Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

Welcome to 700 travel blogs, to access a full index on your mobile please scroll to the bottom & choose from 700 locations. Email is [email protected]

Magic Marble Mountain Vietnam

July 24, 2015 by David Herd

Marble Mountain Vietnam

Marble Mountain Vietnam

 Marble Mountain Vietnam where the statues are hand carved by certified and regulated stone mason artists. These artist begin a lifelong apprenticeship from a very young age and spend their life learning the trade.

 Huge statue

Marble Mountain Vietnam

 Mined from the famous Marble Mountain, in Vietnam, the premium marble offers quality and colours that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Plus the skill of the Vietnamese ensures a wonderful product.


 

Many beautiful statues

Marble Mountain Vietnam

I had to stop myself from sending a whole container home. TripAdvisor rate Marble Mountain 2nd out of 97 things to do in Danang.

Marble Mountain Vietnam

Marble Mountain Vietnam

 The stone carving village of Dong Hai, located next to the Marble Mountains in Vietnam is famous for traditional stone engraving and stone-cutting craft.

 

A Vietnamese Venus de Milo

Marble Mountain Vietnam

The statues here are rather extraordinary, all shapes and sizes. 

Bangkok to Danang

Marble Mountain Vietnam

There are about seven low cost flights per week from Bangkok to Danang, it only takes around 90 minutes.

Tiger on the prowl

Marble Mountain Vietnam

This guy is a rather mean looking beast. It reminds me of a funny story of my brush with a tiger in Chiang Mai, check out THIS LINK for the full story.

David Herd at Marble Mountain

Marble Mountain Vietnam

Thanks for visiting my Marble Mountain Vietnam post, please have a look at some more posts if you have the time. For great hotel rates simply use this link.    

         Hoi An, midway between Hanoi & HCMC, fly into Danang take a taxi south, on the way make sure you visit Marble mountain.

 

               

                      Here are some more posts to check out 

         Sydney                               Paris                                   Bangkok           
 497d0b6e-c0bd-4ba2-86be-c02100f050a8        65470622-d17a-4b90-bf97-2574df4c412d        1a2160c1-41f7-465a-954c-631e083eb229
          Tokyo                        Rio De Janeiro                        Budapest
f59e958e-8eaf-48b4-8e96-c291a0c13d1a        f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4        a6a948cd-f30a-49ea-a905-82be4d202cc9
           London                            Beijing                            Capetown
2246c6cf-5fa6-4fbe-ac30-b569253ad2a6        f65d714b-f44c-4b2e-9505-3511ebecbb80        4e82052a-24d0-41e1-ab84-10e8f27634d1
 
            Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you            
 book through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
                                                                 Plus free cancellation .
                                               Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
                                            d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037            01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f
 

Slide show here.

Pattaya live webcam
 
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

That’s all folks

1g Duck


  • Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Beautiful China Beach Vietnam

July 24, 2015 by David Herd

White sand & a bright blue ocean

Beautiful China Beach Vietnam

Beautiful China Beach Vietnam

 Beautiful China Beach Vietnam is in Da Nang, a port city along the coast of the South China Sea. While there is not a great deal in the city in terms of restaurants and bars at the moment, Da Nang has been targeted for massive investment by both the government and private companies alike, and is tipped to be a major destination for both tourism and commerce.

Beach Vendors

Beautiful China Beach VietnamAlthough I was last there in 2003 I’m sure nothing has changed with the persistent beach vendors. They do not like taking no for an answer and there is really no escape from them.


Everything is for sale

Beautiful China Beach VietnamJohn Martin aka Pothole examining the merchandise.

 

Two Americans

Beautiful China Beach VietnamWe met two nice Americans on the beach and had lunch together washed down with some cold beers. Notice my Lee Child novel close by. 🙂

For a great hotel rate just book through THIS LINK.

Shelter from the sun.

Beautiful China Beach Vietnam

 In more recent history, Danang is best-known for its role in the American Vietnam War. The Danang Airbase was a major American airbase, used both by the Americans and the South Vietnamese. Nearby China Beach, named after its beautiful china-white sand, was home to the 510th Evacuation Hospital, where wounded American soldiers would come to recover. China Beach itself was an American in-country R&R spot, nicknamed the “Five and Dime”. The Vietcong, meanwhile, had their own hospital surprisingly close by in the caves of the Marble Mountains.

 Beautiful Vietnamese face

Beautiful China Beach VietnamMy travelling partner John Martin aka “Pothole” was a bit of a lunatic, he is an excellent reason for travelling alone. 🙂

I forget what the young girl was selling however I just had to capture that beautiful face.

Marble Mountain

Beautiful China Beach VietnamIf you find yourself travelling from Da nang to Hoi An make sure you visit Marble Mountain.

China Beach Vietnam

Beautiful China Beach VietnamChina Beach Vietnam is a great place to relax however I would suggest you stay at Hoi An which is only 45 minutes away by taxi.

Beautiful China Beach Vietnam

 


Beautiful China Beach Vietnam

Beautiful China Beach Vietnam

 Who needs people when you have beautiful white sand & a bright blue ocean. 🙂

David Herd at China beach.

Beautiful China Beach Vietnam

Thanks for visiting my Beautiful China Beach Vietnam travel page, one of my favorite places in Vietnam, however the image that sticks in my mind most of all are the beautiful faces of the people and their children in this amazing country. Have a look at some of my other Vietnam posts.

For a great hotel rate in China Beach just book through THIS LINK.

