Vietnam-The land of motorbikes

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So I started this entry on my flight to the US earlier this month, but somehow the month got away from me. I was in Vietnam most of November for work. I spent all of my time in or around Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City as it is officially called now.

Saigon is certainly an experience and definitely a stop to make in an overall Asia stop. I didn't make it to the North, but I hear it is beautiful. To give you a little bit of a background the 1 US dollar will get you 15,000 Vietnam dong and 1 Australia dollar will get you 11,000 Vietnam dong. For one US dollar, you could get a taxi any where in the city or buy a current movie on DVD :-) I stayed in Saigon, but work was usually an hour or so outside of the city. Traffic was nuts. Although you are supposed to drive on the right side, you can pretty much do as you please.

On the weekends, my co-worker and I toured the city in a cyclo (a bicycle taxi). What a great way to see the city. You have plenty of time to take pictures of the surroundings and the traffic. Look at the wires on the sides of the street. It is like a massive birds nest. We saw a Chinese pagoda with absolutely gorgeous sculptures. The Reunification Palace is where all major government announcements are made and where all international teleconferences are held. The furniture has a 70s feel to it, but the old vehicles and planes were pretty cool.

Next on the agenda was a little shopping. Co-workers in Australia had mentioned that you could get some pretty good deals on custom tailored clothes. It took a little bit of searching but we found a great place. If anybody ends up in Saigon, visit T&V Tailors. The owner took care of us personally and she did a great job. I ended up buying a winter coat, three suit, 9 business shirts, and a dress. All were excellent quality and a great price.

The following weekend, we headed out to the Cu Chi tunnels. On the way, we saw many rice patties. One was harvesting and we had the opportunity to see how rice is made. The tunnels are the Vietcong tunnels that ran under the US base. The tunnels existed before the base, but the US had no idea when they decided to place their base there. Later they discovered the tunnels were the way that the Vietcong was ambushing them at night. These tunnels are tiny. I could barely fit in the opening of an original tunnel. A section of the tunnel has been expanded for the tourists. I decided to go in an have a look. The section is 40 meters long. When you enter, a guide walks in front of you with a light. You are not told about the emergency exit halfway through. Apparently most people only make it to here. I was no exception. I was the first time in my life that I have ever felt claustrophobic! It was around 90 degrees, very humid, and very dark. You could not stand up. To go through you had to walk hunched over. Next on the schedule, AK-47 training. What fun! I didn't come anywhere near the target, but they were live rounds. :-)

Definitely one of the more unforgettable experiences! Enjoy the pictures and Merry Christmas!

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