First full day in HCM :)

So we had a lay in, (had pretty much a month of lay-ins so why stop now?) We had breakfast in a tiny cafe and headed off to the war museum, on the way we met an Austrian girl called Katrina who was a lone traveller we all tagged along together. Getting there was fun... the traffic is ridiculous theres millions of mopeds all going in different directions, some even riding on the pavement. It makes it difficult to cross good job really that we met Katrina, she was a pro!

Arrived at the museum, its horrific but very interesting its all about the vietnamese war it bought a tear to my eyes a few times. We completely forgot it closes for lunch at 12 and we had really only just got there. So we headed out and found the palace, its nothing like what you'd expect! Nothing like the beautiful shinny grand palace in Thailand or the grandness of Buckingham palace in England, It looks like a school a run down public school. Disappointed we had a coffee and lunch whilst the heavens opened before returning back to the museum to finish what we started.

We enjoyed a vietnamese massage, she stood on backs and dug in her elbows not very relaxing at all but nether the less felt a lot like we could conquer a yoga class. Had dinner (another yummy beef stew only a thinner stock) ice cream and a shower, after smelling nicer we met up with Katrina (who left us after dinner) and headed to the cool jazz bar for beer... the live music was ace. Katrina went home so we headed to a street side bar where all the tables and chairs are on the pavement right next to the curb... we didn't actually see a bar the owners just gave you drinks from a fridge. Nice and cheap though 10,000 vnd which equals to 50p :)

Day two of the big adventure in Vietnam.

Yep you guessed it... another lay in! Checked out and left our bags with the guys at the hostel. Had cheap breakfast and wondered around went to the Diamond Plaza thought it was a mall but it ended up only being a department store.

We found a really cheap Indian cafe to eat which was good going as it was in the centre of very expensive shops which included gucci. Walked the street and found a cool bookshop specialising in graphic design, art, photography and architecture. Didn't buy any books because they were too expensive. We headed to the market and had a sugar cane drink, quenched our thirst and it was lovely! The venders simply put 4/5 sugar canes through a large squeezer and capture only the juice. We sat in the park people watching, watching everyone come out in packs to exercise when a guy came up to us asking if he could just talk to us to improve his english. Whilst talking to him a cute little 6 year old boy came up to me to chat, his proud dad told me it was him that had taught him the few english words he knew :) Up came some other guy then another, then another! In the end we were surrounded by a large group of students firing questions our way. After an interesting interrogation we had dinner in the market a thin beef and noodle soup sat on miniature stools which aren't made for tall people. Had a coconut drink and headed back to the hotel picked up out bags a hopped on the sleeper train and made our way to Dalat. Its uncomfy but fun!!