SIAGON--DAY 2

Friday, March 29th

     Good Friday!!  We had no tours planned for our second and last day in Saigon.  After our room service breakfast we both went to the gym for our workouts.  At 11:15 we caught the shuttle bus for shopping trip in downtown.  I am looking for a new watch as I have the crystal super glued on mine now.  I want another Seiko.  Found one (not a fake, Bjorn) but did not get it.  Wanted to come back later to get it but ran out of time.  Maybe I'll find one in Bangkok.  We did get some lacquer ware we wanted and some t-shirts.  I have fun bargaining with the girls.  Feel kind of bad though as they price things cheap in the first place.  We will be sailing at 4pm which is 30 minutes from now.  I have been taking some photos this afternoon of the different types of boats here on the Saigon River.  All sizes, shapes, and colors.  Some do not look to be very sea worthy??  

     We have enjoyed our visit here in Saigon despite the 95 degree and 80% humidity days.  Nothing much has changed since we were here 3 years ago.  The city is not very clean but it is colorful and vibrant.  The Vietnamese people here in the south are very nice.  They certainly are poor but seem to always be clean, happy, and well fed.  I have not heard of any passengers being mugged or having any problems at all when walking on the streets.  I felt safe.  

     On the dock next to the ship are temporary shops and restaurant they set up while cruise ships are docked here.  Last night I think most of the crew was down at the restaurant after midnight when they had completed their duties on board.  They were eating Phillipino food, drinking beer, and letting their hair down.  They sure deserved it.  Luckily our suite was on other side of the ship so we were not disturbed.  They work so hard so glad they had some fun.  Every crew member I asked today said they were down there.

     Ok, tomorrow is a day at sea and tomorrow night is formal optional dress.  We have been invited to dine with Goren, the Food & Beverage Manager.  He has also invited two more couples to join him.  Will be fun!

                                     Building behind this new one is highest in Vietnam--68 stories

  

    Taken by the Cathedral.  There we several brides and brooms getting photos taken.  There are not brides.

                                             He is sifting hulls from some type of nuts

                                                              "Meals on Feet"

                                                 Utilities above the streets were a nightmare

                                                   Here comes the bikes!

                                                    I think these were herbs

Cooking right on sidewalk

                                                 Waiting for the light to change.

                                   There were just as many women as men in the motor bikes.

                                                 She was washing her feet

                                                 Shopping stands next to our ship

                                                   Poor lady is loaded down

                                                        Opera Hall in distance

                                        We bought some t-shirts from them.  Hard bargainers!

                 Ray, our cruise director, hired a bike to take him back to the ship.  Brave man!

                                              Boat that just took the ship's garbage away.

https://goo.gl/photos/WyoVf58z6GvbAZ8h7

SAIGON--DAY 1

Thursday, March 28th

       

     We slowly sailed up the Siagon River for about 3 hours this morning to dock in a marine industrial dock a few miles from the city.  Just as in 2010, the dock was already lined with souvenir stands awaiting our arrival.  At 7am it is already 84 degrees with 90% humidity.  We had a little excitement this morning.  I had opened our balcony door to go out to get some photos of the various boats plying the river.  I had to go in and out several times as my camera lens fogged over due to the very high humidity.  The humidity got in our suite and set off the heat/smoke detector.  Got a call to close the door right away followed a few minutes later with guy sent from the bridge to investigate and make sure we did not have any problems.  He radioed the bridge who then reset the detector.  Never had that happen before.

     Saigon was the capital of the French colony of Cochin-China and later the independent republic of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1975.  Siagon fell to the communist North Vietnam on April 30, 1975, thus ending the Vietnam War with a communist victory.  Today the population of Saigon is over 7 million and growing rapidly.  It is the largest city and economic center of Vietnam.

     This was our tour for today.  We departed the dock at 9am for about a 45 minute drive to downtown area.  Our first stop was at what is now called Reunification Palace.  It used to be where the President of the Republic of Vietnam lived and ran the country and war.  We got to go inside it.  There were two lower levels that were bomb proof and was where the commanders had maps and communications equipment.  There was also a bedroom for the President if needed.

