VISIT TO HO CHI MINH ( SAIGON)
After a brilliant day in the Mekong Delta today is our last day in Ho Chi Minh.
After pick up from Oceania Riviera, We drove about 45 minutes into the heart of Ho Chi Minh where we visited the City and had a roll as a post breakfast starter.
It is important to understand that this day was also the Lunar New Year in Vietnam and we were in the heart of the demonstrations and the celebrations and the many demonstrations of the Dragon .
Parking was a challenge but we were dropped off by the nearest Buddhist Temple where we were witnessed several clelbreations and display of many religious events and presentations.
We were able to visit the temple and watch the various religious activities and the displays using various scents.
This took us some 40 minutes and were then fortunate to see the Dragon displays.
So having enjoyed our rolls for a late breakfast we then visited the Buddhist Temple and celebrated the Lunar New Year with many thousands of people.
It was interesting and exciting.
From here we visited the Vietnam War Museum and spent 45 minutes watching , reading and reviewing the range of exhibitions which depict the War from late 1960 to early 1970 and the Defeat of the South Vietnamese and USA and allies by the Viet Cong and Chinese , Laos and North Vietnam forces.
We viewed, enjoyed and thought it an accurate balanced presentation from our knowledge of those times.
After the war museum we stopped and we all climbed into rick-shaws and thoroughly enjoyed 45 minuted touring the market area of the city of Ho Ch Minh.
We travelled through main streets across and through laneways to the market area, which we have visited on our last two visits to Ho Chi Minh.
The following memories are well depicted with many laughs along the way.
It was following the bike / rick-shaw ride through the City , we were picked up by our mini van driver and taken back to the Buddhist Temple for the display featuring the Dragon and fireworks. This was another special presentation and display to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Plenty of highlights and interactions with officials and also many guests and visitors from the countryside visiting the city.
It was memorable, the Dargon was fantastic.
We arrived just in time to see the Chinese Dragon come out to perform and immortalise the Lunar New Year. Many people were here to participate before the Chinese Dragon went to other sites.
After this exciting and vibrant display we went to visit a market area, where the locals would shop.
It was again different to the other markets and stores we had visited in Ho Chi Minh city.
From the market area we were dropped off at a Cafe / Coffee Shop where we enjoyed the famous Caffe Latte with Egg ( known as Egg coffee ) together with some special Vietnamese biscuits.
Simply Delicious.
We were beginning to face some time pressures.
We wanted to visit the Renaissance Square and the world famous Post Office but Hannah our guide also wanted us to visit and take in the tallest building to get an over view of the city.
A quick discussion led us to the Post Office, but unbeknown to us it was only open for several hours and then only open for signatories apart from Party Members.
We took some photos, appreciating that we had seen it earlier on our last trip on October 2023.
We also visited the Notre Dame Cathedral which is a the most important Catholic Church in Vietnam.
It is still under the Shrouds of Scaffolding as major renovation and preservation work continues. It was this same situation where we visited in October/ November 2023.
So of we go to the Saigon Sky Deck Centre.
We then visited the Saigon Sky Deck and found it to be an excellent point to overview the Saigon CBD and the Square as well as the River.
This was well worthwhile and gave a worthwhile overview.
This has been a very busy morning. We still have several things and places to visit but the heavier traffic in Ho Chi Minh has meant that with some 75 minutes travel back to the port and departure late afternoon we need to be selective.
Hannah wants us to see the new Garden and celebration point which brings the whole of the Lunar New Year together.
Then an light luncheon of rolls and sandwiches before we commence our return trip to thre Port to re board the Oceania Riviera.
This requires our driver to drop us off and then to find a parking spot for small buses.
We arrive and have about 40 minutes. There are now real time pressures.
Whilst we appear to have plenty of time and the traffic outside the CBD of Ho Chi Minh is far better and less dense with no traffic jams.
However, it still takes us almost 70 minutes before arrival back at the Port.
This has been an excellent 2 days seeing totally different features and aspects of life in the Vietnam heartland and busiest city.
We conclude, say our goodbyes at the Port Gate thank those who arranged these excursions. We have enjoyed an amazing 2 days.