A rather long dragged out morning, disembarkation, bus-ride, then a bit of a tour of Saigon from the ship. It was a matter of logistics at the hotel as there were 100 people sleeping here last night that are joining the ship for a north-bound journey that only left the hotel 1/2 hour before we arrived yet their rooms had to be cleaned so we could check in.
We had lunch, a lovely buffet with everything you could possibly want, then we retired to the lobby to wait until our rooms were ready.
When we got to our room on the 19th floor of the 20 storey building, we thought that there was some mistake made. It was not a room, but a suite! Two bathrooms, one on-suite and a guest powder room, two TVs, a separate sitting room that can seat six all with spectacular views in two directions.
The bed is a Giant-King and the stand alone tub is separated from the bedroom by floor to ceiling glass. Rather naughty methinks.
We tore ourselves away from that decadent scene and took a tour to the Presidential Palace and the The War Remnants Museum.
The Presidential Palace was a very well maintained and impressive place, as it should be. It was interesting but it did not strike me a s a must-see, unless you are in Saigon.
The Victor in any war gets to write the history and there is no doubt about who 'won' that war...
It was without doubt a nasty war, as any war. However I think that the Americans involved would have opinions about the legitimacy of them being there in the first place. Regardless, it was a solemn tour without much comment from the hundreds of visitors quietly reading the captions below the often-shocking pictures.
After that we took a taxi back to the Sofitel Hotel and had room service! We need a bit of a respite form communal dining, no matter how great the fellow passengers may be.
A quick comment... I was impressed by the quality of the passengers on this trip. About 85% are great people, easy to mix with. [I am sure that you are used to my insensitive remarks regarding people.]
Two More Sleeps...
Good morning Vietnam!
Great highway in, green and fertile land!
Rest stop at a Chinese temple.
Three ladies on the cruise. Mother-daughter left and right.
A very Presidential Room in the Palace.
Catholic Cathedral, an old-timer.
This is the 1975 era photo of the last helicopters taking people out before the Viet Cong over-ran the place.
This is the building today, with a sky-scraper behind it.
[They have added a hatch to it.]
Fellette stretching out on the divan in our bedroom.
The sitting room.
My computer station. That big drum is the mini-bar, coffee making station and electrical hub centre.
At the War Remnants Museum. In other words, what was left behind in 1975.
This was a bit chilling.
A child's drawing of planes dropping Agent Orange. It is a defoliant dropped by the US to kill vegetation so the Viet Cong could not hide their paths in the jungle.
Lots of shells and guns etc. Well done actually.
Spectacular view from the Palace to downtown Saigon.
Room service, fish and chips in a Five-Star Hotel, $30.00. Cheaper than at home.
The view from one side.
The other side. A thriving city.
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