27/10/2018
A brilliant and busy day in Ho Chi Minh City (the locals call it Saigon). A bustling city with over 19 million people. We started the day with a visit to the central market. We observed some very interesting produce, some of which was still alive!
We then made our way to the Saigon Culinary School where we received lessons in traditional Vietnamese cooking before eating the meals we had prepared for lunch.
In the afternoon we had an interesting if a little warm (a humid 35 degrees) walking tour of the city. This included French Colonial architecture such as Notre Dame Cathedral and the post office designed by Gustav Eiffel. We then took a break 52 floors up the Bitexco Tower and enjoyed a drink surveying the city. We finished the tour with the humbling experience that is the Museum of American War crimes regarding the US actions against Vietnamese civilians during the Vietnam War. A sobering experience that the group approached in a very mature fashion.
In the evening we attended a 'dinner in the dark' a restaurant run by blind and deaf people to give them employment. We dined in absolute darkness (literally couldn't see hand in front of face). A wonderful sensory experience for a good cause and great food! We are now all safely back in the hotel and getting an early night before heading the Mekong Delta in the morning.
I am trying to upload images but the wifi is not playing ball I will try and add them to the comments section below.
