Saigon

We made it to Vietnam! We arrived yesterday afternoon after a seamless border crossing and are now in Ho Chi Minh City. The city's name was officially changed after South Vietnam ceded to the north in 1975, but everyone still knows it as Saigon. It is a huge, bustling, crowded city; I thought India had a lot of motos, but it has nothing on Saigon. Even the dogs ride motos here! (Unfortunately I have not been quick enough to get a photo of one, but kid you not, we saw a woman place her chihuahua on the back of her moto then speed off.)

Lots of new construction and skyscrapers

We're staying at Madame Cuc's Hotel #123 – Madame Cuc seems to be a mini mogul in the budget hotel realm here in Saigon with several buildings in the area. But she knows what she's doing! We're paying $22 a night, including breakfast and dinner, and we have a great room on the 4^th floor with a balcony.

Senor Cuc on our balcony

Today we walked around the city mostly, and also visited the War Remnants Museum – a museum dedicated to the Vietnam War. It was an emotionally difficult place to be for both of us, seeing photographs of victims of the war, and especially the section on the horrors of Agent Orange.

Some of the machinery at the museum

We finished the day with having a beer at a sidewalk cafe (there are tons here), people-watching and planning the next four weeks of our trip here. Tomorrow we are doing a boat ride on the Mekong so look forward to more pictures!

I look a little crazed here - it's the humidity