Maybe it will seem a bit on the morose side but I spent yesterday morning at the preserved parts of the Cu Chi Viet Cong tunnel network northwest of HCMC - which at one time extended all the way to Cambodia. What the VC got up to was hugely impresive - with guile and determination against the might of (mainly) US forces. Much of the afternoon was spent at the "War Remnants Museum" - a Vietnamese version of the war story, with lots of captured or abandoned US equipment. I know I've been hearing one propaganda version; so I'll refrain from political judgements in this little story.
I also saw around the now renamed "reunification palace" - built as the intended seat of government of an independent South Vietnam, and the local Notre Dame Cathedral, but I think the prize for the most impressive building goes to the post office of all places. That's the interior, with Uncle Ho looking down over us.
Again there were very few Europeans on the trip; they were mostly from Hong Kong or Singapore or Korea this time, with a couple from LA. While I was doing my best to tag along with 5 HK nurses, I was rather disappointed to be lumbered more with the attention of an 8 year old Korean boy called Shiang, or something like that. For some reason he seemed to think I had a kinda big nose, and found this a great source of humour. It didn't help that the rest of his family seemed to agree with him and share his sense of humour!
Things improved though. I now have a favourite restaurant here, and last night they eventually agreed to prepare some garlic soup for me. I think they thought I was nuts, because various tasty soups are completely central to Vietnnamese cooking - and I wanted something different.
Anyway I'm pleased to report that it all turned out excellent - maybe even better than the Nepali stuff. I've no idea what the recipe was, but it contained lots of tofu and vegetables (carrot, mushroom, parsley, celery, coriander) as well as plenty garlic. Tha's today's main picture, along with the post office interior and a typical HCMC traffic junction. OK, you can have a pic of the HK girls too - outside Notre Dame. I'll spare you the old US planes, helicopters and other armaments.
Today I'm going to have something of a rest in HCMC and look around now I feel a bit more comfortable here.
Tomorrow, though, I'm off again - on a trip through the Mekong delta and then on into Cambodia.
Somehow or other I nee
d to get back to Delh
i in the first day or two of July!
I also saw around the now renamed "reunification palace" - built as the intended seat of government of an independent South Vietnam, and the local Notre Dame Cathedral, but I think the prize for the most impressive building goes to the post office of all places. That's the interior, with Uncle Ho looking down over us.
Again there were very few Europeans on the trip; they were mostly from Hong Kong or Singapore or Korea this time, with a couple from LA. While I was doing my best to tag along with 5 HK nurses, I was rather disappointed to be lumbered more with the attention of an 8 year old Korean boy called Shiang, or something like that. For some reason he seemed to think I had a kinda big nose, and found this a great source of humour. It didn't help that the rest of his family seemed to agree with him and share his sense of humour!
Things improved though. I now have a favourite restaurant here, and last night they eventually agreed to prepare some garlic soup for me. I think they thought I was nuts, because various tasty soups are completely central to Vietnnamese cooking - and I wanted something different.
Anyway I'm pleased to report that it all turned out excellent - maybe even better than the Nepali stuff. I've no idea what the recipe was, but it contained lots of tofu and vegetables (carrot, mushroom, parsley, celery, coriander) as well as plenty garlic. Tha's today's main picture, along with the post office interior and a typical HCMC traffic junction. OK, you can have a pic of the HK girls too - outside Notre Dame. I'll spare you the old US planes, helicopters and other armaments.
Today I'm going to have something of a rest in HCMC and look around now I feel a bit more comfortable here.
Tomorrow, though, I'm off again - on a trip through the Mekong delta and then on into Cambodia.
Somehow or other I nee
d to get back to Delh
i in the first day or two of July!
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