Day 11 Ho Chi Minh City!

Sailed in to Ho Chi Minh City about 11 am, with a bus tour of the city at 12, so it was a relaxed morning. Just as well, as it was pouring most of the way in to the harbour. But dried up before our tour.

Our guide, Thomas, was very good, told us lots about life in Vietnam, and how he loved living here. We stopped off at a few famous buildings (the Post Office, designed by Gustave Eiffel) and walked round a few streets. Crossing the road was fun. Our guide would just step out and hold his hand up to stop vehicles. It worked.

Back for a late lunch snack, a relax, then afternoon tea with white tablecloths and fine china tea cups. A pianist was tinking the ivorys in corner. Most pleasant, and I restrained myself to one little slice of cheesecake, because we have a pool deck barbecue this evening.

LATER: The pool bbq was EPIC! What a brilliant effort by the staff. And a perfect temperature- about 26° with a breeze, down from 30° today. And the fantastic live band went through the old favourites. What a variety of food - seafood, sushi, meat (roast suckling pig) salads - you name it.

After the super band, and a saxophonist, came the traditional band. It started off slowly, and well, as expected, but suddenly launched into the most wonderful joyful music. A xylophone of stones (possibly) a woman playing a huge instrument that looked like a whale’s skeleton and brilliant drumming. Several dancers in between to more subdued music, then back to the joyful riot that was the drummer/xylophonist.

The whole ended with the chefs and all the wait staff coming out to waving napkins and cheers!

A passing note on my health: I STILL have random extended coughing barking fits, at inopportune moments eg in a refined restaurant (last night) or on the bus today.

PS. There are some videos of the bbq on archies_mums on Instagram…