Despite the long trip from the docks to HCMC, we had decided to go back the next day to see sites we didn’t see the day before. It was a do it yourself excursion but , of course, that was not to be the case. Before we had barely put a foot to the ground, we met Mr Ho who asked us if we wanted a taxi. After I explained that we needed to change some money, he took us to his favourite and “best deal” exchange and then proceeded to suggest how much we pay him for the taxi to the War Museum. We didn’t want to be ripped off and we had been told that a taxi there should only be about $2. We negotiated from $35 (for a round trip to the museum and then to the market ) which was his starting point to $20. We made sure it was for both of us and that it included entrance to the museum. Then we would get to the market. We were happy with $20 and Mr Ho also said we needed to go to the vietnamese pagoda because we had been to the Chinese pagoda the day before so that was included in the $20 by Mr Ho.

The War Museum, HCMC

Paul and Mr Ho at the War Museum

We arrived at the War Museum and Mr Ho wanted to have his photo taken with Paul in front of the war helicopter.  A poor man with  damage to his face  and limbs came up to us and offered his amputated upper arm to shake and wanted us to buy books about the war. We offered him a donation which he  refused. The War Museum is a must to go to but is very confronting with images and stories of the Vietnam War. Mr Ho wanted to show us around but we preferred to go on our own so as not be rushed. He was there waiting for us when we came out and then on to the Vietnamese Buddhist temple. At the Buddhist temple Mr Ho made offerings and again waited patiently for us to finish.

Vietnamese Buddhist temple, HCMC

At the Vietnamese Pagoda

When we arrived at the market, he again wanted to come with us and show us around but we explained that we were happy to look by ourselves.We gave him the agreed $20 and he then asked for some “happy money” so we gave him another $3… so all three of us ended up happy!!

coconuts, ready for drinking at the markets

cooking at the market

trinkets at the market

We wandered around the market and I got”scarf disease” again…how many scarves does one person really need?

Then off to an air-conditioned restaurant to get out of the 36 degrees C heat and have some seafood lunch – yum!

After we arrived back at the ship, we went to the lower levels to view “The Man from UNCLE” in the small cinema. After dinner in the dining room with waiters Mario and  Mon, we went to see the Marriage Game Show in which Dan Dan,the cruise director, asked personal questions to the couples including one couple who got married 4 days before.

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Early rise today to leave the ship for a whole day tour of Ho Chi Minh City highlights. There were so many people lined up to leave the ship and the organisation was massive with more than 10 buses waiting to pick up tourists while others were making their own ways, presumably in privately-organised trips. The ship docked in the container port and it was 1-2 hours to the centre of the city, depending on the traffic. The trip was pretty bumpy at times due to speed bumps on the roads and poor suspension. We sat in the back of the bus as we have worked out in the past that most travellers avoid the back but the back seat sits higher and so seeing the scenery and/or traffic is better.

It was a good day and jam-packed so we got back later than expected. We went to the old Presidential Palace, now known as the reunification palace.The second floor had an internal garden with a pond and the rooms were decorated in a colour coded manner – green for tranquillity in the meeting room (wonder if it works!); gold for prosperity and so on. The lower floor was the bunker area and old equipment from the last war is kept there.

reunification palace, HCMC

Ho Chi Minh’s bunker room bed

The next stop was lunch at the Windsor which was a buffet of Asian cuisine (possibly more Chinese than Vietnamese in style).Then on to Notre Dam Cathedral and the Post Office. Then it was a quick viewing of the wholesale markets and an ancient Chinese pagoda. The pagoda was decorated with enameled figures, dating back to the 18th century.

Post Office in HCMC

inside the postoffice at HCMC

Notre Dam Cathedral in HCMC

Chinese Pagoda

Incense burners in Pagoda

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