Chai-yo, Chai-yo, it's off to Bangkok I go: Good Morning...

...Vietnam.

Not my most creative title, but this is a free blog after all.

My last SE Asia adventure took me to Vietnam for a quick Friday night to Tuesday evening tour.

Did you know that GOB Bluth is fluent in Vietnamese? His trademark “Come On!” is actually the Vietnamese phrase for thank you (cảm ơn).

I started off spending 24 hours solo in Hanoi before flying down south to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon). While in Hanoi, I headed to Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, the Hanoi Hilton, a motorcycle (cyclo) tour, a water puppet show, and some wandering through the Old Quarter.

Remember how Uncle Ho (Ho Chi Minh) wanted to be cremated when he died? Remember how to honor his wishes, he was embalmed and his body is still on display 40 years after? I will say he looks good for being 43 years-old-dead.

On a cyclo tour

Look ma, no hands! Just kidding, one hand.

At Hanoi Hilton (Hoa Lo Prison Museum) - John McCain's Jumpsuit (allegedly)


Walking by a shop, I noticed a University of Washington and UNC hat, found two of my three teams, just missing Gonzaga!

The Green Lake of Hanoi

Water puppet show. I'll be honest, it would have been cooler if the puppets were made of water, but still a fine show.

In Saigon, we took a couple day-trips, one to to the tunnels used by the Viet Cong and another to the Mekong Delta, and also hit many of the sights in the city. I also tried several Vietnamese iced coffees (very strong and sweetened with condensed milk) and just happened to come across a coffee chain that looked mildly familiar.

Both in Hanoi and around Saigon, it was fascinating seeing Vietnam and visiting war-related sites. All in all I was surprised by how friendly people seemed even when we said we were Americans. However, at government sponsored museums and sites, it was still an adjustment to hear things about the “Evil American Imperialists” and hear a very different story. For example: in explaining the "Hanoi Hilton" name of the Hoa Lo prison, the museum explained how despite war-time rations, the American POWs were fed very well and enjoyed exercise, so much so that the camp was practically like a hotel.

Hotel de Ville- no longer a hotel (now a government building), but probably still a "de ville"

Reunification Palace, formerly the residence of the South Vietnamese President.

Site of the Fall of Saigon

Growing up, I remember being taught to “look both ways before you cross the street”. Not sure what children are taught in Ho Chi Minh, but I went with look both ways repeatedly, find an elderly women who looks to be crossing, follow behind her, and be ready to sprint out of the way of any cyclos that don’t look like they will swerve around you.

Ready for a fun day of fashion, it turned out we weren’t going to the Gucci tunnels, but the Cucci tunnels… a bit claustrophobic, the cramped quarters almost got me to stop eating 9 Baht($0.30) McDonald's ice cream cones.

Tunnel entrance just to the left of the tree.

1800's portrait style

When at the post office, pretend to mail things? Probably our best post office pose

Apparently I’m starring in White Man Can’t Jump 2

Post Office 1- Me 0

1st Starbucks in Vietnam opened less than 30 days before, so I decided to show everybody the perks of a gold card…

... apparently I still had to wait outside …

… but Mr. Matt got an Asian Dolce Latte...

... great success!

Our tour guide to the Mekong Delta. I’m fairly sure this was during a 7 minute parable about going to the bathroom during scheduled bathroom breaks, warning us about a bunch of school children appearing out of nowhere and cobras making the process difficult. To take one of out of the playbook of Pawnee’s Chris Traeger, it was literally a 7 minute story