                    Here are some more posts to check out 

         Sydney                               Paris                                   Bangkok           
 497d0b6e-c0bd-4ba2-86be-c02100f050a8        65470622-d17a-4b90-bf97-2574df4c412d        1a2160c1-41f7-465a-954c-631e083eb229
          Tokyo                        Rio De Janeiro                        Budapest
f59e958e-8eaf-48b4-8e96-c291a0c13d1a        f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4        a6a948cd-f30a-49ea-a905-82be4d202cc9
           London                            Beijing                            Capetown
2246c6cf-5fa6-4fbe-ac30-b569253ad2a6        f65d714b-f44c-4b2e-9505-3511ebecbb80        4e82052a-24d0-41e1-ab84-10e8f27634d1
 
            Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you            
                book through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
                                                                 Plus free cancellation .
                                               Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
                                            d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037            01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f
 

Slide show here.

Pattaya live webcam
 
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

That’s all folks

1g Duck

                            

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Road Trip Nha Trang

May 25, 2015 by David Herd

Leaving HCMC

Road Trip Nha Trang

Road Trip Nha Trang

Road Trip Nha Trang via Dalat by mini bus with a one night stopover in Dalat. We travelled through some very interesting countryside stopping often for food and drinks.

Riding to school

Road Trip Nha Trang

 Young girl wearing the traditional ao dai. The name “ao dai” was originally applied to the outfit worn at the court of the Nguyễn Lords at Huế in the 18th century.

A tip for the boys

Road Trip Nha TrangI gave these boys a tip which made them very happy indeed.

 

Another happy face in Vietnam.

Road Trip Nha Trang

So many happy faces in Vietnam.

Beautiful country heading north

Road Trip Nha TrangRice terraces from the highway.

Village on the river

Road Trip Nha Trang

A whole town sits on the water.

What more could you want?

Road Trip Nha Trang

Vietnam’s version of waterfront homes.

HCMC Nha Trang Dalat Vietnam

Road Trip Nha Trang

  Compare the above and below photo and see if you can spot the difference.  

Looks the same doesn’t it?

Road Trip Nha Trang

  Of course you picked it, the mother is rocking the baby. 🙂 🙂 🙂  

Paddling by foot

Road Trip Nha Trang via Dalat

That’s a new technique.

Dalat market

Road Trip Nha Trang

Night market in Dalat.

Fresh fish at Dalat

Road Trip Nha Trang

     Đà Lạt, the capital of Lâm Đồng Province in southern Vietnam’s Central Highlands, is centred around a lake and golf course, and surrounded by hills, pine forests, lakes and waterfalls. Known as the “City of Eternal Spring” for its distinctive temperate climate, Đà Lạt was developed as a resort by the French in the early 1900s, and many reminders of its colonial heritage remain.

Off to training

Road Trip Nha Trang via Dalat

    The kids are looking good in their karate outfits.

Lovely smile in Dalat

Road Trip Nha Trang

    So many smiling faces in this great country.

HCMC Nha Trang

Road Trip Nha Trang

Thanks for visiting my HCMC Nha Trang Dalat Vietnam post, this is really a worthwhile adventure if you want to see life in the countryside, this was 2003, check out some more recent Vietnam posts below.                       

                   Here are some more posts to check out 

         Sydney                               Paris                                   Bangkok           
 497d0b6e-c0bd-4ba2-86be-c02100f050a8        65470622-d17a-4b90-bf97-2574df4c412d        1a2160c1-41f7-465a-954c-631e083eb229
          Tokyo                        Rio De Janeiro                        Budapest
f59e958e-8eaf-48b4-8e96-c291a0c13d1a        f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4        a6a948cd-f30a-49ea-a905-82be4d202cc9
           London                            Beijing                            Capetown
2246c6cf-5fa6-4fbe-ac30-b569253ad2a6        f65d714b-f44c-4b2e-9505-3511ebecbb80        4e82052a-24d0-41e1-ab84-10e8f27634d1
 
            Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you            
             book through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
                                                                 Plus free cancellation .
                                               Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
                                            d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037            01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f
 

Slide show here.

 
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

That’s all folks

1g Duck

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

May 24, 2015 by David Herd

Japanese Covered Bridge

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

Ancient Town Vietnam Central Coast is Hoi-An featuring wonderful French colonial buildings including this beautiful Japanese covered bridge which dates back to the 18th century. Probably the most photographed place in Hoi-An.

Crossing the bridge

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

I’m not sure what the ladies are selling.

For a great hotel rate just book through THIS LINK.

This is my favourite photo.

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

The culture & heritage is mostly from the Cham people whose kingdom originally stretched from Hue South to Phan Thiet (South of Nha Trang) – the Champa’s most likely originally from Java. The original Cham political capital was Tra Kieu, the commercial capital was Hoi An and the spiritual capital was My Son (Hindu). The Cham people were Hindu, and by the 10th century the influence of Arab traders to Hoi An resulted in some converting to become Muslims.

The second major influence was from the Chinese, firstly from traders but especially the escaping Ming Dynasty armies who after settling in Hoi An for some years moved further south and created Saigon as a major trading port.

Beautiful faces

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

Hoi An is midway between Hanoi & HCMC, you can fly into Danang then take a taxi south, on the way make sure you visit Marble mountain where you can watch beautiful statues being made and perhaps even order one to be shipped home.

 

Here I am at Marble Mountain just north of Hoi-An.

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

Marble Mountain Vietnam where the statues are hand carved by certified and regulated stone mason artists. These artist begin a lifelong apprenticeship from a very young age and spend their life learning the trade.

Travel Tip. Hoi-An has the reputation as the place to go to have clothes made, I think one of the best strategies is to take some of your favourite items and have them copied at a fraction of the price you would pay at home.

 Hoi-An French colonial buildings

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

One of the many Hoi-An French colonial buildings.

Please click on Google + to help my ranking.

Fu kien restaurant

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

A typical Hoi-Ann street scene.

 Beautiful buildings

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

There are so many wonderful buildings.

 Lanterns

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

There is a photo opportunity around every corner.

We asked where he was taking the duck?

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

He said I am taking it home to eat it.

