Folk Travel Log

 Ho Chi Minh City is very busy with very modern buildings and old ones, fairly well kept given the level of activity.  Vietnam has a turbulent history but now thriving. Occupied by China, Japan, France then US - their goal was independence, to get there they were forced to be friendly with Russia. Today Vietnam is less socialist than the US, there is no income tax, no healthcare, no welfare, no retirement program. Free market prevails (they don’t like calling it capitalism) people keep what they earn and own land, homes and businesses. Covid has been hard because tourism was big and slowly recovering, the Chinese were a large source of tourist dollars, they have not come back yet.  Incense offerings at temple is old wifi, you add incense and pray for good things, your message is carried by the smoke. Temple main alter dedicated to goddess of the sea, protecting sailors and fishermen. At the Viet Kong tunnels a camouflaged entry was shown - a small hatch covered by leaves....

Very busy for last two days, we visited a temple where we were blessed by monks and toured a wholesale market where fresh fruits,  vegetables, fish, meat and animals are for sale. As usual my pics do not appear in any order. We also disembarked Viking Saigon and traveled by bus to Ho Chi Minh City, on the way we visited an area where the Viet Kong (rebels seeking to overthrow the U.S. backed government) had a huge labyrinth of underground tunnels. Now at Sheraton Saigon (Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City after the fall of South Vietnam but the names are both used) for two days then we head home. Roast pork. Flowers, some mentioned Valentines Day but scant notice otherwise. Seafood of all kinds, much available live. Veggies  At the temple with monks who blessed us, we sat in front of them with our group, they chanted and threw flower petals over us, pic taken after. Snails of all sizes - a popular delicacy here. Meat market, every part of the animal is offered, no refrigerati...

Traveling south on the Mekong stopping at several small towns along the way, the boat anchored and we are transported via San pan to shore. Although we saw many examples of people living in extreme poverty they are industrious and making a life. There are rich people but not much in the middle. They are happy and friendly. Sorry pics come out in jumbled order. San pan unloading our group to Evergreen Island where about 300 families live and work farming. Crops are good due to soil which gets nutrients from annual flooding. Life on the river. Also toured the town on mainland by rickshaw. We were able to go inside the home of one of the farmer families - this is the kitchen. Living room, they sleep on the floor in the rainy season and below the house in dry season. Houses are elevated due to annual flooding - up to five or six feet. Woman in Gucci outfit bringing goods to market. Another home. Working on boat. Chickens being prepared for roasting. My rickshaw driver. Another look at the ...