This was the greeting we woke up to on the loudspeaker as we pulled into Ho Chi Minh City, and as corny as it may sound, it was an impressive start to what would be my favorite port so far. I had heard about the traffic, the cheap shopping and food, the tailored clothes you could have made, the war museum, the beaches......and after 5 days in just Ho Chi Minh City, I felt like I had barely done what I wanted to do there, let alone visiting Ha Noi or other parts of Vietnam.
I literally walked off the ship and within 30 minutes someone was walking on my back and putting cucumber slices on my face. This was the first of three massages, and at the last one I asked the young woman with her knees in my tailbone to move to America, where she could live in my house and I'd even teach her to drive. She laughed as though I was kidding. Also on my first day I went straight to a tailor shop and got measured for a traditional silk Vietnamese dress and pants, as well as a linen dress, which I picked up the last day and fit perfectly.
The next day was my birthday (Halloween), and as much as I actually do love giving out candy at the door to trick or treaters, how often can I tell people that I spent my birthday going down the Mekong Delta, wearing a rice hat? And to have 14 strangers on the day trip, all from different countries, singing "Happy Birthday" was also something I won't forget. The day ended at a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant, sitting outside with a plate of noodles, veggies, and seafood, and sharing a bottle of local wine with some friends.
On the remaining days, I'm sure I walked at least 10 miles, shopping at the Ben Thanh market (seeing yet another rat...) and a hundred other shops, as well as visiting the Vietmam War museum, which was graphic, powerful, and essential to see. One minute I'm looking at pictures of deformed children, the result of Agent Orange, and the next I'm being thanked by a local in a coffee shop for my patronage, and asked how I like Vietnam. Besides the warmth and hospitality of the people, I loved the energy of Ho Chi Minh City, with scooters and crowds everywhere, but unlike the chaos of India, it was organized and efficient (8.5 million people and 8 million scooters!). We were taught how to cross the street before we got there, and am finding that I'm missing it.....the key is to not stop once you start and to never run. I also did a service visit to a deaf school, where we took the children to the zoo for the day.
The only incentive to get on the ship after Vietnam was the fact that our Presidential election would be covered over the two days of sailing to Hong Kong. We had live coverage beginning the morning of Nov. 5, and by noon we knew Obama would be our next President. I can't begin to describe the excitement, but someone had to have heard our roar, especially when Obama made reference to "our Americans abroad." Lots of tears, and lots of phone calls home. Next up--- China!
Pictures: Presidential Election coverage on the ship; Scooters in Ho Chi Minh City; Happy Birthday to me; Jane, me, and Nancy on the Mekong Delta; Molly picking out fabric for a blouse.
