Hurrah Ho Chi Minh City

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We finished our river cruise. Down the Meekong this morning and drove to Ho Chi Minh City and Hurrah, there is decent Wifi in our hotel. A week ago we got up at 4:30 to see Ankgor Wat. Sadly it was raining so we missed seeing the dawn rise behind this magnificent massive mound of masonry. Nothing quite prepares you for this very ancient temple, outside the old stone work is almost black with moss but inside the carving is exquisite and covers almost every surface.

Next it was on to Siem Reap, a once obscure village now made prosperous by tourism. We ventured down town and dared to subject ourselves to a fish foot massage. Hundreds of little fish in a none too clean tank of water nibble the dead skin off your feet. It is excruciatingly ticklish and too late I imagined all sorts of dreadful diseases I might have subjected myself to. However so far have not developed anything bad. As it was Sunday some people were going to church. A Catholic mother and her four young daughters went by in a tut tut, they were all dressed in matching glittery gold outfits, so sorry I didn't get the camera out in time. Night life was interesting, with lots of night stalls. We watched a little 10 yr old running a smoothy stall. Her 8 yr old and 5 yr old brothers were trying to help out but she cuffed them round the ears from time to time. Dad dropped by on his motor bike briefly but soon left them too it. We worried that they might not make it to school in the morning but apparently half the kids do afternoon sessions with the others going in the morning. I hope they were the afternoon lot.

Next we went down stream to Phnom Phen. The Silver Palace is beautiful but the genocide museum relating to the Pol Pot regime is horribly grim.

We meandered down river stopping at little villages. Life on the riverside is very rural and people live on fish and rice. Children play in the courtyard beside the chickens and cows and boys leap off rickety bridges into the muddy river. The landscape is made up of paddy fields and fish farms. Further downstream in the Meekong Delta we saw floating villages and markets with everyone living in house boats.

Today we have got to Ho Chi Minh City and have seen the Reunification Palace and then the War Remnants Museum. This contains the most harrowing photography relating to the American/Vietnam war and was very sobering. Later we cheered ourselves up with a visit to the market and a drink on the terrace bar of the Rex Hotel wher Graham Greene wrote The Quiet American.

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Comments

[Erika]

Hurrah Ho Chi Min City
It is great to have your blogs again! Especially since we will be on a somewhat similar tour in January (7th to 27th), inspired by you! Here it is cold, wet and windy. Do you have time for drawing? Much looking forward to you. Love, Erika and Glyn