Day 1 - Ho Chi Minh City, (previously Saigon) Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), formerly known as Saigon, is an exciting and absorbing city where bicycles battle with lorries and temples stand defiantly alongside modern developments. Devastated by the Vietnam War, Saigon is now a bustling free market city where anything goes. Prior to visiting, I made a list of places that I wanted to visiting on an independent city tour. They included: Bitexco Tower and Sky Deck, Reunification Place, Presidents Place, War Remnants, Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum, Norte Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Min Post Office, Museum of Vietnam History, Cao Dai Temple, Jade Emperor Pagoda, and Mariamman Hindu Temple.

 I got to visit the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum and Norte Dame Cathedral, but the mini-typhoon discouraged me from visiting the balance. Buckets of rain were dumping sideways! And I canceled my walking food tour, and stayed in the hotel most of the day. I do regret, however, not visiting the “War Remnants Museum”. I heard it was depressing and sad, but worth the visit.

Ho Chi Minh Opera House - a classic example of French Colonial architecture that is prominent around Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC, perviously Saigon). 

It was great meeting up with Richard from DC, who now lives in HCMC for dinner and walking around the city the next day. 

Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum - Better than what I expected, but not that great. 

I could eat noodle soup everyday, and I doing it here in Asia. At least once a day I have a bowl, on somedays I have two. 

The morning of my second day in HCMC it started to rain, by evening it was a mini typhoon.  I tried to walk around the city but within minutes I was drenched.  I skipped the city tour and headed back to the hotel for the rest of the evening. 

Another Asian city with a construction booming everywhere. It's difficult to believe that the war with the US ended in 1975. Only 43 years ago and the city is extremely developed with top designer shops, shopping malls, high-end hotels locate through out the city. 

A young waitress served by beer with a glass of ice and a straw. Bless her.