June 20th, 2008
‘Nam
Lesson Number 1: Pho is not nice. Well at least at the place where we had it. They tended to us solid fat instead of meat.
Lesson Number 2: The traffic rules, there are none! It seems to be “stuff the lanes and traffic lights and just go where you want to go in the shortest distance possible”. Crossing the road is exactly like playing the game frogger, except with more traffic. I put up a couple of photos and a video of the traffic just outside our hotel.
Lesson Number 3: The Miss Universe contestants are gorgeous!! Our hotel room can see into the pool of the hotel where the Miss Universe contestants are staying. Yesterday they had a pool photoshoot so they were all out there in their bikinis - life is tough :p
The markets are really interesting although bloody hot and unfortunately not to keen on bargaining on prices. I bought some jandels which were essential and also a few DVD’s which I am sure are legit. The food is not nice although if you go to the right place it is really cheap, last night we had a pork noodles thing and a Tiger beer for $4NZ and you could get it cheaper if you really tried.
The alley below is typical of what the streets are like, anywhere you look there are people working their arses off just to make a few cents.
Yesterday we went to the War Remnants Museum which was pretty cool, they had the old planes and tanks etc. that the USA left behind. There were some pretty horrific photos as well as deformed babies that had been preserved in jars on display. They were deformed as a result of the Agent Orange sprayed during the war. They had replica cells and photos of the torture as well as the actual torture devices and guillotine. It all feels like such recent history here.
The other boys are still in bed (11:30am) and I have spent the last few hours roaming the streets on my own, the took took drivers are bloody annoying but everybody is really friendly and welcoming. We met up with Ben Bruno which is cool and today we are checking out of this hotel and heading to a backpackers. Hopefully I will be able to post again soon but if not just check my Jaiku feed for more regular updates (in the sidebar of this page).
Edit: I added a video of the traffic lol: