We finally hit some land-ho on Thursday, March 18th!  We took a bus into Saigon from our port, Phu My.  It took us one and a half hours that included a bathroom break to drive in to Ho Chi Min, aka Saigon.  The bathroom break was a new experience for me.  A porcelain pit on the floor with water constantly running through it!  Note:  You must pick up your toilet paper outside the stall before you enter.  Thank God I had tissue on me!  You can be sure that I'll remember that rule and I suspect this stop will be an oasis compared to some of toilets we'll run across before this trip is up.  Candice decided she didn't need to go until she found a set of 'western style' toilets.  Oddly they were named "Nu Woman."  Ha, ha!

At this rest stop, which every bus stopped at, there was a group of people hawking their wares.  The security guard came over and kicked them outside the fence but one guy stayed in between the buses and was able to avoid the guard.  Once the guard was distracted with something else the people came back through the fence, scatter and starting hawking for more sales.  The whole bus was watching all this go down and we clapped for them once they made it back inside the fence!  It was great theater for a while until we had to pull back out on the road.

Once our tour bus rolled into Ho Chi Min City we were handed a nice, warm bottle of water (yuck) and a map of the city.  We were turned loose with instructions to meet the bus at 3:00 p.m. for departure and we got down to the brass tacks.  With the heat rising from the streets and the sun beating down, we set out to became millionaires by exchanging our money.  No passport needed in this country.  Ten US dollars rate $198,000 Dong.  Why with a $100,000 bill in my hand it was picture taking time!  Have you ever heard of the movie "A Fist Full of Dong?"  I think we were starring in it, ha, ha!

First stop was the War Remnants Museum.  It was chalk full of propaganda which I expected to take with a grain of salt but I think they went over the top when they showed that a guillotine was used in the prisoner camps.  I'm no war history buff but I don't think this 18th century device was used in modern warfare.  They had a static display outside in the courtyard and that was pretty neat to see the tanks, helicopters, and airplanes.  I did take objection to their recreated version of the prisoner camps which Candice opted out of viewing.  The entrance fee was less than $1 to get in and that was about all it was worth but on the other hand I did get a good lesson on how to produce propaganda; don't talk about your role in the war, only the enemies.  The Vietnam War was an historic event in our time and I felt we needed to visit it since we were in the heart of Saigon but Candice made me promise that I would keep my comments to myself.  So self control was the rule for the moment!

The US Embassy, something I really wanted to see, is no longer standing but the Presidential Palace that the Viet Cong overran with tanks and smashed the gates down in 1975 is still standing.  It has been renamed Reunification Hall.  They conduct meetings on the first floor on a daily basis but we were able to visit the other three floors which were the living quarters of the last president before Saigon fell.  Everything is the same as it was back in 70's and it was too weird to see all the old radios, desk and telephones in the basement.  There were also map rooms and reception halls for international and local guests on the second floor with a special room for receiving ambassadors.  The third floor had a gambling room with a bar and a billiard's table with the family's living quarters on this floor too.  Fact:  The gentleman that was president in 1975 now resides in California.   

Next stops included the Notre Dame Cathedral, which didn't open until 3 p.m., so we didn't get any inside pictures but plenty of the outside.  The bricks and the stain glass came over from France when it was built in 1877-1883.  The post office was a gem.  Nothing has changed in there since it went up except the picture of the current president.  You could make phone calls from there, exchange money and post some mail too.  Taking a step back in time allowed us some time for cooling off a bit.  Oh, no air conditioning but the fans worked rather well and it was time for a cold, $20,000 Coke!  Later in the day we found them across town for only $10,000 a piece.  I think this was the tourist trap price but who's bickering when it's 37 Celsius degrees outside and a little over a dollar in cost.  By this time our shorts were wet with sweat and starting to droop and drag, not to mention our backs were soaked from the lack of ventilation from our backpacks.  

Back tracking to the center of town we ran across the Opera House which was very classy looking but unfortunately the communist use it for some of their meetings.  I didn't think you were suppose to mix business with pleasure!?!  Along the streets we took pictures of the 'wire' situation hanging over our heads.  Thousands of wires bundled together and running the length of the streets converging to look like a manmade accident waiting to happen.  I think there were as many wires strung on the poles as there were motorbikes on the road.  I'd hate to be the person that has to trace a problem on those lines.  

