Day-14: Touring The South Of Vietnam

Day-14: Saturday, February 15, 2014

Beginning Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Final Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

So which is it, Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon? Seems the answer differs across the region. Many locals still refer to the city as Saigon for a number of reasons but one of the most logical is that it's just easier to say and/or write Saigon than Ho Chi Minh City. That's good enough for me.

This would be our only real touring day in Saigon so we were up early for the excursions as the ship would depart Ho Chi Minh City at 1600.

Sheila and I had selected different tours for the day. Sheila's tour was entitled "Good Morning Vietnam" and mine "Mekong River Cruise".

Sheila's trip began with a drive from the port area passing the former U.S. Embassy (no stops allowed), U.S. BOQ/BEQ facilities and the Rex Hotel in the city center.

The trip included a stop at the War Museum to see relics from 60 years ago from both sides in the conflicts of the past. Lunch followed, a sumptuous lunch I hear. The tour continued past the palatial mansion that served as the residence of General Westmoreland and as an American Field Hospital.

The final stop on the tour was at Cu Chi to see what remains of an extensive tunnel system. Some tour guests opted to crawl into the tunnels, very narrow and dark with exits spaced at about 40 and 80 feet; not a place to be if you are claustrophobic.


My trip included a 75-minute ride from the city through the Vietnamese country side where we could see the agrarian side of life; farms, rice paddies, fruit orchards abounded throughout the region.

 










After a Buddha Temple stop we moved on to the river at My Tho where we boarded boats and proceeded up river and crossed to Thoi Son Island.

On the island we ventured through a number of shops, had a tea break, ate some coconut candy and then stopped for a lunch.

Tea with Honey, Bee Pollen & Kumquat Juice

Source of Bee Pollen & Honey

333 Beer

The lunch was great, starting with a fried fish, that would be a whole fish mounted on a plate before us. Our server filleted the fish and made rice paper wrapped fish and pineapple servings. We then had a noodle soup followed by large prawns,  a rice ball, pork spring rolls, fruits and any number of concoctions all washed down with a local "333" beer.

Hand Wrapping Coconut Taffy

My Sampan Captain

After lunch we embarked on small sampans and were transported through a series of canals interlacing the island.














After a couple more commercial stops we re-boarded the river boat and reversed course for the ship.

Mom, Dad & Baby Make Three

Both of us were back on board Nautica by 1530.

The ship sailed at 1600, doing a 180 degree turn in the middle of the channel with thrusters and engines, tug was standing by.

We cruised down river on the Saigon River toward the South China Sea passing the major shipping areas of southern Vietnam. Quite a sea detail, many turns and narrow passages with many small craft and a lot of barge traffic along with large container ships.

Tonight the dinner theme in the Terrace Cafe was Southeast Asia, appropriate for our location.

As the sun set, bats were echo locating and flying past the ship as we cruised along the narrow river waterways, we decided it was a good time to close the balcony door for the evening.

We experienced rougher seas as we exited the river and reached the sea, nothing dramatic but noticeable. Tomorrow will be a day at sea, a day for waking up late, kicking back and doing little or nothing.