Good Morning Vietnam!

We docked in Ho Chi Min City (or Saigon as it is still called here) at around 9 AM on Friday, Feb. 26. It was a five-hour sail up the Saigon river to the port. The first thing everyone noticed was the drastic change in temperature...it's been 100 degrees the past couple of days!

My first stop was the Chi Cu Tunnels, which were tunnels used by the North Vietnamese during the war. They hid here to avoid US forces and stay safe during aid raids. The tunnel network expands hundreds of miles over the countryside. It was really strange to be walking around the location and just thinking that the Vietnam War actually took place right here. Bombs were dropped, soldiers died, and so many other terrible thing happened right here. I actually got the chance to crawl through the tunnels. I don't know how the soldiers did it. It's crazy. The tunnels were just about 2 ft by 2 ft. We literally were crawling on our hands and knees through the system. I only went about 30 meters before I had to get out because it was just too small. I can't imagine how the North Vietnamese lived inside. They had everything in these tunnels- kitchens, living areas- and babies were even born inside. The tunnels also have a shooting range that really adds to the overall experience. You're walking around getting the tour and there are gunshots going off. Pretty realistic. We did the shooting range and I shot an AK-47.

That night we went out for some Vietnamese food. I have to say that so far Vietnamese food has been my least favorite. The meals we've had so far have been hit or miss. The meals that "missed" have some weird flavor in them that is very minty. I don't know what it is. The food also is sooo cheap compared to home. A meal for eight people was just around $30.
We also went to the night market. It was crazy. I thought China's markets were good, but I couldn't believe how much stuff they had for sale. The sellers LOVE US dollars (actually everyone in town does) but you show them dollars and they're willing to sell you almost anything. I got a nice polo shirt for $5. Sorry Mom, even Khol's doesn't have that kind of discount. I also got many, many more DVDs for $.50 each. They have everything!

The next day we had plans to go to the beach, but the ferry was sold out and the wait was too long so we decided to explore more of Saigon. We ended up buying even more DVDs and getting massages. I actually got a massage from a blind man. There's this place here that has blind masseuses. The massage was excellent, and I really have to give this guy (and everyone there) credit. Very impressive. The massage also cost $2 for an hour. We regrouped back at the ship and then got another, pretty good dinner and then got massages again. I mean when else will I ever get a massage for $5 an hour? It's crazy. Back home a good massage is like $85 an hour.

Crossing the street here also takes some getting used to. The drivers just don't stop. During our pre-port, we were told to just walk across the street and the cars will move with you. There actually are very few cars. It's mostly motorcycles. The first time crossing was crazy. It's scary! I'm a pro at it now and you really just have to be confident and not stop because they do move with you. So keep that in mind if you ever head to Saigon. The motorcyclists are also friendly and for $4 they will pretty much take you anywhere. So in Saigon I accomplished two "firsts": shooting a gun and riding a motorcycle.

On Sunday, we went to the Vietnam War Remnant Museum. This was probably the most depressing aspect of my trip so far. The museum is all from the Vietnamese side, obviously, and really paints a different portrait of the war. We also had a really emotional Global Studies class on the Vietnam War (the day before we berthed in Saigon) and that combined with the museum was a lot to take in. During class, two vets spoke about the war and their feelings on it. We also heard from two people who were heavily involved in the anti-War movement in the US. The veterans were both in tears (and so was pretty much everyone). Their stories were absolutely heart wrenching, I can't think what it must be like for them to be here in Vietnam now after having been through the War. It was also heart wrenching to be in the museum and see the Vietnamese kids' pictures who were affected by Agent Orange. So definitely a different side and perspective. As I was watching the ship sail into Saigon, I was just thinking what it would have been like if I'd come here just about forty years ago at age 19. I would have had a totally different experience (to say the least) in Vietnam then I'm having now.

So we still have two more days in Vietnam. I'm going to the MeKong Delta and I'm going to visit an Elementary School, which both should be really fun. I'm also definitely down for another massage and some more DVDs!