Saying Vietnam is Motorcycle City is an understatement to say the least.  Racks and racks of motorcycles parked along the side of the streets, you'd think you were at a motorcycle factory.  Crossing the traffic was a game and we can safely report we won every time.  These motorcycles on the road don't stop for anybody!  You just have to be brave, commit and start walking across the street.  They just weave in and out of the people.  Mr. Magoo wouldn't be in any danger here!  The key is for you to not stop walking once you commit.  A blind person could cross the street easier in Vietnam than they could in the US.  I think Vietnam has a great Olympic dodge ball team in the making!

Honda was the first motorbike to be sold in the country and all makes are referred to as a 'Hon Da' no matter who manufactures them.  We saw someone transporting a washer on one and another one had a plasma TV still in the box going down the highway.  Not only were the 1000's of motorbikes on the street amazing but the wardrobe these people were wearing was a little dumbfounding.  It was equator hot and these people had on long pants, jackets and we even saw one wearing gloves.  I guess the heat WILL make you crazy!  Ha, ha.

Next stop was the shopping market and a market it was!  Stalls so close together you barely had any room to maneuver down the aisles much less with a backpack on your back.  What a hot operation this place was.  Vendors carrying trays full of soup and food running through the crowds and somehow all of it being delivered without a drop split.  Little plastic stools were pulled out and offered up for us to sit on while we browsed their goods leaving hardly any room for anyone to pass.  I felt like a little kid having tea while we were looking at the ceramic ware.  This was the only sitting for the day except for the bus ride and a small stop in the Rex Hotel at the end of the day.

As if we didn't get enough of the market and bargaining that took place inside, we found we had to contribute to the street vendors income too.  Candice actually partook in the ceremony this time.  With bags loaded and almost out of 'funny money' we headed for the Rex Hotel for some air conditioning and a peek in the lobby.  

This was a very nice hotel and was used by the war corespondents during the war.  While Candice was in the restroom, I started to peel an orange in my lap with a hand towel laid over my lap.  Since we hadn't eaten all day (no Pringles around - only a knock off version) I was pretty wiped out and hungry and I didn't want to sit on the bus for an hour and half with orange all over my hands.  Well Candice came out of the restroom and was not too pleased seeing me peeling this orange in the lobby.  She asked me what I was doing.  I told her I was about to eat an orange.  She wasn't having any of that but I was too drained to care what anyone thought.  I guess the heat not only makes you crazy it also makes you 'just not care.'   After Candice's exit I packed up my towel full of orange peel and headed to the restroom myself.  Let me tell you the bathrooms were nicer than the lobby so I washed my face, my hands and my orange and ate it in there all by my lonesome.  Candice came in about 5 minutes later yelling my full name and telling me we only had 5 minutes to get to the bus.  I offered her a slice of orange but she said NO.  I immediately thought, good, that's more for me!  Once we got on the bus I heard this guy tell his wife that he wasn't late and still had seven minutes.  I told him to tell that to this one pointing towards Candice.  She was just thankful I was on the bus at this point in time.

The ride back to the ship was great for observing everyday life in Vietnam.  Whole rows of storefronts lined the entire highway with breaks every so often almost all the way back to Phu My.  The people were very friendly, resourceful and ingenious.  They are hard workers and seem to be quite happy.  The country seems to be prospering and China now outsources some of its manufacturing to them.  I could hang with these people but they'd have to do something about all the dirt on the roads and sidewalks.  Thank God we visited on a sunny day because if it did rain it would be one big muddy mess.  The Saigon River had plants growing in it or washing down it and this made it look more like a large creek instead of a river.  Small temples were erected outside people's houses and things were quite colorful.  They seem to have a good sense of family especially when a family of four all rode on the motorcycle at a time.

Sorry to say there were no McDonald sightings at all in Saigon, only KFC, Coke and Oreo's. 

All in all It was a good day even if we did have to keep picking up our saggin' shorts all day all the while grinding out that new hit wonder 'Pants on the Ground.'     

Sandy