Seeing Saigon

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We leave Saigon ( Ho Chi Minh City ) today. On Monday we ate in a local resteraunt and no sooner had Mum gone to the loo than Dad was propositioned by a nice young lady in a tight white skirt. We knew Suzy Wong would be waiting for him! However all he got was a stroke on the shoulder.

Yesterday mum attended a cookery class and made green papaya salad and spring rolls? not difficult if you have someone to wash up for you and all the right ingredients which I fear may be difficult to find in Gosport , even in Waitrose. Last night we went to the Saigon Opera House built by the French in 1902. There was a brilliant local show put on by local acrobats involving bamboo poles wicker baskets and large hoops. They choreographed the poles in geometrical patterns, built houses with them, walked along them while other people held them in the air. The semi spherical baskets were used to mimic crab shells and suddenly little hands and feet poked out of them and the shells began scampering across the stage, then other people began leaping and cartwheeling over them. It was great! ( but sadly photography was forbidden )

Now off for a last swim before leaving for Laos where we expect a surfeit of Buddahs and temples.

I forgot to mention the water festival in Phnom Phen last week. Every district enters their local team of about 70 young men and they all take to their long boats and go by in matching colours paddling like fury and grunting and shouting in unison.

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