Southern Vietnam

While we had a wonderful time in Cambodia, we were very excited to see Southern Vietnam. We were based in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) but we got the change to do some traveling around the area.

In front of Notre-Dame Cathedral in HCMC.

The beautiful post office where we learned is the ONLY place to send letters in the city.

Outside Reunification Palace, formerly the Presidential Residence.

Teddy sitting on one of the Northern Vietnamese tanks that bulldozed through the main gate at the residence on April 30, 1975, ending the Vietnam War.

Teddy inside the president's office, pretending to be the animal behind him.

On the roof of the palace looking out over the city.

The shooting range inside the presidential residence.

We then walked down the street to the amazing War Remnants Museum.  This was a very difficult museum to visit so we didn't take many pictures.

The sign on the outside of the museum.

A cool picture of Teddy and Daddy through the scope of a tank.

We went to dinner that night at a Vietnamese BBQ open-air restaurant.  

We had so much fun!

The next day we took a trip to the Mekong Delta to learn about life on the river.  We traveled for part of the trip on boats like this one.

Teddy on the boat and ready to get going!

In order to go deeper into the delta, we had to get on a smaller boat.  Teddy and I had a front seat!

The view from the front as we meandered down an offshoot of the main river.

We stopped at a family business that makes coconut candy.  These women were wrapping the candy.  If you have ever been to Sussman's Blueberries in Western MA, this had a similar feel.

We then traveled up the river for lunch.  Michael and I ordered a fried elephant ear fish.  They pulled the meat off the fish and wrapped it with noodles and lettuce.  It was pretty good...mostly because it tasted like chicken!

We spied a water buffalo in the river by the restaurant.

We then went to a farm that raises bees.  Here we got to drink honey tea, which was delicious, and eat some dried fruits.

Someone had a snake at the bee farm.  Look, I'm touching it!

We wandered through a small village to get onto another smaller boat to head back out onto the main river.

Although it was very touristy, we enjoyed wearing the rice paddy hats they had for us.

The Russell family with our driver!

We also got to visit a fruit farm and try a few exotic fruits!

Teddy enjoyed hanging out in the hammock.

The next day we went to the Zoo and Botanical Garden.  How smart of Saigon to put these two things together!

Teddy checking out the elephants.

I was not impressed that we arrived to the snake house at feeding time.  Poor bunny!

Teddy swinging like a monkey in front of the monkey house.

The boys messing around with the rhinos.

Trapped!

We thought it was a little strange that they had dinosaurs at the zoo but I'm thrilled to have gotten this great shot of Michael.

We then walked across the street to the city museum and enjoyed seeing this communist era statue.

The next day we took a tour to the Cu Chi tunnels outside the city.  This is an underground network of over 250K of tunnels that were used during the Vietnam War.

The strangest family picture ever.

Teddy reluctantly going down into the tunnels.

Looking scared.

Thankful for the headlamp that Papa got him for Christmas.

I'm smiling because we are almost done!

Teddy drinking tea with our amazing guide.

As we were leaving the tunnels, a beautiful butterfly landed on us.

That night we went to a water puppet show.

It was hard to get pictures but here is one from inside the theater.

Teddy and Michael in front of the Opera House in downtown HCMC.  It is all decorated with lights because of the Christmas and New Years holidays.

On our way home with the gingerbread man that Teddy made in class to celebrate Christmas.  He just had to come along on our trip, right?