Day 11
Saigon
We take a bus to Saigon, epicenter of southern Vietnam.
We're immediately struck by how bright and cosmopolitan the city is. It's all
very inviting, with rows of cute eateries serving new permutations of the flavors
we've gotten used to. We can't get enough of the nuoc mia infused with strawberries.
The pho is different too - much closer to what we get back home, with a plethora
of ingredients.
Day 12
Mekong Delta
Saigon
Day 13
Saigon
It's our last day and we set out to wander the streets of Saigon. We stumble
upon a playground and decide to join the children having fun. Pretty soon, though,
we start to suspect that this playground is geared less towards
recreation than training future martial arts champions. For one thing, nearly every
surface rotates, wobbles, or flips upside down. A simple ramp tilts to deposit the hapless
climber onto the ground. We climb into a spinning contraption and try to propel it
by tilting our bodies. A little girl has made friends with April and climbs in with
her. We think we're doing a good job, but a little boy puts us to shame with a
vertical style of adding energy that sends the ride spinning like a fan. The
playground is tremendously fun, but we realize that it would probably never spring
up back home with so many opportunities for injury.
As we continue, we happen upon a zoo, and decide to walk through. The Komodo dragons
seem the most excited to see us.
As always seems to happen, our vacation ends before we want it to. Vietnam
has been wonderful to us - not always the easiest country to travel though,
but profoundly beautiful,
fascinating, and eye-opening.
We wish you the best of luck when you visit.
- April and Paul