Final Thoughts There is much to mull over and not all my thoughts are easily determined. We have seen so much in terms of both the touristy places but more importantly, the people, and the places and the society in which they live. What I have seen much has often left many questions that I cannot so far answer. But maybe that is the answer or maybe part of the answer: I just cannot answer them yet… at least to my satisfaction. To begin the reflections o...

The Mekong Delta and the Last Day 4th Nov So today we visit the delta region, that semi-mythical zone that I recall form the 1960's news reports which is unlike any area in England. It's a longish drive south east of Saigon through the paddy fields. As we learn from Duc, this is an area that can produce three crops of rice a year if required. Brought up in the area, his father wanted him to be a farmer but he chose the life of a teacher, then a tour guide. ...

Tunnels, Museums and Presidential Places in Saigon 3rd Nov Today we got the cultural, historic charge around Saigon and for once find a museum that is actually looked after almost properly! This is one of the questions that I have being asking on the trip. Places that have some form of connection with what one assumes might be the sort of history that Hanoi would want to celebrate are seemingly being allowed to fall into disrepair; except here. Our first ...

Saigon and the end of the road. So, after over four weeks we reach Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City. And its some arrival, in pouring rain, after another, tough final day on the road. Perhaps you wonder why there is a dual name to the city. In 1975 Saigon was re-named Ho Chi Minh City after 'Uncle Ho' and as a mark of their victory in the war to achieve unification. However, most people found it hard to give up the old name so it is still called Saigon by many. It...

Delightful Dalat Dalat is reportedly the honeymoon capital of Vietnam. It is in the highlands, has a temperate climate and is unlike most of the other places we have visited. In some senses its almost European in feel. We arrived in Dalat after a trying day on the road. It wasn't a long drive but the road was very poor. Again our hotel was very good and we had a view from our room of the town. The day of our visits was wet, very wet. However, we made the most o...