Ho Chi Minh City, Day 3

At the Sheraton Hotel, our beautiful room had spectacular views. In the morning, we had a fabulous breakfast in the hotel.

We went to Bin Thanh Market. JP purchased two silk shirts for $12 each. We had lunch and then went to get 90-minute hot stone foot/leg massages: $20 USD - nice, but Cathy had a reaction to the lotion.

Then we took a 30-minute walk to the Museum of Remnants. The museum, from the North Vietnamese point of view, commemorates the French Occupation, ending in the American withdrawal in 1975. Very somber place. Here, we were reminded that we were in a Communist country, and that war is a horror-fest for everyone involved.

After breakfast and check out, we visited the Opera House and returned to the ship by taxi. Got back in 45 minutes; the fare was very reasonable.

As to Communism - our guide said, ‘Everything in Vietnam is FREE but free is NOT necessarily good.’ He told the story about his wife going to maternity ward where two women needed to share a bed in a large ward. That’s FREE. But he paid a little money (private pay) to get her a semi-private room.

All-in-all, a very memorable journey into Vietnam.Read more