Good Morning Ho Chi Minh

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Our bus journey to Ho Chi Minh was pretty uneventful. The guide man asked for our passports at the start of the trip, which we were a bit apprehensive about, but it worked out alright. Arrived in HCMC in the afternoon and were immediately taken to a hestel, which was nice and realy cheap for HCM but we wanted to have a look at one we'd seen on the net. It was a bit more expensive, but we went for it anyways as it has free breakky and net access! woop woop. The Kate and Nicola arrived in the evenin and we went for a rubbish/expensive meal down the road, then went to bed. The following day we'd decided to wander round the city, and we have all decided that HCM is a wicked city. Crossing the road is a bit traumatic, but the trick is to not panic! We went to the War Remnance Museum, but it had shut for lunch so we continued to wander round and see the sights, opera house, city hall, cathedral etc. After which we back over to the museum. I think I now have an idea of what the Vietnam War was about, how it started and the like, but I don't know that the museum gives a particularly ballanced perspective on it, History is written by the victors I guess, and there was alot of "The American Aggressors" talk. I guess I hadn't really expected anything else. The museum has ALOT of pictures from the war, and then small duplicated on a bar at the bottom with a discription of what the picture is supposed to contain. I wasn't a fan of this set-up and got a tad bored after a while. But I would say the museum is worth a visit anyway, as it is a look at a significant part of this countries recent history. The evening was spent at the restaurant and checking out a couple of bars in the Pham Ngu Lao area (where we're staying). But not too late, as the following day we'd booked on to a Meekong Delta Tour.
This tour was definitely well worth the $14 dollars we spent on it. It was a 3 hour bus journey to get to the town where we jumped on the little tour boat (a much sturdier boat than we'd had on our snorkle!) and were taken to some workshops showing us how they made coconut candies, rice paper, pop rice amongst others and we got to try some snake wine (which Kev and I had been eyeing suspiciously in all the markets we'd been to!). We then had a 45 minute boat ride through the meekong delta to the little restaurant where we were given a free lunch and went for a 20 minute cycle - on the dodgiest bikes imaginable - through the 'country lanes'. We then returned to HCM.
In the evening we went for dinner, spending ages hunting for a footprint guide suggested restaurant and not finding it, and then eating at a vietnemese fast food joint. After all the searching, we were unwilling to go out, but seeing as it was Kate and Nicola's last night, I persuaded everyone it was a good idea and we got some rice vodka and red bulls (which give you more than just wings over here) and headed to the 'Apocolypse Now' nightclub. Hilarious place. Good times ensued.
And here we are, having just got up (its 2.30pm) and had some lunch. I don't intend to do much today, not that i'm hungover mind, just because we have a busy day going to the Cu Chi tunnels and then travelling to Dalat tomorrow.

There are meant to be many more pictures in this blog....but it didn't upload properly...will do soon i promise!

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Photos

Reunification Palace
I think

Comments

[WM]

Amazing!
Just caught up with last 2 blogs - most entertaining, as usual. I feel I'm there with you (well, almost!) xx