Hoi Ann timber delivery

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

Firewood for cooking I imagine.

Ancient Town Vietnam Central Coast Hoi Ann market

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

Morning gossip at the market.

Banana anyone?

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

It is a hive of activity on the waterfront.

Happy faces

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

Non la (palm-leaf conical hat) is a traditional symbol of Vietnamese people.

Great looking kids in Hoi Ann.

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

Another couple of great Vietnamese smiles.

China Beach

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

During the war the Americans used the name China Beach to refer to the beautiful 30 km sweep of fine white sand that starts at Monkey Mountain and ends near Hoi An. Soldiers would be sent here for some R&R from bases all over the country.

Pothole shopping for art

Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

 Pothole aka John Martin shopping for some genuine reproductions. 🙂

For a great hotel rate just book through THIS LINK.

Hanoi to Bangkok

 Ancient Town Vietnam Coast

It was the start of the Sars problem.

Thanks for visiting my Hoi-An French colonial buildings photo blog, one of my favourite places in Vietnam, however the image that sticks in my mind most of all are the beautiful faces of the people and their children in this amazing country. Have a look at some of my other Vietnam posts.

                         
 

For a great hotel rate in China Beach just book through THIS LINK.

Here are some more posts to check out 

         Sydney                               Paris                                   Bangkok           
 497d0b6e-c0bd-4ba2-86be-c02100f050a8        65470622-d17a-4b90-bf97-2574df4c412d        1a2160c1-41f7-465a-954c-631e083eb229
          Tokyo                        Rio De Janeiro                        Budapest
f59e958e-8eaf-48b4-8e96-c291a0c13d1a        f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4        a6a948cd-f30a-49ea-a905-82be4d202cc9
           London                            Beijing                            Capetown
2246c6cf-5fa6-4fbe-ac30-b569253ad2a6        f65d714b-f44c-4b2e-9505-3511ebecbb80        4e82052a-24d0-41e1-ab84-10e8f27634d1
 
            Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you            
 book through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
                                                                 Plus free cancellation .
                                               Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
                                            d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037            01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f
 

Slide show here.

Pattaya live webcam
 
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

That’s all folks

1g Duck

Here are some of my most popular posts.

Pattaya live webcam

Beautiful Brazilian beach babes

Copacabana beautiful beach babes

Nana Plaza Bangkok sex sin sleaze

Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya Thailand

Tim Bristow Iron-Bar Freddy Tropical Joe

Atlantic Bar North Pattaya

Sexy Soi Cowboy Bangkok 

Beautiful Budapest

Australian seafood

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 6 photos

Vung Tau South Vietnam coast

January 21, 2015 by David Herd

Put this on your bucket list

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Vung Tau South Vietnam coast is a 90 minute fast ferry ride from Saigon. One surprise certainly was the statue of Christ similar to Rio on a smaller scale. Wayne Morris, my friend from Sydney climbing the 811 stairs to reach the top. It was very hot and I had to rest 5 times on the way up. 🙂

A tough climb

Vung Tau South Vietnam

This climb reminded me of El Castillo at Chitzen Itza, that one was more frightening but this one was far tougher. Lucky for me they have quite a few rest stations which I was happy to take advantage of. 🙂

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Vung Tau South Vietnam

A you can see there is access to the very top of the statue, however it is closed between 11 and 1 pm.

Happy dragon

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Halfway down the mountain this happy dragon appears.

 

Vung Tau South Vietnam ferry terminal

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Only 90 minutes from Saigon in a fast ferry that costs just $10 usd.

Vung Tau fisherman

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Vietnam of course specialise in seafood due the the incredibly long coastline.

Downtown Vung Tau

Vung Tau South Vietnam

During 14th and 15th centuries, the cape that would become Vũng Tàu was a swamp which European trading ships visited regularly. The ships’ activities inspired the name Vũng Tàu, which means “anchorage”. The French Indochinese government named it Cap Saint-Jacques (“Cap Xanh Giắc”, in Vietnamese). The cliff of Vũng Tàu is now called Mũi Nghinh Phong (literally meaning “Cape of breeze welcome“) or (“Cape of greeting the wind“).

Enjoying the evening breeze

Vung Tau South Vietnam

late afternoon and late into the evening people gather along the seaside to chat and enjoy the ocean breeze.

Escaping from the sun.

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Most Asian ladies are very careful to stay out of the sun.

 No clever remarks please

Vung Tau South Vietnam

I realise some of my friends will not be able to resist the comparison between myself and the whale. 🙂

 

Green Hotel $40 pn

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Good location and great value if you book through this AGODA link.

 

View from Green Hotel

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Although this was a very good location if you like the beach, however next time I visit I’ll probably stay in the town.

Opposite Green Hotel

Vung Tau South Vietnam

The long sandy beach was ideal for my regular morning walk.

 Five Star Imperial Hotel

Vung Tau South Vietnam

My friend was staying 800 meters from The Green Hotel at the five star Imperial Hotel. There is of course no comparison in the facilities, however there is a huge price difference. If you book through AGODA you will get a competitive rate of $230 to $300 aud, but that is a lot more than $40 for the Green hotel.

Imperial Hotel

Vung Tau South Vietnam

An excellent upmarket hotel with a pool and bar right on the beach.

Very unfriendly place

Vung Tau South Vietnam

This beer bar is part of the Imperial hotel, sadly the staff are quite rude and unfriendly. I wanted to have a drink while waiting for my friend to arrive, it was early and only about 4 customers in the whole place.

I wanted to sit near the window to keep an eye out for my friend, however they insisted I sit at the bar because I was alone. Because of their poor attitude I rang my friend and we had drinks elsewhere.

Lucy’s Sports Bar

Vung Tau South Vietnam

This friendly bar is totally the opposite from Vuvuzela, great food and very friendly staff. It’s run by an Aussie called KJ who certainly makes you feel welcome.

