Sights of saigon

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Geo: 10.7592, 106.662

Ho Chi Minh City as Saigon is now called is on the river in Vietnam. It took the ship 4 hours from the mouth of the river to reach the city port. Once there a short trip by shuttle bus and we were in the centre. The traffic is amazing, not only is it hectic but it is full of motorbikes. Everybody has one and they hurtle everywhere in most cases ignoring the red lights, so crossing the road is quite an experience and just has to be negotiated boldly though weaving bikes.
We changed some money into Vietnamese Dong which are dealt with in tens of thousands so very confusing. Actually we only needed them for a few beers in the roof garden of the Rex hotel, which is worth a visit, as otherwise a lot of bartering is done in US dollars. There are some nice colonial buildings such as the City Hall and Notre Dame cathedral. The Post office was worth going into as it has a lovely ceiling and walls decorated with old French maps and old fashioned telephone kiosks. We did walk up to the Reunification Palace but unfortunately it was closed for lunch. The long lunch hour must be a hangover from the French occupation as is the selling a baguettes from little stalls. Before going back to the ship for our own lunch we went into a little art gallery and bought a painting by a Vietnamese artist. Sadly we couldn't carry it back in it's frame which only cost 10 dollars more, but it was taken out of the frame and rolled up in a lovely black leather bag.
After lunch we came out again and just missed the shuttle bus so decided to walk in. Unfortunately we walked for ages and still were not on the small map of the centre which we had been given so had to cut our losses and take a metered taxi, which was a reasonable price. He dropped us outside the covered market which is packed with goods of all kinds. At the food section there were plastic bowls containing live crabs, lobsters and fish of all kinds. At the clothes section we bought several items and then escaped as the selling is pretty heavy with everyone hassling you to buy, so it can be quite over powering, much more so than in Thailand.
Outside we had the choice of walking back to where the shuttle bus might be, but in the end we each took a pedicycle back to the ship. This is a great way to see the city but there were hair raising moments when the chap was peddling madly to get across the cross road and being beset by bikes whizzing by in all directions. At least they took us back to the ship and we felt we had had a good view of the place.

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