                                                          Reunification Palace

Park across from entrance

                                                  Room that surrender was signed

                                             Tanks that broke through gates of palace in 1975
     The US involvement in the war ended in January 1973 but there was still two more years of civil war in Vietnam.  The fighting finally ended in April 1975 when the two tanks pictured here broke through the gates of the palace.  There had been several Presidents of South Vietnam.  The last one, Minh, had only been in office for two days when he signed the surrender papers and now the communists controlled all of Vietnam.  You may recall the press photos and newsreels of US helicopters landing on the roof of the US Embassy to evacuate South Vietnamese officials and their families.  Our guide said probably a million South Vietnamese were imprisoned and sent to be "re-educated".  Many were killed by the North Vietnamese.  The US tore down the old Embassy which was not far from the palace and have built a new one farther away.
     After that we stopped to see the Rex Hotel.  This hotel was used by the press during the war and was also headquarters of MACV (Military Assistance Command Vietnam).  The press was briefed daily here on the war.  Our next stop was a photo stop at Notre Dame, a Catholic cathedral built by the French.  Then we continued on to a History Museum.  We stayed on the air conditioned bus here.  After about 40 minutes we continued on to see a lacquer ware factory.  This was the token "sale stuff to the tourists" stop.  Next we stopped at the Sea Goddess Temple.  As we were running behind schedule, we drove past China town area instead of stopping there.  We arrived back at the ship at 1:45pm in time to have a bite of lunch.  After lunch we went out to see the shops set up on the dock next to our ship.  I bought 5 Ralph Lauren Polo shirts at $7 each and Rebecca bought 3 Burberry polo shirts for same price.  She wanted $10 each as starting price.  Three years ago we paid $5.  Yes, they are fakes but still very good quality.

                                                       Notre Dame Cathedral in Siagon

                                                              Rex Hotel

                      City Hall in  background with statue of Ho Chi Minh (they call him "Uncle Ho")

                                                                Temple

                                                        Intricate carvings

                                         

Burning incense and praying

Shop in China Town

    I have many more photos from today to put on blog but it is sooooo slow this evening.  Will try it tomorrow when every on goes on tours and we have ship to ourselves.  We have reservations tonight at Prime 7 Steakhouse.  We really enjoyed our dinner last night with Goren, the Food and Beverage Manager.  The veal Parmesan was prepared perfectly and we had a fantastic time.  We have no tours tomorrow but plan on taking the shuttle to downtown for more shopping.  Prices here are probably best of whole cruise.

https://goo.gl/photos/WyoVf58z6GvbAZ8h7

CRUISING SOUTH CHINA SEA--DAY 2

Wednesday, March 27th

                                        Our position at noon (yellow arrow in red circle)

                                                           Larger scale map
     Today we are continuing off the east coast of Vietnam in the South China Sea cruising towards our next port, Siagon (Ho Chi Minh City).  We are scheduled to arrive there tomorrow at 8am.  It is a mostly sunny day out here with high temperature forecast to be in mid 80's.  The ocean is smooth today so great day.
     Today I want to talk about our "social" life on board the Voyager.  We have been reunited with old friends from our 2010 world cruise and last year's circle South America cruise, plus we are making new friends on this cruise.  Having dinner is good way to catch up with old friends and develop new ones.  Prior to Hong Kong we were suppose to have dinner with John & Hee Ann Fitzgerald (world cruise friends) but Rebecca had a 24 hour bug so had to cancel.  They left ship in Hong Kong.  I mention names as there are several of our Regent friends following my blog who know these folks.  On Sunday we were invited to dine at the General Managers's table in Compass Rose restaurant.  Franck also invited Joe & Allison Trum and Harry & Abby Traub.  Both couples were also on our South America cruise last year.

                                                              The Fitzgeralds

                               From right to left:  Harry & Abby, Allison, Franck, Joe, and us.  
          Last night we had dinner with Rob & Janette Pedersen from Dallas who we met last year on our South America cruise.  They were just on for a segment of it however.  They are also good friends of our neighbors back in Dallas, Genny & Don Herzog.  We had a nice dinner up in Sette Mari, Italian restaurant.

     Tonight we are meeting our friend, Goren, the Food & Beverage Manager, for dinner in Compass Rose. He is arranging a veal Parmesan entree for dinner.  I had a problem getting the veal parm prepared correctly when on our SA cruise last year.  It is a long story but I brought a photo of what MY veal parm looks like when I prepare it at home.  Goren has given it to the chef so will see if they can do it as good as mine.  He has also invited us to join a table he will be hosting on our next formal night, this coming Saturday.  We have several more couples with which we need to schedule dinner.

                                                               Our friend, Goren
     We had another life boat drill for ALL passengers and crew this morning.  Seems that there is change to the International Maritime Law that requires a refresher drill every 14 days now.  That sucks as we will be having many more before our cruise ends in June.  After all the drills we have taken part in for our 72 cruises, I think we have it by now.  If not, we deserve to go down with the ship!!  Right after the drill we hit the gym for our hour workout.  It's not a big gym so you have to time your visit just right to get on the treadmills or bikes.
     Theme for pool deck lunch today is "burger heaven".
   

                                     

 

                                                        multiple flavors of ice cream

One side of La Veranda-casual dining for breakfast & lunch

                                                   Lunch time pool entertainment

                                                   Vietnam coast line in distance
DON'T FORGET THAT CLICKING ON PHOTOS WILL ENLARGE THEM!

https://goo.gl/photos/UqGVqpEnAwxCn7oRA