Saigon 19th 20th

Saigon 19th
Due to a hectic and busy schedule over the last week I have gotten behind with the blog therefore these brief entries will sum up the past few days concisely. I will need to explain in more detail the amazing impact that the war remnants museum (formerly named, appropriately, the American War Crimes museum) had on us. This is Saigon in a nutshell.
The streets of Saigon are overrun with motorbikes, even more chaotically than Hanoi! At times they command use of the pavements and the grass at the side of the street as well as every single lane, it is madness. The city itself appears so much more modern and westernised than northern Vietnam – which for all its problems (coldness, unfriendly people etc) felt so definitely Asia, with a unique character unlike the other places; Saigon is much more like Bangkok or KL and maybe this is why it is much more on the tourist trail.
The weather was excellent throughout our stay, hitting the high 20’s – it is remarkable that there can be such a difference in climate between areas so close together, the cooling influence of the china sea must be the explanation for this discrepancy. The climate could be another reason why it is so much more touristy, as I must admit the colder north was a bit less fun. The backpacker area is riddled with guest houses and happy hour bars to the extent whereby there are literally 100’s within the space of 3 streets! It is much more expensive here, and I struggle to find a guesthouse for under £7 which is my target. On my travels some fat yank says “ you ain’t gona find shit for less than 15$” - I say I have already been offered one for 12, to which he says “snap that shit up then” - however, as always persistence pays off and while searching the back streets a lady shows me to her house, and says we can have a room for 7$! I quickly take a look and see it is expansive and clean and has a hot shower, so obviously I snap it up! We later realise we have taken their room and see them and their children asleep on the floor downstairs in the morning. I feel a little bad, but when the little boy smiles and says hello you can tell the money makes a big difference to them and their lives, and I’m glad to stay with them than some guest house that won’t benefit anyone but a fat cat.
The bar’s here are more expensive but it is refreshing to see other westerners and hear some decent tunes, although we stick to our rule of eating away from the main drag where the food is invariably a watered down version of the real deal for twice the price. The first evening’s entertainment consists of the usual wandering around and checking out the area, completed with an amazing meal at the best street vendor we find in all of Vietnam, hot pot and 4 beers for 4£ - followed by a nice sleep in our rock bottom price room.
20th
Today we do some brief sightseeing in the town, setting off after the first nice hot shower for a while (unbelievably, despite the cheap room) and also after picking up our laundry (It feels so good to be able to get clean at last). We book some tours and have some brekkie, then we head to the reunification palace where Ho Chi Minh busted down the gates to signal victory for North Vietnam in 1975. The palace itself isn’t much to look at – resembling an old 60s school building more than anything, however interestingly, within, the decor and furniture has been left exactly as it was when Saigon fell in order to stand as a testament to the momentous day.
Afterwards we head to the zoo and history museum, stopping on the way for an amazingly cheap beer (7000D – 20p), it makes you realise that you get skanked as a tourist here. The history museum gives a good out line of the regions’ evolution, with art and exhibits all the way from BC to present. The zoo is mediocre, but for this part of the world very clean and not of a bad standard, the giraffes and orang-utan the definite highlight.
Later in the evening we once again enjoy a wander around the bustling streets, enjoying more amazing food (this time I get a legendary deer steak that tastes better than veal) and we also have a fair few beers from a rooftop terrace overlooking the bustling streets.