Saigon as the locals call it (HCMC)

Saigon

Beware of the motorpeds is the key message when walking in Saigon - even on the side walks!

All you need to do is walk across the sea of the waspy engines slowly, alert and not make any sudden movements. Understanding that law for walkers we ventured out into the city to explore a number of the sights using the Lonely Planet (LP) as a reference only.

Saigon is very much a cross between Bangkok and New Delhi (more towards Bangkok which is good). Walking at a slower pace than we normally do our first stop was the Hoi Ch Minh Museum - a grand colonial building but the contents - not that impressive apart from the various vehicles used to smuggles guns and people during the wars and the miltary bits of kit parked outside.

One of the biggest attractions (if you call it that) is the War Remnants Museum which explains the Vietnam War in the eyes of the locals and various international journalists. There is no Hollywood glamour when you walk around looking at the photos taken during the battles and understanding the pain people went through and for some continue to do so today.

With our new found walking speed lunchtime was upon us and as we were making our way to the Reunification Palace we spotted a local place to rest our legs and replenish. It had disaster written on the next 30 minutes when we noticed they didn't have a menu outside to pass judgement. The place was clean and the staff happy as they sat us down. Presenting menus we hadn't a clue despite it being in English and ordered blindly. Minutes later Mark's dish arrived - a sort of pancake with Watercress, pork and prawns inside. Then arrived Rach's dish! She'd had obviously opted for a vegetarian dish. The waitress showed us what to do by taking a selection of salad leaves and wrapping the pancake filling to make another type of pancake! As she made a start on Rach's dish but we noticed it had meat and pwrawns in it. After spending 5 minutes trying to explain the issue and the waitress returning with several other dishes (the meat just taken out of the original one,and one with just prawns) fortunately a man appeared who spoke English. He explained that the 'meat' was infact tofu in the shape of pork belly and prawns! If that was the case they were certainly very good lookalikes. Slightly put off and embarassed Rach didn't eat anything and Mark just picked at his after discovering it didn't taste that great anyway.

Not replenised we continued our journey and went into the Reunification Palace. Now, it is not like you would imagine if you closed your eyes and pictured a palace. It was a 1960s concrete building that looked more like an office block you see in an industrial park. It was where the Southern Vietnamese Government ran the country until the North invaded and crashed a tank through the main gates and took power in 1975. As we left Mark summed up his thoughts saying 'Hmmmmm.' Two unrewarding experiences in a row.

We headed back to the hotel and on route booked our transport for Dalat - yep you've guest it another 7 hour bus trip was to come!

That evening we went to the Sheraton Saigon to the roof top bar (a treat!) and sat watching the day close while having a beer. Again using the LP as the guide we picked a restaurant nearby and hoped it would fulfil our needs. We walked there to find the building knocked down! Walking back to the hotel Mark was considering binning the LP. Nearer the hotel we found a restaurant and being tired (of walking and failure!) we ordered! Lets just say we have yet to experience a culinary delight in Vietnam. Tomorrow we head for Dalat and the mountanins - please let there be good food and places that are open!

Hope all is good at home.

Love

Mark & Rach. xxx

PS - Liz I'm very impressed by the baking. I hope others are contributing (not just Rob)! Good luck for tomorrows game, someone text the result please.