Lucy’s Sports Bar

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Here are the friendly girls at Lucy’s, nice food and a good atmosphere.

Scallop salad at Lucy’s sports bar

Vung Tau South Vietnam

The extensive menu offers some great choices, I had a terrific seafood chowder and a great cheeseburger.

Aussie hamburger at Lucy’s

Vung Tau South Vietnam

A bar run by an Aussie is always going to serve a great hamburger.

 Sunset at Vung Tau South Vietnam

Vung Tau South Vietnam

This is the view from Lucy’s bar overlooking the bay.

Hollywood night club

Vung Tau South Vietnam

There is a reasonable selection of late night venues, many of them seem to focus on Karaoke.

 Lan Rung

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Good food here and even better beer which they brew themselves.

Shrimp and cauliflower at Lan Rung

Vung Tau South Vietnam

 Lan Rung restaurant, shrimp and cauliflower.

 Fresh spring rolls, my favourite.

Vung Tau South Vietnam

They were delicious, I remember a little Vietnamese restaurant on the Gold Coast  beside the fire station near Monaco St, they had some of the best Summer rolls I have ever eaten.  

Hoang Hoa Tham road Vung Tau South Vietnam

Vung Tau South Vietnam

This road is a short cut from the beach to the town, about 30% lower taxi fare than going around the coast. You can guess which route the taxi drivers prefer. 🙂

French bakery

Vung Tau South Vietnam

This is a very good French bakery and coffee shop in  Hoang Hoa Tham road, it’s quite large so you can’t miss it. The address is 128 Hoàng Hoa Thám, Xa Vung Tau, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, Vietnam 064. Here is the bakery on Google Earth.


 Fast ferry to Vung Tau

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Only 90 minutes at $10 usd from Saigon to Vung Tau South Vietnam.

15 minutes from HCMC

 

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Every now and then I take a photo I really love, this is one of those.

HCMC to Vung Tau

Vung Tau South Vietnam

It was an interesting trip from HCM to Vung Tau South Vietnam by river.

Even better value is the luxury mini bus

Vung Tau South Vietnam

They run every hour and pick up from your hotel, the road is excellent, 65% express-way.  The trip from Vung Tau to Saigon was only 80 minutes.

Vung Tau South Vietnam

Vung Tau South Vietnam

I’m the only passenger from Vung Tau to Saigon.

Many thanks for visiting my Vung Tau South Vietnam photo blog.

The New World Hotel is in a great location in the centre of the city, for a discounted room rate book through THIS LINK.

 

 

                   

A-One hotel on Beach Road

Seven deadly Songkran days

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.               

 

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad

 
  Please check out these fabulous posts
       Gold Coast                              Pattaya                          Cinque Terre
bd96516a-84df-4ca0-86e6-c757cc9053d1          01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f          e18b6c87-5adc-4a80-92cf-6c643ad130c1
 
Rio de Janeiro                  Singapore                    Eastern Europe
f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4          60e7d26d-1039-4dde-863d-62b66656ccbf          1bea4a99-cb07-4161-83ba-75c0ef2b63cc
    Bangkok Bars                         Tokyo                      Cape Town Safari
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          f5e9441a-4154-44e0-a362-18b662d40b48          2a2b79ea-bc5f-46e3-8448-2e71658eff14 
               Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book
                  through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
Free Cancellation. 
Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          b1c99886-3940-4dda-b350-44c5e5c77e41
 
 That’s all folks

1g Duck

 

Here are photos of the War Remnants Museum

 
 

Here is my HCMC post, a great city

 
 

Finally the best view in Saigon from Chill

 

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 3 photos

War Remnants Museum HCMC

January 20, 2015 by David Herd

From Vietnam’s perspective

War Remnants Museum HCMC

War Remnants Museum

War Remnants Museum HCMC is an moving disturbing experience, it shows the terrible atrocities inflicted on the Vietnamese people from their point of view. I vividly remember the My Lai Massacre from so long ago in 1968, I recall how shocked I was that US troops could slaughter these poor women & children.

Boeing CH-47 Chinook

War Remnants Museum

 The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its primary roles are troop movement, artillery placement and battlefield resupply. It has a wide loading ramp at the rear of the fuselage and three external-cargo hooks. With a top speed of 170 knots (196 mph, 315 km/h) the helicopter is faster than contemporary 1960s utility and attack helicopters. 

War Remnants Museum

The CH-47 is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name is from the Native American Chinook people.

M.41 tank

War Remnants Museum

The M41 was an agile and well armed vehicle. On the other hand, it was noisy, fuel-hungry and heavy enough to cause problems with air transport.

War Remnants Museum

In 1952 work began on lighter designs (T71, T92), but those projects came to nought and were eventually abandoned.

War Remnants Museum M48 Patton

War Remnants Museum

The M48 served as the U.S. Army and Marine Corps’s primary battle tank during the Vietnam War. It was widely used by U.S. Cold War allies, especially other NATO countries.

War Remnants Museum

The M48 Patton tank was designed to replace the previous M47 Pattons and M4 Shermans. Although largely resembling the M47, the M48 Patton was a completely new tank design. Some M48A5 models served well into the 1980s with American forces, and many various M48 Patton models remain in service in other countries. The M48 was the last U.S. tank to mount the 90 mm tank gun, with the last model, the M48A5, being upgraded to carry the new standard weapon of the M60, the 105mm gun.

M.132 A1 Flame Thrower

War Remnants Museum

The vehicle was based on an M113. The driver sits in the front left of the hull. A small cupola in the center of the hull mounts an M10-8 flame gun with a coaxial 7.62 mm caliber M73 machine gun. The weapons could be traversed though 360 degrees and elevated to +55 degrees and depressed to −15 degree. The passenger compartment was removed, and replaced with an M10 fuel and pressure unit and four spherical 50 gallon fuel tanks.

