After spending the night in the low cost carrier terminal (LCCT) in Kuala Lumpur, we hopped on an early morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known a Saigon). We had very little of this portion of the trip mapped out and this worked out nicely for two reasons – my debit card was cancelled by my bank and two massive typhoons hit the country. Not having a rigid schedule allowed us to be flexible around these circumstances.

First of many bowls of Pho – the quintessential dish of Vietnam. We spent the first couple of days exploring museums and sites on foot. It seemed like everyone used a motorbike to get around. To cross a street you are advised to just walk steady and slow and let the zooming bikes avoid you!

It was a little hectic but we had plenty of time to check out the sites – one stop was a war museum focusing on what we Americans call the Vietnam War.

This was a very somber museum about an incredibly controversial war. Museum exhibits painstakingly detailed war crimes and use of chemical agents and napalm against civilians. Before the United States became involved, Vietnam was French colony and some of this architecture survived the war. The southern half of Vietnam was the main base of the U.S. backed government and when the U.S. left the country, the largest city in the south, Saigon, was renamed Ho Chi Minh City after the victorious leader of the Communist north.

I got really hooked on Vietnamese coffee too. It utilizes a quasi-French drip system but they add condensed milk to the bottom of the cup for a sweet kicker. The french legacy of delicious bread also survives in the form of the Bahn Mi sandwiches.

We also checked out a traditional Vietnamese Temple on the outskirts of the city.