SAIGON - AS THE LOCAS STILL CALL IT (otherwise Ho Chi Min city)

 Another flight on Vietnam Airlines, another plane with mist inside for cooling! Saigon, we are here!

A much more modern city, with skyscrapers, wider roads, still crazy traffic but will stop when crossing the road. Our hotel is a 1920's art deco type, beautifully done up inside. Lots of French influence still around in the buildings in Saigon. Our guide said most locals still call it that, signs call it that, and also quicker to say (his words!). We are right in the centre so able to walk places.

Our guide is called Hung, lovely lady with big smile. She got us some Vietnamese rolls to snack on - yummy small bread rolls. the French influence again with breads and pastries. That night we went on a walking tour (short - only an hour and half) to orientate us with the main places. Loved the old post office which has now a small tree lined street at the back of it with small shops that sell only books. Reminded me of the left bank of the Seine  in Paris. 

Military/War Day - Tunnels and Museum

Today was spent dealing with the American War (Vietnamese call it that - not Vietnam War). 

First up was the Chu Chi tunnels. A network of  kms of tunnels dug by the Vietcong in an area south of Saigon, where they would hide out from the Americans. The Ho Chi Min trail actually ran down the border of Cambodia and Vietnam, so the Vietcong would walk for 100's of km in the mountains on the trail and come out on missions to kill the local sth Vietnamese and Americans. The border was an hour from the tunnels so it was useful to them. Another scorcher of a day, but the tunnels are set in a forest like park, organised very well for the thousands of tourists who visit it.. Our guide, Hung, was excellent and was able to give us a great insight to how the tunnels were built, and how they used bamboo for air vents, and smoke chimneys etc. It was a quite sophisticated system with meeting rooms, etc. 

We went down one and it came out 20 or so meters away. I just bent over (got sore back from it) but Dave was on his hands and knees crawling. Tunnels weren't made for his size of person, only skinny little Vietcong. I didn't get claustrophobic, but did have a panic when we came to a fork in the tunnels and didn't know which way to go!

Next Stop - Museum of Rememberance.

This is in Saigon and basically a tribute to the war from the Vietnamese point of view. Very anti-American. They had old planes, tanks etc. Lots of old war photos of the horrible things the Americans did, Agent Orange, napalm, Me Lai  massacre and also photos of Vietcong being heroes. (Nothing said about their rather nasty antics towards the sth vietnamese.

All in all, a pretty sobering day. Not much gets mentioned about the war really

REST DAY - HOP ON, HOP OFF BUS

The four of us had a rest day today (the others went off to the Mekong Delta) so we decided to do the hop on, hop off bus. this was ideal because you got to see sights, air-con buses and not much walking! My idea of sightseeing! We saw different parts of the city outside the main area, and stopped off at the indoor markets. Dave managed to get fake golf shirts (titlelist) and shorts. Once again I was the hard nose bargainer, I think it appeals to my nasty side.

There was also a Chinatown (Vietnamese are not fond of the Chinese) with stalls and shacks. 

That night we went to a flash restaurant with yummy food, sat outside and enjoyed the night warm air and people watching. Then onto the night hop on bus, which took you around the city to look at the lights. Saigon has quite modern skyscrapers and bridges that light up, so rather a magical last night.