War Remnants Museum

The 200 gallon fuel capacity enabled it to fire for up to 32 seconds, and the pressure unit enabled it to reach targets at a range of 200 meters.


M107 – 175 MM Gun

War Remnants Museum

  The M107 175 mm self-propelled gun was used by the U.S. Army from the early 1960s through to the late 1970s. It was part of a family of self-propelled artillery that also included the M110. It was intended to provide long-range fire support in an air-transportable system. It was exported to several other countries including Germany, South Korea, Spain, Greece, Iran, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Turkey.

War Remnants Museum

The M107’s combat history in U.S. service was limited to the Vietnam War; it also saw extensive combat use in Israeli service. The M107 was the last self-propelled gun (high velocity, low trajectory, long range) in the U.S. Army inventory. It shared many components with, and in many cases was replaced by, later versions of the M110. Although withdrawn from U.S. service in the late 1970s, it continues in service with some armies as of 2010.

 War Remnants Museum

War Remnants Museum

It looks like a Gatling gun to me.

Met a couple of military guys , one was an ex Lieutenant Colonel whose name is Lance Gatling, you guessed it, his great great Grandfather was Doctor Richard Gatling who invented the Gatling gun in 1861 during the American civil war. Naturally talking to these guys I learnt some interesting facts, America lost about 600,000 in the civil war. In World War II, they lost about 200,000, & 54,000 in Vietnam. The primary cause of death in the Civil War was disease and infection.

OK, lets go to the air.

War Remnants Museum

This one does not look very lethal.

Fighter plane

War Remnants Museum

It’s a real buzz being so lose to these planes & tanks etc.

Jet Fighter

War Remnants Museum

Still looks sleek & deadly to me.

War Remnants Museum

War Remnants Museum

I wrote this several years ago for my photo album

War Remnants Museum

Check out my Vung Tao blog here.

I Was Only 19 - The Lancer Band (Australian Army)

 

 


                           Please check out these fabulous posts 

   

Pattaya Hilton

Pattaya hotels, Hilton & Holiday Inn

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate. 

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad

 
  Please check out these fabulous posts
       Gold Coast                              Pattaya                          Cinque Terre
bd96516a-84df-4ca0-86e6-c757cc9053d1          01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f          e18b6c87-5adc-4a80-92cf-6c643ad130c1
 
Rio de Janeiro                  Singapore                    Eastern Europe
f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4          60e7d26d-1039-4dde-863d-62b66656ccbf          1bea4a99-cb07-4161-83ba-75c0ef2b63cc
    Bangkok Bars                         Tokyo                      Cape Town Safari
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          f5e9441a-4154-44e0-a362-18b662d40b48          2a2b79ea-bc5f-46e3-8448-2e71658eff14 
               Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book
                  through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
Free Cancellation. 
Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          b1c99886-3940-4dda-b350-44c5e5c77e41
 
 That’s all folks

1g Duck

 

Check out these great posts

  • French village Breil Sur Roya

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam 2015

January 17, 2015 by David Herd

Just an amazing city.

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam in 2015 was quite different to my previous visits in 2003. More cars, not quite so many bikes, lots of high rise buildings & good taxis.

The old & traditional is far more charming

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Later in the day this coffee shop will be packed.

Coffee shop close to Saigon Apartments

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Good coffee here on the corner near Saigon Apartments.

Roland and I at our local coffee shop

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

My friend Roland Bonicci is a Sydney barrister who absolutely loves Vietnam, I’m sure sometime in the future he will probably retire here.

Saigon Apartments

9f7c3e9a-3f8c-420b-9884-b3793557833d

Great value and a good location in District 3. Only $68 per night if you book through this AGODA link. Both bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and there is an excellent kitchen and large lounge room with a balcony.

Shri, rooftop restaurant

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Set atop the new Centec Tower, Shri Restaurant & Lounge offers unparalleled panoramic views from nearly every table in the restaurant, whether it be in the modern Internationally styled Dining Room,  with its very clean simple lines, on the stunning alfresco Garden Terrace.

Pasta at Shri

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

The pasta was a very reasonable price at only $13 usd.

 

Roast pig at Tram Chim

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

This restaurant is very popular, not so much for the food but for the attractive waitresses who flirt with you while you dine. 🙂 In fact the waitresses are all worth the visit, they peel your prawns cut the pork and even massage your shoulders while you eat.

Peel the prawns then warm in the coconut

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

They tasted every bit as good as they looked.

Our personal prawn peeler

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Now this is the only way to eat prawns, have somebody peel them for you.

 Tram Chim sexy waitresses

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

 If you want to really enjoy your dining experience this is the restaurant for you. The food is not bad but you don’t go there for the food. They have some of the most attractive “waitresses” in Saigon for a restaurant. Beautiful girls who are friendly and give very good service as well. The food is ok, the beer is cold and the waitresses are hot! Enjoy the place but don’t take your wife. 🙂

Let’s go upmarket to Maxim’s restaurant

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

It feels like you have stepped back in time to the 1930s. Maxim’s restaurant is like entering a time warp. It actually opened in 1925 and I swear they have changed nothing since then. 🙂 Food is excellent and reasonably expensive along with the wine. Worth a visit before going upstairs to their very classy upmarket night club.

Now let’s go really upmarket to Maxim’s night club

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

As you can imagine the drinks are rather expensive.

Gorgeous girls at Maxim’s

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Famous as an important part of downtown Saigon since 1925, Maxim’s Club has been known as THE entertainment venue of business people and social elites since last century.

Gorgeous Russian Singer

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Not only does she sing but plays a mean violin as well.

Maxim’s is magnificent

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Yes, it is upmarket and expensive but a great venue for music and gorgeous girls. One huge negative for me is they smoke in the club.

