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Published: February 24th 2009
Ho Chi Minh City
Reunification Palace22nd February Cont...
....we arrived at 2015, having watched a couple of films (does anyone know how Mission Impossible 3 ends??) and eaten cake on our bus journey. It took us a few attempts to find a room, but find one we did eventually. Sitting on a bus is surprisingly tiring, especially when it is every 2-3 days, and so we had an early night.
23rd February 2009
As we just alluded to, the travelling every other day was beginning to get tiring, and so we decided that we would book an internal flight to our next destination. This is opposed to sitting on numerous buses for 36+ hours - Vietnam is deceivingly big! Having made our decision we felt like we could relax, and it meant that we gained a day here in the history rich former Saigon. After making such a monumantal decision(!), we headed to the market for a cheap lunch to make our bank balance and bellies feel better. We then walked the wrong way to the Reunification Palace. This is a very cool place; imagine Austin Powers if he lived in the White House! The Reunification Palace was the headquarters of the Southern Vietnam Government
Ho Chi Minh City
Daniel feeling big in Cu Chi Tunnels! when it fell in 1975 - it hasn't been changed since, and so it sits in an odd 30 year time warp, with art deco furniture, garish coloured carpets and curtains, and a slick dancefloor overlooking the heli-pad. We jumped onto the back of a tour group to learn more, as we realised our knowledge on the Vietnam War is based purely on Hollywood films. However, we've discovered that this is one war where the more you read or learn, the less you understand.
After more leisurely walking, and motorbike dodging, we headed back to our hotel which is on Bui Vien - a very westernised area of HCMC. We ate locally, a dispicable Carb Fest of pizza, lasagne and potatoes, and then watched 'Slumdog Millionaire' at a local coffee house - a great film!
24th February 2009
This morning we woke early as we were partaking in a day trip to Cu Chi Tunnels - the famous Viet Cong hideouts. As a bonus, our tour guide turned out to be a veteran of the South Vietnamese Army who served for 7 years - spending 3 years in prison after the liberation. He was eccentric but very interesting, very
Ho Chi Minh City
Now you see me.... happy, and seemingly without remorse for the outcome - despite him being on the losing side (as if anyone won that war!) Some of the things we experienced were; climbing into 'hide holes', crawling through a 40 metre long underground tunnel, and firing AK-47 rifles! Not an everyday trip. The hide hole is a hole in the ground 25cm x 37cm big - amazingly small. Hayley managed to get in no problem, but after the previous nights dinner, Daniel decided against risking getting stuck a'la Winnie The Pooh! The Tunnels are roughly 4 metres deep, very dark, very hot, and very claustrophobic even though they have been enlarged to fit 'big' westerners in. 40 metres has never felt so long. Firing the Ak-47 was deafening! Neither of us would make good marksmen as the target was left unscathed!!
So as we said, we are flying North tomorrow out of HCMC. We really like it here, it's a laid back city despite its confusing past. We both think we would like to learn more about this city, and country (we didn't even realise that it is still Communist here!) and see more than our time allows us.
Hope everyone
is well - where have all our comments gone, sob sob...
Love to you all
H and D
xxx
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Steve
non-member comment
Yo kids!
Bonjourno! I know how MI3 ends......but I aint telling ya! So there!! I am still loving the blog, it's like a little escapism each time you update it! You guys are to a certain extent 'living the dream'! All the places you are seeing, the people you meet, the food you are consuming (I am hungry now!) is just amazing. In comparison my life seems somewhat...........dull. But I shall make a few comments even though all I mainly have to say is things like........."wow, Malaysia looked fab, those temples are something else"....etc Carry on having an awesome time, and Hayley you look tiny holding the AK! hehe! x PS Inter Milan v Man U tonight should be good! C'mon you REDS........!!!