Day 9 - Ho Chi Minh City: A Day of Reflection, Glitter Dust, and Schnitzel

Today was a rather quiet day for my unicorn Ursula and me. Sleeping in was at the top of the agenda. After our beauty sleep, we leisurely started the day with a hibiscus tea and a croissant for breakfast. Yes, French flair in Vietnam – thanks to the colonial history! Ursula insisted that the croissant belonged to her, but as always, I kept the upper hand (and the last piece).

After breakfast, the fun was over – we decided to visit the War Remnants Museum. Yes, this dark part of history is also part of Vietnam, and if you're already here, you should confront it. Ursula and I were stunned as we saw the images and stories – Ursula couldn't believe how cruel humans can be. I think she would have preferred to sprinkle glitter dust around to make the pictures a bit more bearable. After so many impressions, it was clear: We needed a break.

So off to a small café on the edge of a park. There we settled down with a tea and watched the bustling activity of the city. Ursula slowly became more relaxed and even tried to befriend a pigeon, which seemed more interested in my cake. After that, a quick stop at the hotel: I desperately needed different clothes, and Ursula wanted to freshen up with some glitter dust and horn polish – because the evening promised something very special!

At 6:00 PM, it was showtime! The A O Show was on the agenda – a breathtaking mix of acrobatics, dance, theater, and music, inspired by Vietnamese culture and everyday life. Folks, what can I say? The performance was simply magical. The stage transformed with bamboo, baskets, and fantastic lighting into rice fields, villages, and the hustle and bustle of the big city. Ursula was thrilled, especially by the acrobatic acts. Of course, she wanted to join in immediately, but I had to convince her that her horn polish didn't mean stage readiness. Unfortunately, photography was prohibited, but I'll upload a few pictures from Google so you can get an idea. Pure goosebumps!

After so much culture and emotion, I was ravenous. And not for Pho or rice – no, it had to be something Western! Luckily, I had discovered a German restaurant that afternoon. So off we went. And folks, what can I say? A breaded schnitzel with potato salad has never tasted so good. Ursula didn't quite understand why I was so excited all of a sudden. But that was because my mom had shown me her schnitzels over the phone a few days ago, which they had for lunch. Since then, those things had been floating around in my mind. Problem solved.

After the meal, we took a little walk back to the hotel to digest the schnitzel and enjoy the last lights of the city. Ursula hummed happily to herself – I think the horn polish was a complete success. Tomorrow the alarm will ring mercilessly early again, as a new trip is planned. Where to? Stay tuned and be surprised!

Until then: Sparkling greetings from Ho Chi Minh City!