18th October

Our last full day in Ho Chi Ming city. After breakfast, we meet up with our tour guide, Daisy, who is going to take us around the city, looking at the old and the new.
Our first stop is the Military Remnants museum. Daisy is full of information as I guess most Vietnamese people would be. The museum is a reminder of all the wrong done to this country during the time of war.
But this country is one that has been pushed and pulled by many countries in all directions over its time. These people have suffered so much from outside countries. I feel a sadness for these people as they have endured so much, and don't seem to have benefited that much from any one. Bob and Daisy go onto a couple of other displays relevant to the war,  and I wait for them. I go and peruse the gift shop here, and find lots of souvenirs, but just look. Although this is the first place where you can actually look with out getting hassled.
We move on to the area where there are some French building, from pre war, and view, the Notre Dame Cathedral. It is under repair so we are not able to go inside, as was the Chinese markets we were going to go to also. Just across from the Cathedral, is the stately old Post Office. It is a magnificent building, and operating as a post office, as well as a tourist destination, and souvenir selling. There was an old Gent seated, in the middle of the post office, and people were talking with him as he used to work in the post office, back in the war, and before I suspect. He learnt to speak English from when the Americans where there. He was 88 Years old.
Then we moved on to a restaurant for lunch. This is a training restaurant, KOTO, know one teach one. The idea is the teach and continue teaching. Food was very good. We also take in a Chinese Temple, lots of Pidgeons there, and a tank with catfish and other fish swimming in it. All these different types of religions becomes confusing as there are 5 different faiths here. I didn't go inside the Temple, but Bod and Daisy do.
After lunch, the driver says he would like to drive us  around the newer part of Ho Chi Ming city. There are lots of High end shops here, obviously for the very Rich. we also see a few more French architecture buildings. All in all a good day. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and had studied in America after winning a scholarship.
In the evening Bob and I get a taxi and  go to one of the Shopping Malls with very high end shops, like Rolex, and Mont Blanc, and numerous fashion houses, and cosmetics.
We find the Food court, and head back to the room via Taxi