Ho Chi Minh City was a revelation. We stayed at The Reverie (imagine The Ritz on steroids) in District 1, home to global businesses, boulevards lined with designer boutiques, and coffee shops. Everywhere. This is a seriously well caffeinated city.
In parallel to the main street runs the market, ironically crammed with fakes of the high end products being sold in the shops opposite. The market was huge, food, fakes, trinkets, homeware, clothes. Having been living the coffee vibe for the past fortnight, Chris bought industrial quantities of Vietnamese coffee (which will probably taste grim when we get it home).
In need of a change of pace, we headed to the Jade Emperor Temple, which was a fabulous Buddhist place of worship. Set over three floors, each with several beautiful shrines, the temple was pleasingly full of worshippers in quiet prayer. It was a true oasis of calm from city living.
After lunch, at Anthony’s suggestion, we went to the War Remnants Museum. We were genuinely not prepared for the horrors within. We had all admitted our ignorance of the Vietnam War, and this was somewhat of a reality check. Told through photographs sympathetic to the Vietnamese perspective, there was no denying the atrocities that took place and we left with a profound sense of sadness.
And then it rained, and then the streets flooded. Wading knee deep in water to get back to the hotel was an experience we won’t forget as we left Saigon and a wonderful holiday behind.
Hi, I’m Rachel 