This is day 3 according to the official tour itinerary. I have copied the official OAT itinerary into the bottom of each post to help me keep track of our activities. Above the itinerary text are my personal reflections.
Met other members of our group at hotel in Bangkok and then flew to Saigon on two hour flight. Bangkok airport large and modern, lots of high end shops. Saw John Kerry's airplane at the airport.
One hour bus ride to hotel and our guide Ethan explained basic procedures and content for the tour. He's open to questions and may answer controversial questions when he feels safe doing so - it's a communist country. Ethan grew up in Saigon. He was a " boat person" and lived in a refugee camp in Malaysia for three years before returning to Vietnam. He is the youngest of ten children and his father worked for an American company. The Vietnamese love Bill Clinton for normalizing relations and thereby allowing the economy to starT growing again. First company to return to Vietnam was Coca Cola.
Walked neighborhood around hotel - we are not on Kansas anymore! Lots of traffic and motorbikes. Very noisy. Stopped for fresh baguettes while we walked. Stopped for beer and dog meat. Went back to hotel for more detailed review of itinerary. Took bus to old quarter on city for wonderful welcome dinner of Vietnamese food - seafood soup, rice, vegetables, chicken and pork. Mango rice for dessert.
Weather is coldest in 30 years with light rain. Happily tomorrow should be ten degrees warmer and sunny.
Statue at Bankok airport:
Airport in Vietnam
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations:
KMay De Ville
After breakfast at our hotel, we depart for the airport for our flight to Hanoi, where we'll meet the travelers who joined our pre-trip extension to Vientiane & Luang Prabang, Laos. We'll check in to our hotel, and then enjoy a walking tour through the city's Old Quarter. Stretching along the banks of the Red River, Vietnam's charming capital retains much of its French colonial character. As we explore by foot, we’ll see Vietnam's history reflected in the French-influenced public parks and tree-lined boulevards. We conclude our day with a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant.
After breakfast at our hotel, we depart for the airport for our flight to Hanoi, where we'll meet the travelers who joined our pre-trip extension to Vientiane & Luang Prabang, Laos. We'll check in to our hotel, and then enjoy a walking tour through the city's Old Quarter. Stretching along the banks of the Red River, Vietnam's charming capital retains much of its French colonial character. As we explore by foot, we’ll see Vietnam's history reflected in the French-influenced public parks and tree-lined boulevards. We conclude our day with a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant.
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