Saigon

After S.R. we took a 10-hour bus ride to Saigon, in southern Vietnam. The city is huge and bustling with people at all times of the day and night. It had the craziest street crossings with cars, trucks, scooters and people everywhere. Each crossing was an adventure!

In Saigon, we visited the Reunification Palace, which was South Vietnam's Presidential Palace. It had been pretty much left untouched since the war ended, so it was interesting to see it just how it was during that time period. We also went to see the nearby Notre Dame Cathedral.

Night time in Saigon is really interesting. Instead of quieting down, it seems that everyone in the whole city gets out of their homes and heads for the local parks to exercise, sit and chat, eat, play games and just hang out. Hacky sack (with a weighted feathered contraption) seemed to be the game of choice for a lot of people. All in all, we would describe this city as a very lively place, both day and night.

Reunification Palace:


View from Reunification Palace:


The rooms are preserved with the original designs from the 1970s:




Some sort of machinery from the basement bunker of the palace:


Courtyard area just outside the palace:


Notre Dame Cathedral:




Street scene:


Scooters everywhere: