Ben Thanh market

For those who like shopping (sadly I'm not one of them) the markets in HCMC and Hanoi are a great place to pick up bargins. I do however like the layout of some of the stalls so here are a few photos - I guess you could call me a photo-shopper!

The shoes picture is for you Jess!

Reunification Palace

This is the Reunification or Independence Palace
If you've seen any photography from the Vietnam-American War then you will have seen these gates before. This is where the tanks came through on 30th April 1975 at the fall or liberation of Saigon (depending on which side you were on). The only thing likely to come crashing through these gates now is a tourist bus!
The palace itself was built in 1960s for the President of South Vietnam - very interesting decor, especially the light fittings (see below).
The palace even has its own helipad for a fast get away. If you look closely you can see 2 red painted circles on the concrete. This is the site of 2 bombs dropped by a Northern Vietnamese spy who had infiltrated the South's military.

Ho Chi Minh City

The hub of the south, this is Melbourne to Hanoi's Sydney (though I think only the geographical positions north and south really hold in this metaphor). Its bigger, cleaner, with better behaved traffic and much more westernised in parts than Hanoi. Here are a few pictures from around the town. I have to say that I'm glad we live in the north though (in both countries ;-).

Above is the People's Committee building - very ornate. And below the Opera House - with a wedding photo being arranged.
This is the Catholic Cathedral in the middle of town. There are many pagodas and even a mosque and Hindu temple around the city.

Mekong Delta

Here are some further photos of my trip on the Mekong Delta. People live right on the river with houses built on stilts as the Mekong Delta is so large it has its own tides!

Can Tho floating market

Here in the mekong delta, the waterways are just as good as land for transport and markets. We took a boat out to the floating markets very early one morning (5.15am and the sun was well and truely up!) The markets are full of people selling large quantities of beautiful fruit from their boats. They can pull up along side you to make a sale. I bought mangoes from this young guy.

Mangoes, dragonfruit, pineapples, watermelons, jackfruit, limes, and many vegetables I couldn't name...
Here is the produce back on land and the final product

Che Hem

Che Hem is a great little place in Hue - a shop in a side alley that serves only one drink - Che. This has a number of flavours and is very cooling on a hot day. Red bean, green mung bean, coconut, and wild lotus seed are just some of the flavours. Ice is added to the mixture (seen in the glasses here) and then enjoy! This place is famous in Vietnam, and it just so happens that one of our travelling companions is related to the owner...

Hue and the Hai Van pass

I have been out and about in the countryside on a project and managed to do some sight seeing along the way. For those who saw the Top Gear episode about Vietnam - and for those who haven't you can find it on youtube - this is the Hai Van pass that has magnificent views before you head into Hue from the south. Beautiful sweeping views over the ocean and hills.

Breathing easy in Hanoi

Of course we don't need to tell anyone that Tuesday 5th May was World Asthma Day. Happy (belated) World Asthma day!! (of course on World Asthma day they don't have cakes, because nobody can blow out the candles...)


And me up on the obligatory purple platform with the rest of the TB team (blending right into the crowd...) Everybody say "wheeze"!


Note also the prominent drug company branding (an ethics debate for another post). And the courtyard of the TB hospital, complete with bust of TB discoverer Professor Koch on the far right of shot.

Vietnamese coffee

The Vietnamese make a mean cup of coffee - it is strong, thick and almost syrupy, and then combined with sweetened condensed milk - not for the faint-hearted (or the caffeine intolerant!)
Here we are at a local cafe.