HCM

during my last day in ho chi minh city, i woke up early to again walk around. it was raining, so i wasn't able to walk up to the reunification palace, but i was able to spend some good time checking out the famous notre dame cathedral. similar to my trip to borobodur in march, it seemed that i was the only asian in a swarm of european tourists who got in the cathedral when its gates were finally opened around 8 am. these tourists were of the older age group, i think around their fifties and were traveling with a vietnamese guide who has "man" and "dude" in almost every sentence he utters in english! i'm glad that i don't have to wait for my fifties to see new and exciting places... that's why i need to save some more for any future trips!!

i got another sampling of ngon food. and on my way back to hotel before checking out, i got to try HCMC's very nice highlands coffee.

since i did stay in the office virtually all the time and the travel going back to renaissance riverside hotel always took around 40 minutes, i wasn't able to see HCMC's ben thanh market. but she and derik went with me to sample the city's night market. i got some trung nguyen coffee, artichoke tea, as well as some keepsakes that i can give this christmas. for myself, i got the two wooden traditional vietnamese lady... as part of my growing collection of souvenirs from southeast asian travels.

my next trip to vietnam should include seeing the war museum and the vietnamese war tunnels just outside ho chi minh city. they say that hanoi has a different character from HCMC, so i should experience that as well, together with that famous halong bay ferry ride.