Maxim’s Club 13-15-17 Đồng Khởi, District 1

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

The Russian girl may be beautiful however this guy can really sing, check him out if you get a chance.

Chill is a great rooftop bar & restaurant

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

A great bar and not as expensive as similar Bangkok Sky Bars.

Chill rooftop bar

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

The bar itself looks stunning from the floor above.

Breathtaking view from Chill

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

The ever changing Saigon skyline is quite breathtaking.

A favourite photo

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Calm waters of the mighty Mekong River.

A great place for a long lazy lunch.  

 Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

A terrific place to sip a cocktail and watch the world go by.

The famous Cho Ben Thanh Market

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Located in the centre of Saigon this is one of the cities best known landmarks.  

Cho Ben Thanh Market

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

To me the market kind of marks the very centre of Saigon. Adjacent the New World Hotel is in a great location in the centre of the city, for a discounted room rate book through THIS LINK.

At Phatty’s watching the Asian cup

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

One of the many excellent Saigon sports bars.

Wayne, David, Roland and Pat at Phatty’s

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Here we are enjoying the atmosphere at one of Saigon’s best sports bars.

Bitexco Financial Tower

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

    A stunning building with a huge heliport and a roof top bar.

ALTO ROOFTOP BAR

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Breathtaking views from Alto Heli Bar on the 52nd floor of the ultra-modern Bitexco Financial Tower is by far the highest spot in Saigon to sip on a cool drink and admire the cityscape.

52nd floor of Bitexico tower

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

    Apologies for the rather poor quality selfie.

Mai, a lovely French girl at Maxim’s

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

A gorgeous French mademoiselle. 

Terrific singer at Maxim’s

  Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

This little girl could really belt out a song.

Saigon HCMC south Vietnam

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Taken from beside the river.

Saigon HCMC south Vietnam, lunch is served

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Lots of street food similar to Thailand.

Summer rolls & coconut only $4

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

      One of my all time favourite dishes.

With Roger at the Buddha Bar

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

We drank 3 bottles of wine for lunch Two hours after I arrived I met Roger for lunch at Jaspers where we proceeded to drink 3 bottles of wine before moving onto several bars where more alcohol was consumed. Roger works for an upmarket wine distributor so he probably feels it’s part of his job. 🙂

Ciao Bella an excellent Italian restaurant

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

This very quickly became a favourite restaurant.

Roland enjoys a Ciao Bella feast

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

A great seafood salad, Roland is a Sydney barrister and really loves his food.

Best Saigon taxi company

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

Stick with this company or Mai Linh for clean honest low priced taxis.

Don’t under any circumstances use the company below.

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

They, SaigonTourist tried to charge 1,150,000 dong for a trip to the airport that should coast 150,000 to 200,000. After a brief argument I paid 300,000 and stormed off. It was my own fault completely as I broke my own rule of only using Vinasun and sometimes Mai Linh.


Tequila bar

 Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

One of the better bars with attractive ladies and good music.

German beer and Chinese food

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

A very good combination, German beer and Chinese food.

Jaspers restaurant

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

  This lovely lady is Ly, she works at Jasper’s.

Saigon HCMC south Vietnam, street lights to celebrate Tet.

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

This is without a doubt one of South East Asia’s most exciting cities.

Saigon school kids

Saigon HCMC South Vietnam

School-kids always look cute all over the world.

Saigon school kids part 2

 

Saigon traffic is chaotic

Dancing in a beautiful Saigon park

                      Here are some more posts to check out         
Pattaya Hilton

Pattaya hotels, Hilton & Holiday Inn

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate. 

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad

 
  Please check out these fabulous posts
       Gold Coast                              Pattaya                          Cinque Terre
bd96516a-84df-4ca0-86e6-c757cc9053d1          01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f          e18b6c87-5adc-4a80-92cf-6c643ad130c1
 
Rio de Janeiro                  Singapore                    Eastern Europe
f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4          60e7d26d-1039-4dde-863d-62b66656ccbf          1bea4a99-cb07-4161-83ba-75c0ef2b63cc
    Bangkok Bars                         Tokyo                      Cape Town Safari
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          f5e9441a-4154-44e0-a362-18b662d40b48          2a2b79ea-bc5f-46e3-8448-2e71658eff14 
               Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book
                  through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
Free Cancellation. 
Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          b1c99886-3940-4dda-b350-44c5e5c77e41
 
 That’s all folks

1g Duck

 

 

Here is the best Sky Bar in Saigon

 

 

War remnants Museum

 

 

Vung Tau only 90 minutes by ferry of mini bus

 

 

Check out these great posts


  • French village Breil Sur Roya

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Chill Sky Bar Saigon aka HCMC

January 16, 2015 by David Herd

High above this exciting city.

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

Chill Sky Bar Saigon is a wonderful venue with breathtaking views of the city. Perched on the roof of AB tower it is a terrific place to have a few drinks before dinner.

Amazing view from Chill

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

Looking down from the 51st floor.

Chill

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

Building with the purple lights is the Pullman.

 

Fantastic Saigon skyline

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

I first came to this exciting city in 2003 and now in 2015 so much has changed.

Saigon at 8 pm.

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

Saigon is a vibrant exciting friendly city.

Fabulous bar

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

76A Le Lai | Rooftop of AB Tower, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Formerly CHILL Skybar, Restaurant, Lounge) Phone:+84 8 3827 2372

Tables at Chill

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

The sky bar is well worth a visit, put it on you bucket list.

A table with a view

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

There certainly is a building boom happening in this city right now.

Drinks at the bar

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

A girls night out at Chill.

Red wine from Chile

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

 About $14 aud + 15% compared to at least double that at Sirocco in Bangkok.

Seafood fettuccine $26 aud + 15%

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

The serving was rather small but an excellent taste made up for it.

