Ho Chi Minh City Wednesday 8th October, 2014.

We got a taxi straight  to the War Remnants Museum spent a couple of hours there then made our way back to the hotel by walking to see some of the places on the way.
Went through the museum which covered the war with very descriptive photos. Quite disturbing and emotional. They didn't speak highly of the Americans at all, showing how they were involved with the killings of children, women, destroying schools and hospitals. Made out they were so brutal.

In the outer grounds of the Remnants Museum, various obsolete machinery. 

In March 1965 the US government sent its troops to Vietnam. Each US soldiers coming here received a booklet called "A new war style" stating, "We come here to help the people and conquer the South Vietnam. We come here to save the whole South East Asia from communist aggression and oppression. By that action we can boost the security for the United States."  But what the US soldiers had done were arresting and killing normal people, including children, women, older people, destroying houses, schools, hospitals, spraying defoliants to devastate forests and crops.

Among 6 million US soldiers (all over this period) being sent to Vietnam, more than 58,000 were killed and over 300,000 wounded. 

Villages of farmers became battle fields. 80 percent of the Vietnamese people are farmers. In the US attacks, shellings and bombings have killed more people than soldiers. There were about 3 million people killed, 4 million people wounded in the recent war. The war also left them homeless and forced  them to flee their native villages.

The war ended in 1975, but many people still do not enjoy happiness, in Vietnam,  as countless people have been suffering from agent orange, physical and mental wounds, missing people orphans...and a lot more.... There are still land mines being triggered by the unwary.

We have noticed that the evidence of disabilities, deformities is still very apparent due to birth                                                                        defects. Its awful to see. 

Reunification Palace. In most locals' minds, the palace is remembered vividly as a marked end to the war between the North and the South Vietnam.

In the grounds of the above.

Continued walking through the streets and passed this bride and groom having photos taken in front of the  Notre Dame Cathedral.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Ho Chi Minh City is a very spread out large city but we still saw good green park areas.

Opera House

Big round-a-bout  with roads branching off all round it. Just along the road from our hotel.

GO................still can't get away from them. Getting really used to dodging in and out of them as we cross the road. They won't give way to you, just weave in and out around you.

Poster up in the viewing area of the Bitexco Tower on the 49th floor. We went up here in a lift that took 35 seconds to reach the 49th floor. We were below the helicopter pad, so you will see from below photos still a lot of building higher up.

How would you like to land on this helicopter pad. on the 50th floor up.

Looking up from the viewing deck at the landing pad. Amazing.

Views from the viewing deck. Big City.

Looking down at our hotel, high silver coloured building on the river road. Looks small.

Saw this little old house quite out of place amongst newer buildings.Its opposite the Australian Steak House where we had dinner. Best hamburger I have ever tasted. Just near the tower.

We have booked a day tour  for tomorrow to take us out of the city to on of the Mekong Delta River                                                                             area.