Hoi An (Continued) & Saigon (Justin)

HOI AN (continued)

Shop! Shop! And Shop! That was what we did the last 2 days in Hoi An. Alright, we went to My Son Sanctuary, another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Central Vietnam. And that side trip was a disappointment (the old ruin there was built before Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, but they were not impressive since most were destroyed during the war. I was surprised that some shopkeepers still remember me. After shopped in Saigon, Ha Noi and Hoi An, Hoi An tends to be the cheapest of all places. So, shop in Hoi An!

Shipping back is another story. I spent my last hour in Hoi An at the post office. I bought a painting that wouldn’t fit and I didn’t want to carry it around for the remainder of the trip. I basically had to fill out numerous forms, for the post office, for customs …and then they didn’t want to take credit card … But none of the ATMs in the area worked! After another fifteen minutes or so, the post office in Hoi An reluctantly accepted my credit card. BTW, the cost of mailing is about the same as the painting itself!

SAIGON

Wow! What a different one year can make. I was surprised to see the change, more vehicles on the road, more shops, more tourists, more nightlife! And the hotel we stayed, Spring Hotel (Khach San Mua Xuan), even had free wi-fi! On day one, I sent John’s parents to my favorite bar, Saigon/Saigon, on top of Caravelle Hotel since John wasn’t feeling well at all. Then, I met them for dinner at another favorite restaurant on Dong Khoi Street. On day two, we met a friend of mine from CA who was also on vacation in Vietnam. We tagged along his family for a general tour of Saigon, including the War Museum (talk about propaganda!). The last day in Saigon, we went to the Mekong Delta in the morning and shopping in the afternoon and evening. I ran out of time to shop in Saigon! Too many cool shops to look … and too little time there. Next year, I guess!