From the sea we cruised up the Soai Rap river, sometimes with an interesting view |
We saw all kinds of boats on the river |
This one is clearly a cross-river ferry |
I couldn't quite figure this out. |
We passed a long bridge in progress. |
And passed a port area with many cars waiting to be shipped or taken somewhere. |
We met Binh, our guide, and went to tour a bit of Saigon. The city was ready for the New Year. |
Beautiful Peoples Committee (City Hall), with Ho Chi Minh statue |
The itinerary showed a visit to a "coffee ship." I thought it was a typo, but it it was actually a ship. |
The owner & his wife had run the coffee ship for a zillion years. We passed on egg coffees & had other drinks instead. |
Interesting lamp shades! |
Then it was on to the sobering War Remnants Museum |
Howard was amazed to find a display about the ship on which he servedm War (USS Constellation CV 64) |
Tiger cages |
This building is the site of a famous photo showing a helicopter evacuation of Vietnamese & Americans |
Here's picture from the 70s, which was widely misinterpreted at the time. |
The main Post Office in Saigon was beautiful |
Women in traditional dresses posing for a Chinese Lunar New Year photo |
Only a bus or red light stops traffic at an intersection here in Vietnam |
We visited the Thien Hau Pagoda (lanterns for sale) |
Donations & pagoda purchases can earn merit (recorded & hung up with incense) |
Donation info in spiral joss sticks |
Incense burning, joss sticks, donor names |
Women were posing in traditional dresses for Tet. We saw this a lot. |
Sometimes a photographer photographs another photographer. (Pony tail? Heat!) |
Tidy narrow, colorful houses & shops in district 1 |
Fireworks seller with curious son |
Transporting a tree on scooter |
Our guide Binh kept us from being run over when we crossed Saigon streets |
We were treated to a "cyclo" (rickshaw) ride. Off we go! |
We went through some nice alleys and so not so nice alleys |
Howard's in a rickshaw wondering how this merge will work out |
I'm in a rickshaw next to a man transporting a tank which I hope doesn't fly off. |
Cycloed through metal alleys |
My view from the middle of the pack |
Ruth enjoyed the cyclo ride through streets & alleys of Ho Chi Minh City |
Cruisers and crew members enjoyed shopping near the ship that night |