Subject: # 3 Saigon

 

300 hundred year old city with 8 million people and 4 million motobikes, most drivers have coverd faces with bandana against pollutions and sun, looks very funny, kids are on the sits between parents, traffic is a caos but only very few minor accidents because of slow speed,

 

all vietnamese signs have latin alphabet since early 20 th century replacing chinese characters,

 

city tour included temples ,pagodascatolic Notre Dame Catedral, Reunification Palace [former Palace of the President of South  Vietnam ] and War Remnants Museum ful of Soviet and American tanks, helicopters, bombs,other weapons and model of tiger cage for enemies prisoners,

 

they talk about the war , all horrors  and in the end they say- but now we are friends with America,

 

we went to see legendary Cu Chi  Tunnels- 250 km network  of very very narrow tunnels , only 30 -40 km from Saigon, every house in the village had a secret hole under the bed  to escape underground in a moment, tunnels had 3 levels - living areas, kitchens, storages, weaponry factories, field hospitals, command centers, trap doors and many many more areas, people here are small, slim,, they can crawl through any tiny holes,

 

Saigon is old and modern, Vietnamese and French, shopping is very nice on all levels, massages and all services are inexpensive, food is good but for me personally is too spicy, so i survive on rice and soup, it is 37 C or about 100 F but ......part of fun of traveling!!!!!!!!!!

 

love to all.