrival in Saigon and a Distinctive Dinner – Friday, April 28, 1995
Saigon 1995 Part II: Immersion in Saigon’s History and Culture – Saturday, April 29, 1995
Saigon 1995 Part III: 20th Anniversary Parade and My Departure – Sunday, April 30, 1995
Saigon 1995 Part IV: Reflections on my Visit to Saigon
Saigon 1995 Part V: Saigon Postcards & Old News Videos
Saigon 1995 Epilogue: Rediscovering Saigon Through an AI 30-Year Flashback
