Day Two - Ho Chi Minh City - Southern Vietnam

We spent our first full day in Ho Chi Minh City, otherwise known as Saigon, somewhat unsure of ourselves but ready to dive headlong into it. After consuming a blissful breakfast of banana crepes and tea (courtesy of French colonialism, no less) I was swayed into taking a tour with a local 'xe om' driver whose smile wooed me from the outset. A 'xe om' is a bicycle with a proper seat attached to the front, so that its passenger can enjoy a lolling view of the city around them.

So Sim and I, in individual seats with our drivers, were given a tour of downtown HCMC. First, we were taken to the War Remenants Museum, which focuses predominantly on photography as a means of expressing the inhumanity of the Vietnam War. It reminded me much of the 'Nanjing Massacre Museum' in China, which outlines similar atrocities suffered by the Chinese during the Japanese incursion into Western China. Needless to say, it was a sobering experience, so many photos of bombings, killings, and Agent Orange victims. However, I was pleased with a small section of the exhibition which celebrated the foreign photographers who sought to provide the visual backdrop of the war to the foreign community.

Following this, we were taken to a local factory which produced mosaics and artwork from a variety of materials, including ceramic, mother of pearl, and egg shells. Beautiful stuff, clearly tailored to tourists; a well-executed collaboration between local authorities, the factory owners and the xe om drivers.

From there, we headed to the Notre Dame Cathedral, built in 1860. Beautiful.

Then, onto a local temple; which our driver personally escorted us through, explaining each of the gods and their respective premises. I couldn't help but giggle at his enthusiasm for Simon and I to touch the relevant spiritual elements of the 'fertility' god, which had itself blessed our driver with four healthy children.

Following this, we went to... Where did we go to? It was such a whirlwind tour. Oh, that's right, to the edge of the Saigon River - reminding me of Guangzhou's River (can't remember the name) and pictures of Gaosiang River in Taiwan. By this I mean, a river with sole utilitarian purposes, with little of any real beauty. Nonetheless, our driver spent ten minutes explaining the designs of a number of bonsai plants along the river. Sim felt it a little unneccesary, but I couldn't help but smile - sometimes you need someone to point out the beauty of things for you, otherwise... their significance is meaningless. And I certainly can't remember the last time somebody explained bonsai designs to me. It was great.

We've finished our day with more Tiger beer and book reading. Must run, but more later. x