Saigon/HCMC Day 2

Wednesday after our late night adventures with soccer-mad

youth, we opted to skip the trip to the Cu Chi tunnels.  Interesting in theory, but hot, dusty, and very claustrophobic according to those who went on the trip. I enjoyed Chris' account of it more than I probably would have enjoyed the actual event.  Instead, Linda and I chose a laid back morning, enjoying the hotel's amenities and then took a trip downtown for a little more exploring before meting up with the group for lunch.  We mostly wandered city streets and found many things to be interested in.  One of my favorite parts of visiting another country is how people do their ordinary day.  Today there was a woman having a pedicure on the street while a fellow, seated at the same table was eating his bowl of Pho.  The parking lots for motorbikes were also fascinating -all packed in like sardines.  How do they get them in or out? 

There was a birdie chorus greeting us outside one hotel. And we happened on the Saigon Opera House with A sculptural display  of shrimp traps outside. 

Fwd: Qattar, flags, and "You can't get there from here"

Apologies for the last post. Here’s the correct text to go with the photos from the last post

Tuesday Vietnam beat Qattar to get into the Asian Cup! The first we learned of it was when we were riding in a taxi back to the hotel and heard a crowd of male voices erupt. As we rode further we saw crowds around tv screens in every bar and restaurant, frequently going nuts.  So far so good.  Lots of jubilant Vietnamese fans.  In 40 years, their team had never gotten that far before.  Fast forward to dinner time.  The tour director had arranged for us to have a multiple course tasting menu at a restaurant in an old museum.  Sounded interesting,  but what we didn't know was that meanwhile every young person with a motorbike was headed to downtown, waving Vietnamese flags and shouting in celebration.  There are hundreds of thousands of motorbikes in HCMC so it was quite the spectacle. Fun to see everyone so happy......Until we found ourselves completely surrounded by exultant kids on bikes.  It literally took 30 minutes to go a few blocks.  My friend Chris said it was like trying to drive a bus through the Women's march. Finally the driver and guide decided that we just were not going to be able to get there by bus.  So we had to get out and walk the rest of the way (about two football fields distance). Linda and I are among the youngest in the group so this was 20 folks, average age probably 70,  threading their way through a tight mass of folks on bikes headed the other direction.  The mob was friendly, but not exactly yielding.  The restaurant was only a couple of miles from the hotel, but total time to get to dinner about 2 hrs.  Time to get back home about the same.  Since this was the first full day after the all day, all night flight, it was challenging to put it mildly.  Quite the adventure though.  The kind that gets better in the retelling, but a little hair-raising at the time.  We're not unhappy to be out of the City in time for the first round of the finals.  

Qattar, flags, and "You can't get there from here"

Our first day in HCMC/Saigon was pretty laid back at the beginning.  We opted out of the War Museum ( dedicated to the American War) as they call it here). We were in desperate need of sleep and a shower and had been to the museum on our first trip (it's well worth a visit to see just how dreadful that war was for the Vietnamese). We rested up and then headed downtown to wander around a little.  A sudden shower caused us to shelter under an overhang of the local Starbucks (Vietnamese coffee is extraordinarily good, but as in Italy good coffee does not shield you from the ubiquitous Starbucks phenomenon). There are a few more cars than on our last visit 7 years ago, but the motorscooter is still queen of the road. 


HCMC residents are fearless on these things, riding them in pouring rain wearing nothing but flip flops, high heels, or barefoot.  Some ponchos have a special clear window so the bike can be covered, but the headlight can still shine through.  Others have double hoods so the passenger can be shielded too.  Our guide tells us that the maximum people allowed on a single bike is 5 (down from 8). Most we saw was 4 on one bike.  More helmet use, thank God, than last time we were here, but still a lot of kids without them.  


The stop lights etc. are observed in an inconsistent way.  When crossing the street y u have to summon up your courage a plunge in, keeping your pace as consistent as possible. And pray.  The last step is essential.  Turning it over is the only option.  Mostly it works. Wedid see one wipeout though( more on that in next post).  

