Phu My and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

29C and clear skies. The ship docked in Phu My but we had arranged a ship's excursion to Ho Chi Minh City, but the locals still refer to it as Saigon. The coach journey was one and a half to two hours. The traffic was manic. There were no rules on the road and there was certainly no stopping at junctions or roundabouts. On arrival in Saigon, we were taken to a water puppet show, which was actually quite interesting and then we visited the city museum, which reflects the history of the country from prehistoric times throughout he various dynasties which ruled the country. Our guide referred to the Vietnam war frequently, although the Vietnamese refer to it as the war against America. The war still plays on their psyche. We visited a lacquer factory. The prices of the goods were pretty expensive but of high quality. We were shown the site of the previous American Embassy and the iconic CIA building and then the Rex Hotel, where the world's press had their headquarters during the war. We passed the Opera House and then stopped at the Majestic Hotel for lunch, an impressive building. We had a buffet Vietnamese lunch and were entertained by musicians playing traditional music, which was very enjoyable. We then drove along the Saigon river and stopped at a Tao temple before heading back to the ship, tired but very happy.Read more