Saigon Redux

On a damp, overcast morning we are bidding farewell to Hue. Fingers crossed that the Vietjet flight I booked on my phone will deliver us as promised, back in Saigon in a mere 1 hr 25 min.

A minor delay, but we are soon above the clouds and swiftly retracing our path back to the heaving chaos that is Ho Chi Minh City. The city goes by both names, I think I prefer Saigon. Particularly after our DMZ tour and learning how the North

Traffic in this city is like a living organism, it expands, contracts, rushes like blood through veins. The sheer wall of people on wheels with stray pedestrians is incredible.

We've got a couple of days to wander and get the feel of the city. It truly is immense and alive. If you don't learn quickly how to immerse yourself in this river of traffic, you'll be paralyzed in place. But it takes courage to plunge in! I get used to looking for gaps and openings, learn to trust that drivers will weave around me. But I'll never be accustomed to traffic roaring directly at me!

First things first, we take the brand new metro to the hotel to pick up Brad's wallet. How incredible, it's complete, sealed and his identity verified before being returned. We leave a substantial tip for the driver and hotel staff. I'm not sure there's anywhere else on earth this would have worked out this way.

A few steps away are the famous Cafe Apartments. I'm fascinated by this concept. Cafes, bars, boutiques, all over multiple stories. We opt for stairs over the paid elevator and find a 3rd floor cafe to enjoy a coconut coffee on the balcony.

Through parks and thronged streets, we pass famous buildings: Opera house, Post Office. Book Street. Next stop is the War Remnants Museum.

This is a sombre place. Some rooms, such as War Crimes and Agent Orange, could make you weep. Man's inhumanity is on full display. It's awful. It's hard. It's necessary.

A different perspective entirely from our DMZ tour. History is so often told from the winners side that knowing the truths is never easy. There's another room here titled "War Truths" I'm skeptical. Truly sobering are posted quotes, from Nuremberg, from American political pacifists. The parallels are obvious and ominous.

We need a reset, a walk to the river for a cruise on the water bus. A mostly foiled attempt to visit the famed Kapi Café. It's hard to find, and too close to closing when we arrive.

We also find the Jade Pagoda, a perfumed dark wood sculpted place of worship. This hundred year old Buddhist temple is an oasis famously visited by Barack Obama. Tomorrow is actually the day of birth of the Jade Emperor, so offerings are beginning to grow as the faithful come to pray for health prosperity and happiness.

And for us, after just over 40,000 steps in 2 days, it's time for a luxury spa experience!Read more