Good morning Vietnam!!

I am writing this entry from the middle of Ho Chi Minh, formerly known as Saigon.  Yes my family has decided to take vacation in Vietnam for the next two weeks.  To describe the city would be to try and describe chaos.

 

Let us begin with the weather.  A sauna (wet one) would be an accurate analogy.  With over 95% humidity at all times and temperatures well in the 90s, it is challenging to get comfortable especially when air conditioning is hard to come by.  Yet somehow we survive in long pants to be polite in holy areas.

 

The driving is well scary.  Imagine tens of thousands of scooters, vespas, and motorcycles absolutely everywhere.  Very rare are the cars and those that are on the road are swalled amidst the tide of bikes.  Cars identify the need to change lane by holding down their horn and slowly moving into other lanes.  Crossing the street, well that is done at your own risk just walk through the street with purpose as the tour books say and everyone will move around you.  It is not for the faint of heart but then again the faint of heart would not travel here.

 

Tomorrow we fly to Hanoi which is to be considered significantly less commercial (capital for communism) but so far my phone works with full capacity so I am a happy man.

 

More updates to follow.

--
Matthew

My blog at: http://mdstein.blogspot.com