Saigon

Saigon obviously has a huge amount of history behind it, with its role in the war and today being the econimic capital of Vietnam, as Ho Chi Minh City. However unless your a real history or museum buff, and oh please not another temple/church/pagoda/mosque, there isn’t really a lot of to do as a tourist. (Apart from the Cu Chi tunnels of course!)

The War Remnants Museum IS worth checking out however, or as it used to be called “The American War Crimes Museum”. That name gives you an idea of the kind of stuff you’ll find inside, and some find it a little full on.

As per other museums around Vietnam, they have numerous American Millitary vehicles on show, almost proudly, that were captured or taken down in the war. There are loads of photos showing the worst actions commited by the Americans during the war; like posing with severed heads and smiling, affects of chemical weapons, and the idea that they simply killed any Vietnamese, VC or not, to increase body count: “If it’s dead and it’s Vietnamese, it’s VC”.

After putting my Ricoh in to get fixed, they said to come back the next day. Awesome. Call them the next day “no, we can’t fix it”…crap… Then I bought a charger for my old Sony, charge the batteries, still doesn’t turn on….Sigh…

On a lighter note, we also went to the Crazy Buffalo for drinks, which is a huge new bar, and met a crazy Aussie bird who has been teaching English for a few months in HCMC. This little kid, 4 years old, was running the streets and trying to sell us shit, like ciggarettes, cards etc. He was dressed like 5cent (get it? like 50 cent when he was younger?…..sigh…) and dancing about. His mother was waiting outside for him to see what money he made. He didn’t like having his photo taken! It’s pretty messed up though, I can’t imagine my nephew Benjamin running the streets of Perth!! Of course, we didn’t buy anything.

I bid farewell to Scott and Dave who were making their way back to the mother land, but both with plans already made to head out again! Oh and thanks guys for letting me steal your photos too

Saigon to Phnom Penh, via the Mekong Delta »« My Right Leg