TBK remembers Vietnam

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                                                    TBK on the river in Vietnam in 2016

I saw some pictures from Denise in Bahrain in  her Facebook memories- which helped me remember my trip to Vietnam in 2016. So I dug out my 2016 external hard drive and selected my favourites to share with you all.

We started in Saigon ( Ho Chi Min City) and my friend managed to get tickets to see a classical concert at the beautiful Opera House close to my Birthday.

We did a variety of tours and one of my favourites was of the Palace. Having been born in 1960 I can just remember Henry Kissinger's diplomacy on behalf of President Nixon back in 1972. My memories , together with the excellent tour guide and the detailed story boards bought it all back to life.

Back in 1972/3 I was 12/ 13 but many of you will remember the horrific scenes from the Movie " Good Morning Vietnam" and the song 19. The average age of most of the Americans who lost their lives in the conflict. On another trip we went to see the Cu Chi Tunnels and the braver tourists went through them ( not me) and we heard about how the Vietnamese hid in the Jungle for many years and set up vicious traps to torture the Americans when they fell into the grass covered pits onto the spikes underneath. 

         They told us that some of  tunnels had been enlarged for the tourists!

Another trip took us down the Mighty Mekong river, on a horse and cart and to be sold gifts to take home! Very touristy- but the guide was good and even sang to us on the way back!

I think it was my friend Mama Jam who recommended the hotel in Saigon- the LeLe , which was well laid out, centrally located and cheap. My whole Asian trip was 3 months due to Ramadan and I had cookery classes in Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam, Visited Singapore and Malaysia ( Penang and Melaka) . So I decided to splash out at the end of the trip and stay in a Luxurious hotel on the beach in Hoi An. The town itself is very sweet with a night market, restaurants and pretty lanterns everywhere/ I did two day trips with an excellent guide called Tran to My Son and Hue- both in a chauffeur driven Mercedes with breakfast served in the car on the way!

Tran , the mother of a little boy, worked so hard and I bought her a new hat on my last day there!

               Just some of the beautiful lanterns in Hoi An

            On my last day there I learnt how to cook Vietnamese food 

                                      Walking on the beach in Hoi An

I hope you enjoyed another of my trips down memory lane and please do let me know where you would like to go next!