HO CHI MINH CITY

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Tuesday 7 July - We flew from Danang, leaving at 09.05 And arriving in HCMC at 10.29. We transferred to the Ruby River Hotel. Tom went out in search of nibbles from the market While I unpacked and caught up on some washing.
Wednesday 8 July - Up early for Mekong Delta Cruise. It was a 07.30 pick up but usual slow start picking up different people. Our guide was from the Mekong and was from the Mekong Delta and was quite informative. We started by looking at honey bees and tasting Royal jelly in tea with kumquat juice. We heard some of the local people singing and playing instruments and ate local fruits: small bananas, dragon fruit, Jack fruit, pineapple and papaya. Then we took a canoe along the river ably paddled by a lady who kept reminding Tom not to forget to tip her. She was lucky he didn't tip her out of the boat!!

Our destination was to see coconut candy being made which was interesting and it would have been rude not to buy some after all their effort!! For some unknown reason a python put in an appearance for a photo shoot. After another boat trip to a restaurant we had lunch - a starter of prawn and a type of samosa followed by soup, Elephant Fish wraps and fruit for dessert. We took the boat back to the harbour where our coach was waiting to whisk us off to Vinh Trang Pagoda in My Tho, completed in the mid 19th century where you can see three Buddhas : sitting, standing and reclining. Then it was time to head back to the hustle and bustle of HCMC. Didn't really feel we learnt much about life on the Mekong, it was just a succession of tourist activities so a little disappointing.
Thursday 9 July - We had another early 7.00am start to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, where the Viet Cong people hid and fought during the Vietnam War in the 1970s. The guide was the tour company owner and gave us a really interesting potted history of Vietnam which helped to clarify a few of the things which we weren't clear about. Seems the Viets have been in conflicts with various nations, the French, the Americans, the Japanese and the Khmer Rouge for so many years. They had only really known peace and started to emerge as one nation over the last 30 years. His catchphrase was 'I am here, where are you?' We watched a short propagandist video and were then taken into the woods. We saw an entrance to a tunnel - a camouflaged wooden manhole- and ' slim' people tried dropping down into the opening and covering themselves with the lid. From here we were shown a variety of mantraps made with a variety of materials: sharpened bamboo spears, metal stakes etc. clearly designed to inflict the maximum damage to anyone caught in them. There were also a variety of areas with mannequins making weapons, there was also a lady sewing uniforms and a man making rubber Ho Chi Minh sandals from types. We were allowed to experience walking through a tunnel which had been widened for us large Europeans ! It was still tight even for me and I think Tom had to go on all fours! The tunnels were a bit disappointing - I sort of expected to see more. The worst part was the gift shop / café which was also a firing range with live ammunition! The noise was deafening and the 10 minute break seemed to extend to about 20 minutes. Then we saw a woman making rice paper - this was really interesting but we were literally there for a minute before being moved on and back to the coach! We didn't arrive Cu Chi until 10.30 am and we were back in HCMC by 2.00pm where we were taken to a restaurant for lunch, which was really nice but we were then aband owned by our guide without a map or directions on how to find the hotel. Some parts of the day were interesting but overall it almost felt a bit like a theme park at times.

Friday 10 July we moved hotels just around the corner to Thai Binh Hotel. Went to War Remnants Museum in the afternoon - arrived at 13.30 and left as it closed at 17.00. Totally absorbed by photo journalism and exhibits about Agent Orange. Excellent although a little disturbing at times. Before leaving we booked to see A/O show at Opera House on Saturday then got taxi back to the hotel for a well needed shower. It was so hot it was difficult to plan to do too many activities per day,

Saturday 11 July we got a taxi to the Opera House and walked along Dong Khoi to Ly Tu Truong to find the building where US personnel were evacuated by helicopter in 1975. Then we walked to People's Committee Building, which is not open to the people! In front of the building is a statue of Ho Chi Minh overlooking a beautiful paved walkway which extends to the River.Then walked back to HCMC Museum. Not that engaging - lots of people having wedding photos taken! At 1.00pm took taxi back to hotel. In the evening we went to see AO show at Opera House. Sat on balcony with a cup of tea watching HCMC come to life on a Saturday evening! The show was 90 minutes of choreography, music and gymnastics and I assume profits go towards sufferers of Agent Orange. Amazing what you can do with some bamboo poles and bamboo baskets! It is however a travesty that US personnel have been compensated for their illnesses as a result of exposure but a million Viets have been denied compensation. We then took a Taxi back to hotel Weaving through HCMC's young people on scooters preparing for a night on the town!
Sunday 12 July we got a taxi to the Cathedral but found it was closed! The one day of the week when you would expect it to be open! So we crossed the road and walked around Post Office which is a beautiful piece of French architecture Constructed between 1886 -91 It was designed by Auguste Henri Vildieu and Alfred Foulhoux, as well as Gustave Eiffel.

We had time to kill so went for coffee and then visited The Reunification Palace previously known as the Presidential Palace which was famously stormed by tanks from the north during the overthrow of the Puppet Regime, marking the fall of Saigon and effectively the civil war. One of the soldiers ran into the building. General Minh, who had become head of the South Vietnamese state only 43 hours before, waited with his improvised cabinet. ‘I have been waiting since early this morning to transfer power to you’, Minh said to the Vjet Cong officer who entered the room. ‘There is no question of your transferring power’, replied the officer. ‘You cannot give up what you do not have.’
In 1962 there had been an attempt to kill the unpopular president Ngo Dinh Diem - you know you are unpopular when your own air force tries to drop a bomb on you! The rebuild was completed in 1966 but Diem never saw it as he was killed by his own troops in 1963. The palace is luxurious and lavish in its decoration and furnishings with a war bunker built beneath it. Replicas of the tanks from the north which stormed the palace on 30th April1975 are on display in the gardens. Monday 13 July went to Botanic Gardens which turned out to be the zoo! which we had tried to avoid! A bit disturbing in places, particularly for the larger animals like tigers. There seemed to be some construction work going on so hopefully the conditions will improve. We then walked to see Jade Emperor Pagoda which has turtles outside, again not very appropriate for some large turtles. It is unusual as it is both Taoist and Buddhist. Tuesday 14 July was our last day in HCMC so we had a lazy morning and then walked to Bitexco Financial Tower to enjoy the view from the 52nd floor. Like the Shard, it's cheaper to have a drink than to pay to go to the viewing deck. Cocktails were two for one so we had Mai Tai and Long Island Tea followed by another Mai Tai and a Piña Colada. We bought Bread cheese and wine on way home for tea!
Wednesday 15 July it was time to say goodbye to Vietnam after a month of experiencing a country of many contrasts. From the hill tribes of SaPa in the north and the serenity of Ha Long Bay to the heat, culture and manic activity of Hanoi and political history and scooters of HCMC. This is a country which is still emerging from a long history of being at war with the French, the Japanese, the Americans, the Khmer Rouge and with themselves during the civil war. They have achieved a great deal in the last 30'years of being one country at peace but realise they still have a long road to travel. Beautiful country, lovely people and well worth visiting before the scourge of fast food outlets and coffee shops make it the same as any other country!

We took a taxi to the airport for our 09.45 flight to Bangkok and then on to Phuket for some R&R And the next stage of our adventure - Thailand!

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