Ho Chi Minh City - aka Saigon

Trip Start Nov 21, 2007
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Trip End Oct 01, 2008


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Flag of Vietnam  , Ho Chi Minh City,
Friday, May 2, 2008

Ho Chi Minh City is too long for the locals to say so most of them still say Saigon.  The traffic was just as bad or worse as Hanoi.  It was very interesting to see how different Hanoi (the old North Vietnam) and Saigon (the old South Vietnam) were, Saigon is the business hub of the country and has much more business and big buildings.  We stayed near a really busy intersection too which was always full of things to watch.  Since we got there in the middle of the day, Dean arranged for a cyclo tour for us in the late afternoon to get ourselves acquainted with the area.  A cyclo is a bicycle that has a seat in the front for men to "pump" you around town.  We each had a cyclo to ourselves and it was a really fun way to see the sites.  We went to the War Remnants museum, Notre Dame cathedral, post office, Reunification Palace, Opera House and City Hall.  One thing is for sure, the evidence of war is everywhere.  The locals call it the "American War" not the "Vietnam War" which makes absolute sense but it is still a bit strange to hear Jana in tunnels of Cu Chi
Jana in tunnels of Cu Chi
 .  No one ever treated us differently, but we both wanted to understand as much as we could about the history, politics and devastation of the war.  The War Remnants museum hit home pretty hard...  There were many exhibits and photos of the horrible things that happened during the war and gave you a perspective of how the Vietnamese viewed and were affected by the war. 
 
We also had the chance to visit the Chu Chi tunnels where the Freedom Fighters lived during the war.  Now of course this is incredible because a whole village existed below the ground but when you SEE where the tunnels are it is even more mind boggling.  We had the chance to crawl through some tunnels.  Now these tunnels were built for BIG visitors but our pictures still show the tunnels to be fairly small for us to get through.  When we got out of crawling through the tunnels, we found out that the actual tunnels were half the size of the ones we went through, the original tunnels were 24 wide by 28 inches tall, crazy!  You will also see pictures of the traps they used to protect themselves.  You have to give it to them, they were extremely inventive and clever with their fighting and existence.  Again, this made us more aware of what both sides had to fight through during the war. 
 
We had two fun dinner experiences Layton on a cyclo tour
Layton on a cyclo tour
 .  The first one was with the group.  We went to a local market.  Layton and I had 11 items (2 beers, 1 coke, 3 spring rolls, 1 rice pancake, 3 pork and beef kabobs, noodles) for about $7!  AND the food was really, really good!  The next night was to a "Mexican" restaurant called La Cantina.  They served chips and salsa which was COOL RANCH DORITOS and an ok salsa.  The other food was pretty good and they even had Coors Light!  It was a fun time with most of the group.
 
Random fact about Vietnamese language: The Vietnamese language has 6 tones, each represented by a different diacritical mark (funky looking accents).  Depending on the tones, the word ma can mean 'ghost', 'mother', 'which/but', 'tomb', 'horse' or 'rice seedling'.  CRAZY!  The words we used the most were Xin Chao (sin chow) and cam on (gam urn) which means hello and thank you!  Dean also taught us to say Oy Choy Oy or OH MY GOSH!  Such a  fun phrase to use when haggling with the locals because they usually started with a VERY inflated price. 
 
It was hilarious, all throughout Vietnam the Vietnamese like to say "HELLO" or "GOODBYE" very loudly and emphatically, it's probably the only English they know, but we had fun saying it during our time in Vietnam as well. 

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another shot another shot Ho Chi Minh City by cyclo Ho Chi Minh City by cyclo TRAFFIC TRAFFIC Hi Ya everyone Hi Ya everyone
Everyone out Everyone out Class dismissed craziness Class dismissed craziness HCMC Reunification Palace HCMC Reunification Palace Up close of flags Up close of flags
really close really close US tank that invaded palace US tank that invaded palace closer up closer up Uncle Ho Uncle Ho
Notre Dame in HCMC Notre Dame in HCMC again again inside holding mass inside holding mass mr dean playing with gum seller mr dean playing with gum seller
Mary Statue Mary Statue jana loves to get closer jana loves to get closer Layton and Uncle Ho Layton and Uncle Ho HCMC at night HCMC at night
traffic never stops traffic never stops good night Layton good night Layton hidden passage way to tunnels hidden passage way to tunnels showing how the tunnels were built showing how the tunnels were built
very small entry very small entry trap door trap door door would swing and men fall on spikes door would swing and men fall on spikes one man would hide and fight from here one man would hide and fight from here
there were bugs everywhere there were bugs everywhere statues showing life in jungle statues showing life in jungle actual US tank from war actual US tank from war window trap window trap
swing up trap swing up trap fish trap fish trap see saw trap see saw trap clipping arm pit trap clipping arm pit trap
trap door trap door ammo from US ammo from US mine bomb with twig to set off mine bomb with twig to set off anyone could shoot guns anyone could shoot guns
here is the menu here is the menu SO LOUD SO LOUD B52 bomb crater B52 bomb crater here we go thru tunnels here we go thru tunnels
all the way down all the way down our leader our leader such a small space such a small space selp portrait of L selp portrait of L
the actual tunnels were even smaller the actual tunnels were even smaller emma at the top emma at the top these tunnels were tiny these tunnels were tiny on our way out on our way out
smoke from kitchen looks like fog smoke from kitchen looks like fog L&J holdin' hands L&J holdin' hands more ammo from US more ammo from US agent orange workshop and traditional dress agent orange workshop and traditional dress
photos from the war photos from the war the girl with no face the girl with no face draggin boies behind tank draggin boies behind tank very disturbing very disturbing
soldier giving medals to ask forgiveness soldier giving medals to ask forgiveness donated to museum donated to museum F5A Jet fighter F5A Jet fighter UH1H Huey helicopter UH1H Huey helicopter
M107 tanker M107 tanker 155mm Howitzer 155mm Howitzer MA132 A1 flamethrower MA132 A1 flamethrower tanker tanker
BLU 82 Siesmic Bomb BLU 82 Siesmic Bomb M41 Tank M41 Tank M48 Tank M48 Tank Opera House Opera House
two pig tails two pig tails if only we could have added eyes if only we could have added eyes this is true enjoyment this is true enjoyment now a ponytail now a ponytail
Did we really have to get the gel out Did we really have to get the gel out look at all the power lines look at all the power lines they are everywhere they are everywhere
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