Day 8- Saigon

Spent the whole day traveling from Narita to Ho Chi Minh City (AKA Saigon).  The morning started badly when I was running to catch a slightly earlier shuttle to the airport and tripped sliding across the lobby floor.  In the U.S., the management would have been worried about getting sued.  Here in Japan the entire staff in the lobby ran our to make sure that I was fine and was not angry with them for not doing more to keep me from falling.  A lot of “sorry, sorry”.  Other than my pride, my only injury was a nice deep abrasion on my shin and blood on my pants.

The flights were fine and arrived in Saigon around six.  We immediately got the feeling “Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.” 

                                     

The entire city is one big free for all with cars and motorbikes flying in every direction including the sidewalks and the wrong way  on 1-way streets.  The change in temperature from Japan was amazing.  It was early evening but it was still in the 90’s with 99% humidity!

The ride to the hotel was about 5 miles, but it took about an hour. 

                                                   View from our room

We checked in and were about to go out for a stroll when we ran into Rick and Harriet and Phil and Anne coming back from dinner.  Rick and Harriet had been here for a couple of days already, so they became our guide for the walk about.  Rick gave us the unbreakable rules for walking in Saigon.  1.  Walk slowly, never run ,  2.   Never step backwards, 3.  Never stop,  4.  Make believe you are invisible and invincible.  It was difficult stepping off the curb for the first time, but we took the plunge and plowed through the crossing waves of motorbikes.  It seemed we had a force field surrounding us, with riders coming within inches but never even grazing us.  After the first terrifying crossing, it became exciting and exhilarating..

 It was Halloween and although Vietnam is primarily Buddhist, the entire city was out in costume.  After visiting Notre Dame de  Saigon and the opera house, both leftovers of the French Colonial period, we were beat, and headed back to the hotel.  

Molly and Dave and Rich and Suzanne, the last of our group would be arriving late this evening.  We planned to meet for breakfast at 7 to depart for our bike trip in the Mekong Delta at 8.  I think our late arrival crew is going to be mighty tired tomorrow morning.