The ship is docked in Phu My today as the Queen Elizabeth cannot travel any further along the Saigon River as it is too shallow. It will take about a one and a half hour drive to get into Ho Chi Minh.
Saigon was captured by the French in 1859 and our 'Highlights of Ho Chin Minh' tour began with a visit to the French influenced Notre Dame Cathedral. It was built in 1870 and is smaller than it's namesake in Paris.
After a very nice buffet lunch in the Windsor Plaza Hotel, where we were entertained by musicians and dancers, we went to see the Reunification Palace. This was once the Presidential Palace and where, on 30th April 1975, liberation forces marked the end of the Vietnam War.
We then drove to the Thien Hau Temple. This is dedicated to the Protector of Sailors, the Chinese Sea
Goddess Mazu and then to a lacquer factory.
Our guide showed us around the Historical Museum before we watched a water puppet show and then on to see the statue of Ho Chi Minh.
The drive between these sights was equally entertaining as we had a good insight into how the Vietnamese live. Their major mode of transport is by moped of which there are approximately 8.5 million in a population of 10 million. Although they need to pass a test they tend to drive as they please. In what appeared to be the 'school run' we saw as many as five on a moped- two adults and three children.
Some of my photos have been taken from a bus so not particularly good!
A really enjoyable and insightful day.
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