Wow!

Wow is the only thing you could say about arriving in Ho Chi Minh for the first time. I think you would either love it ( really love it) or hate it. On the way from the airport my jaw was dropping open at the amount of motorbikes on the road, it was just amazing like a huge monster roaring through the streets. There seems to be no rules at all, very few traffic lights but I have seen no accidents. Saigon is difficult to describe to anyone who hasn't been here but I will try.. firstly it is hot, really hot especially having arrived on a plane from Beijing. There are hardly any cars, the roads are taken up with the 3.5 million motorbikes, apparently trucks and vans are not allowed in the city until after 6pm. Everything is spilled out onto the pavements, the Vietnamese eat at small cafes set up by the road with children's size stools and tables, ladies walk around with huge baskets balanced on a pole on their shoulders with fruit or veg or fish or meat for sale. The hotel is in a very busy area not far from the centre of town. The first day here was spent at the market, Ben Thanh,  discovering all the smells, colours and people of Ho Chi Minh. The people are something else, they are funny, smiley and mess about a lot. This has made us a lot more at ease than in China as it was so rare for anyone to smile there.

We are getting used to the different style of food here, so far have had fresh juices, spring rolls both fresh and fried with chilli dip, noodle soup and very strong iced coffee. Deliciously fresh food.

On our second day here we decided to visit the War museum, it was very inforamtive but also harrowing to see the pictures of people who are still suffering the effects of chemical warfare as well as the children's faces of fear. There was a strange cell where prisoners of war were kept chained up like animals in a zoo, many grown men had to leave the exhibits early as it was all a bit gruesome. The propaganda posters are worth seeing as are the famous photos that won the Pullitzer prize.

Also went to visit the Independence Palace which is  quite interesting historically as it is here that the gates were stormed with a tank by the Viet Cong in 1975. The Palace itself is not very palace like, more like a 1970's council building from the outside but inside it is quite grand for welcoming dignatories.

The place to eat in Ho Chi Minh is not far from the Palace, Quan Am Ngoc, this is where there are about fifteen cooks around a courtyard eating area who cook your food to order, with all the freshest ingredients laid out in front of them, absolutely delicious Vietnamese food and very cheap in a lovely environment. We found this place by chance and find out later that it is one of the best in HCM.

Overall then HCM is an amazing city, one of the very most different places I have ever been and I will definitely be back!