Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), Viet Nam December 5-8, 2008 Part III

HCMC is a vibrant, eclectic place and presented us with so many photo ops! A few of my favourites are below. Our weekend trip was over before we knew it but we all said we would love to return as there is much more to see and do, especially in the surrounding countryside and on the coast. We've heard that some of the best beaches in SE Asia are in Viet Nam! The food was wonderful: Lemongrass Restaurant (Palace Hotel Saigon 14th floor) the first night, the dinner boat cruise on the second night and a rooftop BBQ at your table (Quan Nuong) on the third night. Fish, meat and veggies were all fresh and beautifully prepared. As always, my favourite is fresh spring rolls in rice paper wrappers!






There's always
time for a nap!













HCMC Opera House
The beautiful Park
Hyatt Hotel behind is
where Pat and I enjoyed
a drink!










Christmas treats
in a bakery










Kathie posing
with the girls
in traditional
dress on the
dinner
cruise










Pat learning
the bamboo
pole dance
on the cruise















Notre Dame
Cathedral
(built 1877-1883)
not unlike many
churches in Quebec
from the
same era.













Wedding pictures
outside the
Cathedral









Street scene-
card sellers
(note the
billboard
above of the
Saigon River)








A rat's nest
of electrical
wires (in German,
Kabelsalat! I learned
this from Andrea
and Monika.)











Street food
chefs and
sellers








Reunification
Palace-the first
Communist tanks
charged through
the gates here on
April 30, 1975 and
the Republic of
Viet Nam fell.









An elegant
and imposing
room in the
Palace.














Another room
used for diplomats.








Our last day was spent touring the above Palace as well as the War Remnants Museum (once known as the Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes but changed to avoid offending visitors from these countries). It is the most popular museum with Western tourists in HCMC.
Having lived through the "American War" (as it is know here), it was gruelling to once again see those famous images caught in Time, Newsweek or on national TV during the 1960-70's. Despite the fact that the exhibits in this museum are one-sided, it definitely drives home the point that all war is brutal and that many of its victims are innocent civilians, some still living locally with their maimed faces or missing limbs. A sobering way to end our weekend to HCMC.

Jumpa lagi...