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Published: February 25th 2009
We finally got moving for the day and realized we were both thirsty and starving, as we had skipped dinner the night before (imagine that!?). So we asked the front desk to show us where we can get some breakfast. Well, like in Hanoi…hand-drawn maps of HCMC don’t work. Or we are just really stupid. Anyway, we ended up going in the complete opposite direction and were getting hotter, grumpier and starved by the minute. Finally we see a sign on the 3rd floor of a building: “Coffee, Free WiFi, Ice Cream and Fast Food”. We’re in! I go up the small, steep stairs first and reach the top and yell back to a grumpy Diane that it’s a day care center. Well, so I thought. She did NOT like hearing that. I thought she was going to croak and die. Well, it wasn’t a day care, but it should have been. It was brightly hand-drawn decorated place with little tables on high platforms, and baby chairs and stuffed animals. We were ready for food and drinks by then and said ok and ordered every beverage on the menu and ham and cheese sandwiches. They actually laughed at us. It did
The only other customers
were stuffed animals...that should have been a sign!the job though and we were now happy and ready for the rest of our day!
We were originally headed over to the Benh Tanh Market but since it was so humid and hot out (much warmer than North Vietnam), we decided to head over to the War Remnants Museum, as it should be air conditioned. Good idea, in theory…but not the case. Anyway, it was quite interesting to see their side of the American War, as called over here. Some of the photos were so visual, we had to look away. What’s really unbelievable is the use of Agent Orange and the mass destruction it caused. Vietnamese children were still being born with extreme deformities up into the 90s. We do realize this is their side of the war, but really, war in general is nothing pretty to look at.
After all of the gruesome visuals, we remembered we had passed a very nice spa on the way over there, so headed back for more Asian spa treatments. It was a nice 4 story spa and we were greeted with fresh juice and air con. Yay! I got a steam bath, 60 minute hot stone massage and
United States Army
at the War Remnants Museum. a facial and Diane got an hour long foot rub and a facial, as well. It was nice and relaxing.
Next up, we headed back to our hotel in a taxi and stopped off at a bar for drinks, drinks, drinks and dinner. While we sat and people watched and drank our beers, we made a list:
“You know you’re in Vietnam when…”
• there are more animals strapped to your motorbike than on a farm.
• your best accessory is a face mask.
• you just hold your baby over a gutter so it can take a shit.
• your food barks before you cook it.
• tail-gating means rolling out your “grill” to the sidewalk and slapping on some mystery meat.
• it is 95 degrees and 85% humidty and you wear your winter gear.
• all you hear are re-made 80s love jams.
• young moms hold their infants and try to sell you tissue and say baby, baby, baby.
• you pick up smoking because it’s so cheap.
• noodles count as breakfast.
• you get hit by a motorbike at least once a day, and that’s normal.
• you cross the street,
U.S. Airforce
at the War Remnants Museum. close your eyes and hope for the best.
• you ride in bicycle baskets in on-coming traffic, and survive.
• you wear your best PJs for a night out.
• you’re on your last tooth and still smiling.
• three generations fit on a motorbike.
• the sun grills your meat before you have a chance to.
• dried fish hanging from back of a bike is considered a snack.
• you die on the side of the road and a casket arrives.
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phred
non-member comment
brooke, i have been loving reading your blogs !! now i know (if i ever get there..) what to do, and what not to do ! i'm home from baja, and ready to go back on friday the 13th. can you join us ?