Good Morning Vietnam

Another great morning in Vietnam today. Weather looks good for a day trip down to the Mekong Delta.

My feet are still sore from all the walking around yesterday in Saigon, but there will be plenty of time to rest next week on the plane.

Saigon reminds me a lot of NYC with it's intensity and sprawling shops. Not long ago Vietnam had a poverty rate of over 68%; that number is now down below 20%. That is some amazing growth that is evidenced by the retail shops and cars you see in the street. Again, you never feel there is a safety issue here, at least not during the daytime.



Not much in the way of Americans around here, mostly Aussies and Western Europeans. The language barrier has not been a problem because English is posted everywhere, even on most menus and you learn to use a passable sign language with people to get your point across when you have to. The national currency is the dong and it is easy to have a couple of million in your pocket on any given day trip. I think 100,000 dong equals about $6.00.

Great trinket shopping and very cheap. Can't say too much about it without spoiling what I am bringing back.

Loaded up a lot of pictures up on the Google picture site. Click on this link to view them.

So far the only people to drive on the left side of the road have been the Thai's. All others are on the right, when they choose to use that guideline.

I have been mostly drinking the locals beers: Tiger, Saigon and 333. Both are lager style and very good. Since I know I won't get sick off beer, sometimes it is the safest beverage to have. My buddy Davis asked "what is Harlow eating over there?" A reasonable question considering my sense of culinary adventure usually means that I am putting an exotic cheese on my burger. The rule of thumb is a lot like going to Mexico. If it looks like it was hand washed in the gross water you see around here, don't eat it. My stomach has been in mild knots most of the trip, but nothing too difficult to deal with. When eating the malaria pills, you have to be sure you do it on a full stomach, which can be tough at times since you don't know when you will have a proper full stomach. Also their version of pizza is very big around here and I will usually carb up if I have hit a food wall. The granola bars and beef jerky I brought along have been lifesaver.

Brian, being a boy scout leader, always seems to have the right drug at his fingertips and also knows which one to take. That is helpful since is I usually cannot even pronounce most of these drugs beyond aspirin.

Leaving today to go to the Majestic Hotel. We have been upriver at a residence style hotel called the Domain Hotel Saigon, that has been fantastic. 700 square feet usually reserved for executives on an extended stay for business.