Ho Chi Minh City is Motorbike City



Our first day in HCMC/Saigon was pretty laid back at the beginning.  We opted out of the War Museum ( dedicated to the American War) as they call it here). We were in desperate need of sleep and a shower and had been to the museum on our first trip (it's well worth a visit to see just how dreadful that war was for the Vietnamese). We rested up and then headed downtown to wander around a little.  A sudden shower caused us to shelter under an overhang of the local Starbucks (Vietnamese coffee is extraordinarily good, but as in Italy good coffee does not shield you from the ubiquitous Starbucks phenomenon). There are a few more cars than on our last visit 7 years ago, but the motorscooter is still queen of the road. 


HCMC residents are fearless on these things, riding them in pouring rain wearing nothing but flip flops, high heels, or barefoot.  Some ponchos have a special clear window so the bike can be covered, but the headlight can still shine through.  Others have double hoods so the passenger can be shielded too.  Our guide tells us that the maximum people allowed on a single bike is 5 (down from 8). Most we saw was 4 on one bike.  More helmet use, thank God, than last time we were here, but still a lot of kids without them.  


The stop lights etc. are observed in an inconsistent way.  When crossing the street y u have to summon up your courage a plunge in, keeping your pace as consistent as possible. And pray.  The last step is essential.  Turning it over is the only option.  Mostly it works. Wedid see one wipeout though( more on that in next post).  

Flight to Vietnam

In the beautiful Hong Kong airport after a 16 hour flight from NYC. Waiting to take off for Ho Chi Minh City. Much of the pain of the trip avoided by splurging for business class this time. Loving the pods with full recline and the airport lounges

Visitors From the Other Side of the Sound

On our last day, our friends Chris and Marg took the ferry over from Orient to spend some time with us. First we had to get everyone into the proper relaxed mood:

Coco got the hang of it immediately 

Next we had a stroll around the nearby town of Guilford which had a fabulous toy store and a pretty sweet bookstore where Chris had to pose with an item from the display window

Next lunch by the marina

And then back to our deck for more lounging and water gazing, accompanied by wine and conversation. Nice to have someone to take a picture of the two of us together

Friday back home to gear up for re-entry. 

Tranquility Threatened

Wednesday morning was spent just hanging out with our view. We did venture out for lunch at the Diner/Vegetarian Enclave we spotted the day before. Turned out to be a pretty interesting mix of typical Greek Diner with solid vegan entrees section. Also baked on the premises gluten free bread. And they sold me a (humongous) loaf to take home!

Newly fortified, we went back to our deck only to discover they were setting up for a rock band concert immediately below!

Time for plan B. So we went into town to check out the local Vietnamese restaurant. Not up to NYC standards, but a nice light  dinner option. Checked out the sweet little art house cinema to see Menashe, a quirky film about a recently widowed father in the Hasidic community of Borough Park (can't escape Brooklyn). 

On our return, the concert was over and we could sip our wine and listen to the waves under a starry sky

Study in Sloth - Day 2 in Madison, CT

Two of Linda's requirements for a good stateside vacation are a decent breakfast (the no. 2 special in most diners) and a high quality cinnamon bun. Check and check. Breakfast at Nick's Place - your basic formica tabletop establishment with excellent and friendly service (and a bonus - gluten free toast for me!). Then explored Meriano's Bakery which had all the Italian essentials and a lot more. 

On the way back we noted this establishment- to be explored in the future

Next we had a slow stroll through Madison's downtown, the highlight of which was an amazing bookstore, the likes of which you rarely see anymore. Great selection of books, sweet little cafe, and my favorite feature was that all the shelves have little notes detailing people's favorite recommendations. And the place was packed at 11:30 on a Tuesday morning!  There is hope!

Next in our action-packed day was a few hours on our balcony with our bookstore purchases followed by hot stone massages and dinner at the hotel restaurant

Finally one more round of lounging on our balcony, watching the sun set and the lights cone on over the Sound. Good day of not very much.