The two major cities

When I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, I was picked up by Anton and taken to our hostel. Over the next few days, we were more or less active in exploring the city. The traffic was very crowded, just like in Bangkok. No one pays attention to any traffic rules and the streets are completely chaotic and overly crowded. That meant that we had to get around on foot since we didn't have a scooter. We visited the street food market, the very impressive post office, and the reunification palace. However, the most moving experience was the War Remnants Museum. The different rooms show the course of the Vietnam War and its victims. The photo documents in particular show the cruelty of the war and are definitely not suitable for the faint-hearted.

In the evenings, we usually went to different restaurants as a group and then hopped to the next bar for a drink. I have to say that I really enjoyed Saigon. Compared to other Vietnamese cities, it is very developed and modern. However, in my opinion, 2-3 days are enough, as I felt a bit overwhelmed and annoyed after 6 days in the same place.

After this brief week in the south, Anton and I booked a flight to Hanoi in the north. From Hanoi, you can take very good day trips to the north, south, and west.

Hanoi itself is a beautiful city. Everything is a bit smaller and more manageable. The locals are incredibly nice, the food is delicious, and living here is very cheap. During the day, we visited various temples, went to the cathedral, and saw the preserved Ho Chi Minh in the mausoleum. So, from February 21st to today, January 4th, we stayed in different hostels and hotels around Hoan Kiem Lake. From Hanoi, we traveled to Cat Ba Island and to Ninh Binh and Mai Chau by bus. But I will write about that in the next post :).