Post Cycle Tour Day 3
What a great room, bed, pillows, shower, etc, etc, but it is the famous Rex Hotel, Saigon so it should be. Lovely old-world charm and luxury coupled with service beyond belief and you have a perfect hotel. Breakfast was an amazing array of food and drink, and after missing dinner last night it was most welcome following our sleep in till 7am. The Rex was a popular meeting place for journos and all sorts of people during the Vietnam War. It would certainly have been a sanctuary then.
Got a basic map from the front desk and just went wandering, something that isn't easy to do in this city of 7 mil people, as you have to dodge the stalls, tables and chairs, people, construction debris, overflow stock that is taking up most of the footpaths. Not to mention the numerous scooter/motorbikes both parked up and that take to the footpath when the roads become too congested, which was most of the day and night. Not a good idea to walk along the footpath texting!!
First stop was Starbucks for a decent coffee, but after the thick, strong stuff we'd been drinking in Laos it was a bit wishy, washy. We'll just have to try one of the other 1,000s of coffee houses tomorrow.
It was then onto the Presidential Palace where the tanks crashed through the gates in 1975 to herald the end of the Vietnam War. Lots of history.
The Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, the
Mekong River, Uncle Ho's Museum, many interesting sights and parks &
gardens came next in our meanderings. We had lunch at Highlands Coffee, stick
bread with tuna & salad plus a bottle of water for about A$1.
About 2:30pm we were getting a bit weary and
fairly hot so returned to the Rex, had a beer on the rooftop and then a
LLD.
Back out into the fray about 5:30pm for some
seafood Pho (A$4) near the night markets. Must be good as President Clinton ate
there in 2000.
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