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Published: January 4th 2008
busy street
this is what the street commonly looks like while trying to cross it!!!FINALLY made it to Ho Chi Minh City aka Saigon!
Yesterday, we went to the airport for our 815pm flight and got there about 6pm to check in and everything, only to find out our flight was cancelled and we were moved to a flight at 955pm. we couldnt check in until 830pm, so we were stuck in a small airport, with nothing to do for a few hours! After we checked in, there was still nothing more and nothing to do, so we sat around more...and napped a little.
We arrived in Ho Chi Minh at midnight and got a taxi to the city...not much traffic that late, so it didnt take to long. We got dropped off at a market and walked to our hotel - - due to wierd street numbering it took us about 15 minutes of walking back and forth until we found the hotel. the doors were shut since it was so late (but they knew we were coming late) so we had to knock on the door and wake someone up...got to the room and cranked the AC and fell asleep!!!
today we slept in a bit....the main thing we wanted
lunch
the small place we ate lunch at to do we had to scratch from the itinerary because it is a little bit out of the city and we needed to see stuff in the city. so today we walked around...went to a Hindu Temple - - which was really odd to me...we lit incense and went around the temple and putting them in places under the different Hindu Gods.....it was really strange being the only white people and doing that, but oh well...it was interesting.
after the temple we decided to grab lunch because all the sights would be closed for lunch. we ate at a really small restaurant and sat outside, next to all the moto bikes...i had curried chicken and steamed rice while greg had the kangaroo....i didnt try it, not for me. they also served rat, wild pig, and many other really strange animals....
after lunch we went to the war reminants museum....this was really akward being there....it was about the american - vietnam war, but it of course, took a much different view point. it was so strange seeing things from their point of view...and i felt like everyone was staring at me while i was in there (despite the fact
me!
this is me, at the top of the presidental palace there were plenty of other americans and westerners).
after the museum we went to the reunification palace, which WAS the presidental palace of southern vietnam - - it was pretty cool...nothing too special though. it was very 70s looking, but that makes sense considering it hadnt been used since the 70's when the war was going on and the country was reunified.
after the palace we stoped by a cathedral, just to take a few photos - - it was closed so we couldnt get in.
besides all this, we just walked a lot and sweated a lot. it is really warm and humid here! the main thing we seem to have been doing is dodging traffic while crossing the streets...its kind of a scary process but you just walk very slow across the street so the motos can see you and they just drive around you, very fast. when we can, we just walk behind a bunch of locals, but it isnt always possible.
not planning on doing much more here in ho chi minh...we are going to leave tomorrow morning at 8am on a 7 hour bus ride to Phnom Penh, Cambodia....so tonight we
war museum
some of the stuff they had at the museum....... plan to go to a supermarket to buy a few snacks and stuff for the bus ride....then there is a bar/restaruant that is right around the corner from our hostel where a lot of backpackers hang out, so we are going to there and catch a drink or two and some comfort food (burgers!).
so thats all for now. the plan is to arrive in Phnom Penh sometime in the early afternoon, so we will see how that goes! only 9 more days left!
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