The chefs at 27 Grill, above Chill Sky Bar Saigon

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

27 Grill is located directly above Chill Skybar. When entering the restaurant guests are greeted by a large, glass enclosed wine cellar with some of the finest wines and vintage champagne’s on display. Further on in the restaurant is the open kitchen, built of polished stainless steel, marble and various kinds of polished stone. A key part of the kitchen is the over sized grill, open for all guests to see their meals being freshly prepared on one of the few charcoal grills in the city. Located in the back corner of the restaurant is the private VIP dining area that can be left open or completely closed off. 

District one

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

I visited this city twice in 2003 and stayed in a small hotel overlooking this park. The New World Hotel also overlooks the park which is the centre of the city, for a discounted room rate book through THIS LINK.

Another look at the bar

Chill Sky Bar Saigon

As you can see it is a rather spectacular bar. Many thanks for visiting my Chill Sky Bar Saigon photo blog.

 Here are some Brisbane photo blogs to check out.     

Pattaya Hilton

Pattaya hotels, Hilton & Holiday Inn

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate. 

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad

 
  Please check out these fabulous posts
       Gold Coast                              Pattaya                          Cinque Terre
bd96516a-84df-4ca0-86e6-c757cc9053d1          01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f          e18b6c87-5adc-4a80-92cf-6c643ad130c1
 
Rio de Janeiro                  Singapore                    Eastern Europe
f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4          60e7d26d-1039-4dde-863d-62b66656ccbf          1bea4a99-cb07-4161-83ba-75c0ef2b63cc
    Bangkok Bars                         Tokyo                      Cape Town Safari
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          f5e9441a-4154-44e0-a362-18b662d40b48          2a2b79ea-bc5f-46e3-8448-2e71658eff14 
               Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book
                  through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
Free Cancellation. 
Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          b1c99886-3940-4dda-b350-44c5e5c77e41
 
 That’s all folks

1g Duck

 

Take a look at my video of Chill Sky Bar

Chill Skybar in Saigon

 
 
 

Here is my post on Saigon, a fabulous city.

 

Vung Tau is only 90 minutes south of HCMC.

 

Here is the War Remnants museum

 


Check out these great photo blogs.

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Ha Long Bay Vietnam is magic.

October 17, 2013 by David Herd

Ha Long Bay Vietnam is a magic place.

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

 Ha Long Bay Vietnam

Ha Long Bay Vietnam is magic, only 3 hours from Hanoi, there are many boat trips available however I suggest you spend at least one night aboard to enjoy the mystical atmosphere of one of the great travel destinations.  If you try to do it in one day too much time is wasted traveling to & from Hanoi, so take your time and enjoy this wonderful part of Vietnam.

Ha Long Bay is around 1,553 km2, including about 2,000 islets, most  are limestone.  The limestone in this bay has gone through 500 million years of formation in different conditions and environments.   

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

The evolution  in this bay has taken 20 million years and was formed by the forces of their tropical wet climate.

 Tour boat on Ha Long Bay.

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

The boats are comfortable and spacious.

Floating school on Ha Long Bay.

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

One of the most interesting schools I have ever seen.

The entire community lives, eats, sleeps on the beautiful emerald coloured water.

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

  The bay consists of a dense cluster of over 3,000 limestone  islands each topped with  jungle vegetation, rising spectacularly from the sea. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves. Hang Đầu Gỗ (Wooden stakes cave) is the largest grotto in the Hạ Long area.  Its three large chambers contain large numerous stalactites and stalagmites. There are two bigger islands, Tuần Châu and Cat Ba, that have people permanently living there, there are tourist facilities as well as hotels and beaches.  

Our guide on Ha Long Bay.

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

The guide was more of a deck hand. 🙂

A lonely rower on Ha Long Bay Vietnam

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

To help my ranking please click on Google +  

 

 

 

David Herd on Ha Long Bay Vietnam

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

Living aboard

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

It’s obviously washing day.

 

Life on Ha Long bay is fascinating.

Thien Cung grotto

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

Thien Cung Grotto is at the height of 25 meters above the sea level. Visiting the grotto, tourists will feel like visiting an art museum with variety of sophisticated statues and reliefs. In the center of the grotto, there are four big pillars propping against the roof.

The grotto has been recently  discovered  by explorers. Thien Cung Grotto is considered to be one of the most beautiful caves on Ha Long Bay.

You can find some great hotel deals on Agoda

Old fishing boat

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

A typical Halong Bay community.

A great looking little boat

 Ha Long Bay Vietnam

So many fascinating boats on Ha Long Bay.

Roadside Tombs

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

These are graves on the roadside on the way to Hanoi, they are raised to avoid flooding.

Rice paddies between Hanoi & Ha Long Bay.

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

 Such a beautiful vivid green.

Thanks for visiting my Ha Long Bay Vietnam photo blog.

Here is a link for some very interesting things and photos of Vietnam.

 

         

                           Please check out these fabulous posts
 
         Sydney                               Paris                                   Bangkok           
 497d0b6e-c0bd-4ba2-86be-c02100f050a8        65470622-d17a-4b90-bf97-2574df4c412d        1a2160c1-41f7-465a-954c-631e083eb229
          Tokyo                        Rio De Janeiro                        Budapest
f59e958e-8eaf-48b4-8e96-c291a0c13d1a        f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4        a6a948cd-f30a-49ea-a905-82be4d202cc9
           London                            Beijing                            Capetown
2246c6cf-5fa6-4fbe-ac30-b569253ad2a6        f65d714b-f44c-4b2e-9505-3511ebecbb80        4e82052a-24d0-41e1-ab84-10e8f27634d1
 
            Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you            
 book through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
                                                                 Plus free cancellation .
                                               Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
                                            d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037            01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f
 
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

That’s all folks

1g Duck

Check out these great photo blogs.

