Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)

The 8,30 am bus finds us on our way out of Cambodia and headed to Vietnam. It takes about 4 hours to get to the border and there are no scams. Saigon is a complete shock - there are literally thousands of motorbikes on the road, and if the road doesn't move quickly enough they get on the pavement. The area we stay in is a little like Benidorm really. Absolutely full of westerners and offering western whatevers.  An evening stroll ends with Pho (a beef noodle soup) for dinner and an early night, this country hopping takes it out of you you know!

We visit the war remnants museum which is quite interesting although does not put the USA in a very good light at all.  There is a photographic display about Agent Orange, a chemical substance used by the Americans during the Vietnam war.  The photos show the devastating effect this has had on children born in the areas this was used. there are some terrible defects, there is even a photo showing preserved foetuses with deformities you wouldn't believe. Along with the pictures from the war it was quite depressing. There was a film showing which gave a brief resume of the war, there was a Vietnamese man with two American soldiers he had his hands tied behind his back and the soldier, without warning, turned and shot him in the head. At that point I decided I had had enough.

Whilst walking we pass through a park and see an enormous dragon being formed out of flowers.  The body is a hedge and it has a framework within which potted plants sit in to give colour. The head is made of flower heads stuck into foam on cocktail sticks. The effect is quite stunning.  This is in preparation for Vietnamese New Year next week.

The Reunification Palace is fantastic, it is like stepping back into the mid 1960's, it has never been modernised. Adrian particularly enjoyed the combat control centre in the basement! 

The tower in the middle has a roof terrace which overlooks the helipad! The helipad is also accessed via the cinema which seats 40 people.  It is an absolutely unbelievable place and still used for official events.


We find a nice bar for our final night in Saigon, and then head off for an Indian meal.  Note to self, when in Vietnam - eat Vietnamese food!