Vietnam and Cambodia Part I - Ho Chi Minh

Just back from a two week holiday with Penny and Linda.  Penny was going to meet her daughter in Cambodia and asked for company.  Good thing too as her daughter decided to stay in Australia for another year.  We booked flights to Ho Chi Minh, a hotel for two nights and set off on Monday 15th April from Heathrow.  Flew on a Singapore Airlines airbus with loads of space at the back so we were able to stretch out.  After transferring to the Duxton hotel we strolled to Cho Ben Thanh market, then a cocktail and bed.

outside the market

Our first cocktail bar

We strolled by the Saigon river the next day and went up to the Saigon skydeck.

Duxton hotel with our room above the swimming pool marked with a cross

We arranged a trip to the Cu Chi tunnel for the afternoon.  A very good value trip.  First we stopped at a place for tourists to buy stuff.  As there were dragons there, I did buy a plaque with a dragon on it.

Model of the tunnels

Penny, Linda and guide

Penny trying out one of the tunnels

man trap

Tyre shoes

On the way home it started to rain

We had a lovely meal at the Lemon Grass which had been recommended to us.  Linda recognised a fellow diner - Johnny Ball.  Well it looked like him.

Another stroll to see some of the sights.  However, we spent too much time chattering at breakfast and most closed at 1 pm.  We had to leave for the airport for our flights to Da nang.  We did managed to visit the Post Office and went to the inside market at Cho Ben Thanh.

We went into this posh hotel to find it a shell.  Still not completed.

The opera house

Two ladies in a Post Office

Panoramic pic of the post office

Notre Dame with sunflowers

As in China, brides have their photographs taken during the week before the wedding

Some bored market stall holders

Had to take a coffee stall

The buildings in Vietnam were unusually thin.