 

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 5 photos

Ho Chi Minh City South Vietnam

September 19, 2013 by David Herd

Ho Chi Minh City is Honda heaven.

Ho Chi Minh City South Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City South Vietnam is Honda heaven, it is quite a shock when you see the number of motorbikes on the streets, crossing the road seems like a game of Russian roulette. 😆

Ho Chi Minh City South Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City

As we all know Asia is the place to buy all sorts of copy & fake items, from watches to levis etc. Did you realise however in Vietnam quite a % of the Honda motorbikes are also copies of the real thing? They cost about 50% of the retail price and look identical, although the locals can tell the difference at a glance.  😆

Ho Chi Minh City South Vietnam Cyclo driver

Ho Chi Minh City

A word of warning, these Cyclo drivers know every trick in the book when it comes to relieving you of your hard earned cash. Always establish the price & terms before you hire them. Even when you do there will usually be an argument at the end of the ride anyhow.  👿

 HCMC is fascinating.

Ho Chi Minh City

 

Street vendors find a place to sit on the road.

/a>

 

Narrow buildings in HCMC.

 

Ho Chi Minh City

Many of the buildings here are tall and narrow, I believe it is because they are taxed on the width of the property. It can be a little confusing wondering whether to refer to the city as Ho Chi Minh City Saigon, most Americans, French & Australians have the name Saigon burned into their brains.

War Remnants Museum

Ho Chi Minh City

Once known as the Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes, the War Remnants Museum is consistently the most popular museum in HCMC with Western tourists. Many of the atrocities documented here were well publicized in the West, but rarely do Westerners have the opportunity to hear the victims of US military action tell their own stories. Watching the films and studying the photos had a profound effect on me, I believed then & I still believe today the Vietnam war was one of the darkest periods of Australia & America’s history.

The pain & suffering we inflicted on these wonderful people should never be forgotten. Strangely enough all the people I met seemed to hold no grudge against us, they refer to it not as the Vietnam war but the American war. I remember it as a shocking blight on our history, and I applaud this small country for being able to withstand the might of the most powerful military machine in the world and come out victors.

Two very old relics

Ho Chi Minh City

These two very old relics date back to WW2, quite surprising they are still functioning. 🙂

Mekong river tour

Ho Chi Minh City

A half day trip that is really worth taking.

Beautiful face in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City

This beautiful little girl sang a song for us on our Mekong Delta tour.

One of the many tours you can take from HCMC is the Mekong River tour which is well worth the time. However my favorite tour was to the Cu Chi tunnels where you can actually crawl through the narrow underground tunnels and experience the terror of being trapped in a small dark place. I like many people suffer from Claustrophobia however I forced myself to face my demons and entered the dreaded tunnels. I crawled about 25 meters then made my escape at the first available exit, with a huge sigh of relief and a feeling of achievement.

The saddest face in Saigon.

Ho Chi Minh City

 

This poor little girl was begging for money with her mother watching from 5 meters away, instead of cash we gave her food, I’ll never forget this beautiful sad face.

Another beautiful face in HCMC.

Ho Chi Minh City

A beautiful face in Ho Chi Minh Cty Saigon.

AK 47 at Cu Chi

Ho Chi Minh City

As they said in the movie Jackie Brown, AK-47, The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherfxxckxr in the room, accept no substitutes.

M16 at the Cu Chi Tunnels.

Ho Chi Minh City

There is a range at the Cu Chi tunnels where you can fire all the lethal weapons used in the Vietnam war, quite an incredible experience.

Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica

 Ho Chi Minh City

Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, built in the late 1880s by French colonists, is one of the few remaining strongholds of Catholicism in the largely Buddhist Vietnam. Located in Paris Square, the name Notre Dame was given after the installation of the statue ‘Peaceful Notre Dame’ in 1959.

Saigon Apartments

Ho Chi Minh City

 

Great value and a good location in District 3. Only $68 per night if you book through this AGODA link. Both bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and there is an excellent kitchen and large lounge room with a balcony.

So it really doesn’t matter whether you call the city Ho Chi Minh City Saigon or not, either way it is a fascinating place.

 

Here is a link for some very interesting things and photos of Vietnam.

Here is a short video of me firing an M60, my crazy friend with the camera got such a fright with the noise and the shells ejecting he lost control of the camera. Is it any wonder his nickname is Pothole?  😆

Firing an M60 in Vietnam.

 
 
Thanks for visiting my Ho Chi Minh City South Vietnam photo blog.

Needless to say I thought the Vietnam war was a terrible shocking mistake.

Click here for a look at Ha Long Bay.

 

Here are some more posts to check out 

         Sydney                               Paris                                   Bangkok           
 497d0b6e-c0bd-4ba2-86be-c02100f050a8        65470622-d17a-4b90-bf97-2574df4c412d        1a2160c1-41f7-465a-954c-631e083eb229
          Tokyo                        Rio De Janeiro                        Budapest
f59e958e-8eaf-48b4-8e96-c291a0c13d1a        f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4        a6a948cd-f30a-49ea-a905-82be4d202cc9
           London                            Beijing                            Capetown
2246c6cf-5fa6-4fbe-ac30-b569253ad2a6        f65d714b-f44c-4b2e-9505-3511ebecbb80        4e82052a-24d0-41e1-ab84-10e8f27634d1
 
            Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you            
 book through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
                                                                 Plus free cancellation .
                                               Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
                                            d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037            01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f 

 

 
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

That’s all folks

1g Duck

Here are some of my most popular posts.

Pattaya live webcam

Beautiful Brazilian beach babes

Copacabana beautiful beach babes

Nana Plaza Bangkok sex sin sleaze

Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya Thailand

Tim Bristow Iron-Bar Freddy Tropical Joe

Atlantic Bar North Pattaya

Sexy Soi Cowboy Bangkok 

Beautiful Budapest

Australian seafood

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 7 photos