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).
