Spirit of Adventure stayed overnight in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) last night so today it was time to take a tour of some of the city's highlights. So it was back on the coach for another hair-raising drive trying to avoid the 3.8 million scooters.
I have to take my hat off to the drivers on these excursion coaches for the very calm way they negotiate their way around the scooters just at the moment the scooters are negotiating their way around the coach.
Imagine this: He's turning left, but they keep driving around his left side until he is 90 degrees across the road and there really is just no more room for them to squeeze through. Well all right, maybe room for just one. Basically, the word stop just doesn't exist on Saigon's roads.
I decided to put Vien's advice from Monday on how to get across the road to the test. Walk slowly and don't stop. Easy ... ok so there was no traffic the first time but I did also give it a go on a much busier road and I'm still here to write my blog!
Our guide for today's highlights tour was Dung, known as Zoom for his love of photography. In fact, the tour turned into something of a lesson in how to take pictures ("take a picture here, use your flash, push it to 400 ISO") as we visited the history museum, the church of Notre Dame de Saigon, the oh-so-grand Post Office and the former presidential palace, now the Reunification Conference Hall.
A North Vietnamese tank crashed through the gates at 11.30am on April 30 1975, signalling the end of the Vietnam War. Zoom told me President Minh, who formerly surrendered to the northern troops, had only taken office at 5pm on April 28. Must be one of the shortest presidencies in history.
We also visited the Rex Hotel, a favourite with foreign correspondents reporting on the war. Having seen the glorious colonial decor and rooftop garden, I can understand why they liked it so much. When I come back - like everyone else I was smitten with Saigon, so note I say when, not if - I'm definitely booking a room there.
It felt a really friendly city and although there are people hanging around all the main tourist sights trying to sell things, they are rank amateurs compared to the Egyptians. A nice smile, polite no thank you and they set their sights on someone else.
Although officially a socialist country, capitalism rules - and is actively encouraged by the government.
I was especially interested to see how the scooter has become a status symbol in Vietnam. Zoom said you can buy one for $300, but it's made in China, so they all aspire to buy $9,000 one. "You are buying respect," he explained.
Vien was more specific. With a $9,000 bike that girl you've always wanted to talk to is more likely to take off her mask (remember I said the women all wear masks when riding their scooters?) and smile back. That means things are happening. Then it's off to one of the city's coffee houses and the sound of wedding bells.
And all because the lady loved his bike.
We left Saigon at lunch time Tuesday. Next stop Nha Trang, also in Vietnam.
Jane Archer
