We disembarked Viking Mekong at Mytho. We boarded a bus to take us to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). En route we stopped at the Cu Chi Tunnel Complex. Consisting of 260 km of tunnels it was used by up to 2500 Viet Cong during the war. There are three levels of tunnels, the deepest around 60 ft under the surface. It was interesting how concealed they were in the tunnels. In this exhibit, rooms that would normally be buried underground were reconstructed to show how they were utilized. We checked into the hotel in HCMC, we enjoyed a Cirque du Soleill-type performance titled Vietnamese Bamboo Show at the Saigon Opera House. It was wonderful entertainment.

Thursday Dec7, we were given several city tours to see the most popular tourist spots. In the morning, we toured Independence Hall aka Reunification Convention Hall which was the president's residence until April 1975 when a North Vietnamese mole pilot commandeered a F5a Phantom jet and bombed the palace. We went to a lacquer art factory and learned how the pieces are made. In the afternoon, we visited the Tien Hau Buddhist Temple, which was very ornate. We also saw City Hall and the old post office. In the evening, we enjoyed a wonderful farewell dinner.