On top the 70th floor of the Equinox

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly named Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam. Under the name Saigon, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochin-china, and later of the independent republic of South Vietnam from 1955–75. (Wikipedia)

Vietnam has always been a part of my list of places to visit. I am curious about how they survived the war, what changed after the war, and how they are today. We arrived in Tan Son Nhat, Vietnam's largest international airport, on a gloomy Friday morning. Our tour guide, Mr. Tan, fetched us and then off we go to our first destination - the tunnels of Cu Chi. These connecting underground tunnels located in Cu Chi, Vietnam were used as hiding places during the Vietnam War.  This was the Viet Cong's base that served as their hospital, conference room, food and weapons storage, and they lived there for years fighting for their lives. The government preserved the tunnels, and they have since then become a popular tourist destination.

We arrived back in the city after a 2-hour drive, checked in our hotel, and went out for lunch. Our tour guide joined us and brought us to a local eatery. The place looks like a "carenderia," but the food is good and can really satisfy hungry tourists.

This trip will never be complete without a visit to the famous Ben Thanh Market - a large marketplace located in District 1 where you can test your haggling expertise. During the night, we cruised the Saigon River aboard Bonsai III. Bonsai III is a stylish double decker boat, redesigned for tourist river cruise. Good food and live entertainment ended our first night in Saigon.

A whole day Mekong Delta tour awaits day 2. Located in the southern part of Vietnam, this place is known for its bounty harvest; fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Transportation in the Delta is by boat, and along the canal are floating markets. We got the chance to see the village people make coconut candy, rice noodles, rice paper, and handicrafts. After another delicious lunch, we rested awhile on hammocks, then went boating along the canal. We arrived back in the hotel with tired feet after strolling the city at night.

Day 3 is free and easy for me and Heidi. We visited the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, Post Office, Reunification Palace, and the War Remnants Museum.