"I want to go to a place with great weather, interesting culture, rich food and friendly people."
British tourist Lucy Handley has an article on CNBC sharing about her journey, going from Ho Chi Minh City through the Mekong Delta and to Phu Quoc.
Outstanding Ho Chi Minh City
I have been told a lot about congestion in Ho Chi Minh City, which has a population of about 9 million. As my plane flies low over the city at night, I can see the lights of hundreds of motorbikes whirring through the streets. But sitting in the taxi to the hotel, I was mesmerized by the bright lights on the street and amused by the amount of people on their motorbikes - a family of four, plus groceries, piled up on one vehicle. bicycle. I even saw a man driving behind a full length mirror while walking down the street.
The next day, I left at 8 am. Thanh, my tour guide, points to a sign on the roof of the nearby Rex Hotel that reads: "Five o'clock follies" referring to American military press conferences at the hotel during the war. The hotel's rooftop is now a bar, which offers delightful drinks and views of the city.
French architecture influence
The influence of French architecture is still evident in this city. A block from the Rex Hotel, I stopped in front of the Municipal Theater designed by French architect Eugene Ferret in the late 19th century. This place has also become a place where many people come to take pictures. The bride and groom are posing on the steps of the Theater while quickly avoiding the moving traffic.
Further down the street is the charming City Post Office, also designed in French and largely unchanged since the 1880s. From there, I sent a postcard home to England. Nearby is the Notre Dame Cathedral with two minarets, a red brick building and a statue of the Virgin Mary.
Lunch time
Around lunchtime, I noticed a group of men in business attire sitting on small plastic chairs on the sidewalk, which is a common way for city dwellers to have lunch. Thanh took us to a cafe that sells a variety of banh mi, which is a bread filled with meat or vegetables and spices popular throughout Vietnam. Like the office workers I saw before, we ate on small chairs in the shade of the sidewalk.
Although I only stayed for a short time, I fell in love with the great architecture, history and excitement of Ho Chi Minh City. The city is certainly busy, but I found the people incredibly friendly - a restaurant employee tried to help me cross the street.
Mekong Delta
Southwest of Ho Chi Minh City is the Mekong Delta, an area of rice fields, rivers and floating markets. I took the bus and boat tour for two. Our first stop is My Tho town to visit Vinh Trang pagoda built in 1849. We visited Cai Be market, just outside of Can Tho city, where we sampled freshly cut pineapple with salt and pepper (amazingly delicious) and strong Vietnamese coffee from an anchor vendor. Her boat is next to ours. Although it can be crowded with tourists, the floating market is the highlight of the Mekong Delta for me. Traders in conical hats sell everything from fruit to barbers on their boats - an experience best seen early in the morning. Finally, I ended my journey in Phu Quoc, at a seaside resort set in beautiful gardens on a tropical island, with palm-fringed beaches./.
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