Chaos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FW4Llnk8ik

Saigon.
They are nuts on their scooters. This isn't the half of it (check out the bus at the end). They hop up onto sidewalks and use them as roads. I had to make my way across this road after I took that video. Ever play the game Frogger?

...more of the park

Pham Ngu Lau

23/9 Park is the name of it. This is near where the western backpackers stay in Saigon. 

AJ

Backpacker area

Lots of eateries here. And bars. That was a pet grooming shop. I think.

Typical little street in Saigon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCudDsX9ais


AJ

Walking Tour

Many miles in the heat (90 degrees and Texas Humid) but I did it. My hotel is near point 17 so I walked extra too.

First morning

4 Feb, Thursday. I got to the hotel after 3 in the morning. Slept a couple hours and ate the free breakfast. Omelette and the fixins. Weird way to get my coffee but it tastes good. That weird fruit thing in the middle smelled good but I couldn't get past the stuff in the center. The rest of the fruit was good tho.

Oh No!

No Yelp in Vietnam! Netflix is limited too.

Nice hotel

The room is nice too. Not bad for $38 a night. I'm packing kinda heavy. I kinda wish I left some stuff at home

My window

5 February 2016. Thursday.
I spent most of the day in my room reading, watched some Netflix, and deciding on what to do next.

Not a bad view from my room. Good hotels and the slummy parts too. About right for Saigon.

Dinner

Ended the day at a 'nice' French restaurant. Had duck breast with orange sauce. Might have been turkey with jelly for all I know--I didn't see the duck get whacked or anything. I kinda wanted to though. Not bad tasting. I just hope I don't get the squirts on this trip--always a threat when overseas.

Nice view

Overlooks most of where I walked today. I probably tramped 15+ miles. Good views of the city centers and some outlying areas away from the tourists. I didn't take some pictures of the poorer people in their alleys because it seemed rude. As comical as the roads are, these folks work their asses off, and I know many don't make much to show for it.

The Colonel

'Merica!
There are more of these than there are statues and posters of Ho Chi Minh in this city. Message?

Ho Chi Minh statue

That's the gubment building behind him. There's bird crap on his head, and I saw a dog pee on the building. I'm sure it gets cleaned up tho.

Contrast

Throughout this part of Saigon, there are modern and renowned office buildings, and old dilapidated residences, apartment and other commercial buildings among them.

The Opera House

Yep, those are commie flags flying.

Famous hotels

Hotel Majestic
Caravelle Hotel
Hotel Continental Saigon

These housed dignitaries and the Press during the war. They're within a mile of my place.

Sam Pan? Motoring down the Saigon River amongst the freighters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhOHMv-j8ao

Walking to the river

That's the Bitexco Financial Tower. I failed--didn't even think about going to the top of it. I bet the view is awesome.
That's the Saigon River. Big and slow.