I guess Ed and I should have gone to Vietnam later in the year, because on December 6, 2007 American Michael David Magidson became the 4 millionth international visitor to Vietnam in 2007. According to the Saigon Times, the "65-year-old lucky visitor, a businessman from New York city, received two free return tickets for any international flight on Vietnam Airlines, and a voucher of a seven-day … [Read more...]
Leaving Vietnam: Thousands See us Off
We were picked up from our hotel at 10:00pm and taken to the airport. Upon arrival there were hundreds if not thousands of people outside the terminal building seeing friends and loved ones off. Our guide explained that this was customary to have several individuals see you off. We wound our way through the sea of waving arms and made it into the terminal. The check-in at the Asiana counter went … [Read more...]
Mekong Delta Tour: Mr. Lum Falls Overboard
The Mekong Delta isn't that far from HCMC but with the traffic congestion and the lack of highways it takes a couple of hours to get there. It was nice to get out of the congestion of the city and see some of the countryside. We passed huge rubber tree plantations and stopped to have a look. Upon reaching the river we found it busy with boats of all sizes going in all directions. Phoung … [Read more...]
Psycho Cyclo in Ho Chi Minh City
The guide books and other publications warn against taking the Cyclo pedicabs in Ho Chi Minh City, so we avoided them. Well, at least until we found ourselves trapped at the riverfront with multi-lanes of very heavy traffic between us and where we wanted to go. Two friendly pedi cab drivers offered their services. After a quick fare negotiation we mounted the contraptions. The drivers steered us … [Read more...]
Vietnam: Cu Chi Tunnels
I found our visit to the Cu Chi tunnel system fascinating. It is part of a 200km network or tunnels used by the Viet Cong. The area was sprayed with Agent orange and heavily bombed by the US and several bomb craters are still evident. The displays of the traps that were set out are spine chilling. Our guide Phuong demostrated entering one of the concealed tunnel entrances, as shown in the next … [Read more...]