Saigon has swallowed us up and spat us out again. The city is buzzing, vibrating, heating up and draining our energy. So much energy that we can only collapse into bed in the evenings and now we gather to report on our experiences.
First, we look for our accommodation, the 'Jan Hostel', and take a rest from the journey. .. and first enjoy the view from the rooftop terrace. We set off for a first city walk, and in a park, there is a big scout meeting (or is it the youth party?).Sometimes a football ends up unreachable in the water. Here we have an interesting encounter with a coconut seller. The pole is really heavy, the back box is completely filled with ice!! We simply see him charging us double the price for a coconut as an investment in the socialist planned economy.For dinner, we go to a tofu restaurant. We simply order the same as what our leader has on his bill. Not a bad decision. We end the evening on a balcony of the bars on the main street of the backpacker district, it's Saturday night and the party is in full swing!The next morning we have a delicious breakfast with fresh fruits (like every day).We visit the War Remnants Museum, which mainly recalls the war crimes of the South Vietnamese Army and the American occupiers. Many drastic photographs are shown, reflecting the horrors of war. Unfortunately, some visitors still pose with thumbs up in front of the presented war weapons.For lunch, we have excellent fresh summer rolls at Cafe Propaganda.In the afternoon, we have signed up for a free walking tour, which turns into a private tour as each guest gets their own guide. These are mostly language students who want to improve their English.Nhu shows us the entire 'antique' Saigon, starting from the mid-19th century. Most of the beautiful buildings were built by the French during colonial times.The City Hall (with the statue of Uncle Ho).The Notre Dame Basilica.Of course, a small but fine opera must not be missed.The Ben Thanh Market is the largest of its kind in the city center.Just the (dis-) overview of the market stalls gives an idea of the extent. There is also time for a romantic photo in the book district. On our last day, we go in the morning to the Chinese immigrant-dominated district of Cholon, known for its bustling street markets.Which of the 14 lime varieties would you like?Nuts upon nutsMaybe these are dried sea cucumbers? We don't know.Of course, we also have some encounters with animals again.Taking a walk in Vietnamese.The crowning finale of our visit to Saigon is the sunset from the tallest building in the city. Thanks to a tip, we were able to bypass the tourist viewing platform and enjoyed the view with a few beers in a bar.Next, we will visit Mui Ne, known for its Sahara-like sand dunes, we are excited!
