[Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam] We had a bit of a lazy start to the morning and were only out of the hotel by mid morning. By the time we had walked all the way to the reunification palace (via the insane central market) it was closed for lunch. So we killed a bit of time at a coffee shop opposite the Notre Dame Cathedral and the central post office, then some more time people watching in the park outside the palace.

Finally we were able to get in after they had finished their 2 hour lunch break. It was mildly interesting and we suspect all the decor is original (from the 60’s) but Sim thinks they should park a couple of tanks in the front – you know like the famous picture? The palace also has a full sized model of a Huey on the roof to mark from where the last Americans were airlifted at the end of the war (and another famous photo).

Next up was the War Remnants Museum. Formerly known as the museum of American war crimes. It was pretty harrowing stuff. Mostly one sided pictures and details of what the Americans did to the VC. It was incredibly depressing but educational. It was a horrific war. [Sim: to quote the West Wing “All wars are crimes”]

We were too bumbed and exhausted to walk anymore so we grabbed two motorcycle taxis and headed home.  We had walked quite some distance so the 2 dollars it cost us was worth it. Sim took some video of the ride to give people an idea of what it’s like. Motorcycles are the only way you can really get around easily in this congested town. With a motorbike even the pedestrian pavements get used and driving on the wrong side of the road is ok if it gets you where you are going. At one point  I squealed when a car tried to cut in front of us, but my driver patted me on the leg and reassured me that he was a safe driver.

[Pictures: Enemies at the gate – okay, maybe it’s just us.]

– Posted from my iPhone via WiFi