D19:

Today we packed up with our brand new wardrobe and flew to Saigon. We wanted to wear the new suits but since it was a million degrees outside, we decided not to.

Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, is the biggest city in Vietnam, with a population of 13 million people in the metropolitan area. It was renamed Ho Chi Minh City after the general Ho Chi Minh in 1976 but colloquially is still referred to as Saigon by most people. Polluted, busy, hot and with terrible traffic, it is not my favorite city. I prefer the countryside.

Although a communist country we learned some interesting facts about Vietnam. One is that health insurance is not free. Individuals and families have to buy into it. Another is public education is only free for primary school. If you go to high school, you have to pay for it leaving many people uneducated. Also re religion, in principle Vietnam is very tolerant of religion but in practice the government restricts religious practices, especially Christianity.

Saigon is very meaningful to Jason, and to us because of how special he is. Jason's grandmother,Twila, lived and worked in Saigon during the Vietnam War. When she was due to come back to the US, she flew home on a plane carrying refugee children back. Unfortunately the plane crashed shortly after takeoff, in Saigon, and she died. The mission was called Operation Babylift. Jason said he always felt like his grandmother looked after him when he was deployed overseas during the Iraq War, like she was his guardian angel. We named our daughter Twila, after his grandmother. This afternoon we walked down the streets in Saigon, the same streets she roamed while she was here. It was emotional for all of us. Except for Twila. She just pooped.

After an average lunch mom, Twila and I went to the hotel and left Jason and Dad to tour the city with our guide, Vuong. At a cool 97 degrees it was too hot for us women and we retreated to the confines of AC in our elegant hotel. Jason and Dad went to the Independence Palace, which is where the President of South Vietnam lived. They then went to the French and US consulate, significant for being the former site of the US Embassy where Twila worked during her year in Saigon (1974-1975).

Dinner was a poor shot at Italian, yet another reminder to avoid Western food in this country.