I'm not a Hoi An fan either, although I thought that was partly because I'm not a shopper. I think the best thing to do around Hoi An is to visit My Son, either early or late. My fave place to eat there is Brothers, but glad to hear of some others.

thursdaysd,
I did feel like Hoi An was just about the shopping...too many tailors and they didn't seem to have great design. Everything looked similar. We skipped My Son because we'd seen so many other ruins. If we had gone out that last night, we were going to try Brothers. It was so close to the hotel and I didn't realize that at first.

what were the prices for the tailored clothing if you remember?? i want to compare with what we pay in thailand...

i'm stressing now about the heat....

The jacket and slacks for the suit were about $190...the dress $120. I didn't think the dress was a great bargain...but it was a smart looking suit for the money. It's all about the fabric too...hard to compare.

No need to stress about the heat...there's nothing you can do about it, so just go with the flow. Get up super early, be out by 7 AM and nap in the afternoon when you are exhausted. We found people out as early as 5:30 AM, exercising and walking around. I am not an early bird, but believe me...the early bird catches the worm around here. We got lucky today with rain in the AM. By the time it was over (about 2 hrs later), the temperatures were delightful (relatively speaking!)

Bob, you can handle the heat. Just stay by the pool!

After I returned from Bangkok to downstate Illinois, I wanted to back to BKK!! It was toooo cold here! We still have temps that are below normal, but finally things are improving, weatherwise.

I'm picking up a few pieces of very lightweight clothing for my next trip to BKK in July. For Karen, next trip, for example, JJill has a super light voille shirt called a "takeaway top" and the fabric is fantastic! Very light! But this top is oversized, so consider ordering a size smaller than you usually wear. My top just arrived yesterday and I'm thrilled with the fabric, although the size is just a bit big. I'll keep it though! May order a second one, in another color, but in the smaller size.

Those of you in S E Asia... will you be traveling thru BKK? I hope you are keeping up with the thread on the protests. DS is still in BKK, but will be coming home on Wednesday. He has been calling regularly to report in, and to let us know that he is safe and staying away from the hot spots.

I ended up wearing a cotton sun dress that I bought in Siem Reap at Wanderlust a lot...it had spaghetti straps and a high fitted bodice above your chest and was slightly gathered from there...no need for a bra ( the fabric was thick enough) and it was loose and cool. Check out that shop if you're in Siem Reap....designed by an American and made in Cambodia...different stuff.

Just wanted you to know that I'm still following your report. Great info!

Thanks Kathie....you were a big help to me!

Enjoying your report, and taking notes for our trip to Thailand and Bali in August. Though we are starting to rethink Thailand, sadly.

Amarena, Thanks for commenting. We loved Bali, and if you have to reschedule Thailand, you could easily spend more time in Bali. I wouldn't give up yet, but if I were you, I would wait for awhile to see how & when the protestor issue gets resolved.

I guess we were lucky that we were there the first day the red shirts took over the commercial district. But, it was certainly daunting to be surrounded by almost 60,000 protestors. At that time, they were in party mood...laughing and loud music blaring. It made it real to us how easily you can be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

SAIGON

Mai-Linh taxi took us from Hoi An to the Da Nang airport ($20) and Vietnam Air got us to Saigon on time. ( I know it’s politically incorrect, but Saigon sounds so much nicer than Ho Chi Minh City.) Vietnam Stay (Aurora Travel) had booked our hotel at the Caravelle at a good rate for us, and arranged round-trip airport transfers for $20.

My initial impression of Saigon was more positive than I expected. We arrived on a Friday, which happened to be a bank holiday, so perhaps there was a lot less traffic than usual, but I found it much easier and more pleasant to get around here than Hanoi.

The Caravelle is in a great downtown location, right across from the historic Municipal Theatre (Opera House) and the more expensive, Park Hyatt. We had a comfortable (if unremarkable) room on the 19th floor of the new tower with great views of the city...down to the Opera House, across to the Continental Hotel and could see Notre Dame Cathedral at the end of Dong Khoi street.

We walked to Au Parc Cafe, overlooking the huge park which fronts Reunification Palace. Excellent mediterranean/french food and air conditioning...a must. The upstairs was even more charming. There was a lot of activity in the park setting up scaffolding, and the streets were being festooned with decorative lighting for the big 35th Anniversary of the Liberation of Saigon coming up in several days. Glad we were going to miss that. It reminded me of how we decorate our cities for Christmas.

We continued on through the heat to the War Remnants Museum (formerly called American War Crimes museum). Our first shock was that there was no air conditioning, and it was close and sweltering in there. There were horrific photos and interesting displays, but we had to leave without seeing everything because we thought we were going to pass out. In the back of the museum are the Tiger Cave exhibits, which illustrated how South Vietnamese had incarcerated members of the Viet Cong. At this point, I just couldn’t take seeing any more of what humans are capable of doing to other humans. This went beyond killing. We left.

I had wanted to see the Reunification Palace, but the thought of touring anything else without air conditioning was too much, so we slowly walked back, ducking into some big shopping malls to cool off (and eat ice cream!) I found out later that the Palace is air conditioned. Back at the Caravelle, we jumped in their 7th floor pool. It was very windy and shaded by that time...actually too cool.

One of my favorite experiences was having a drink at their Saigon Saigon Bar on the roof (10th floor) of the old part of the hotel. It was simply magical having a cocktail on the rounded corner of the narrow balcony, with all of Saigon twinkling below, around, and above us.

We had an excellent dinner at the Temple Club, a charming restaurant on the 2nd floor of an old colonial style house with brick walls, decorative tiles floors, arched doorways, barrel vaulted ceiling and dark wood french doors and shuttered windows. We had Hue style crispy spring rolls, which were simply the best I’ve had, Crab sauteed with glass noodles & veggies, and finally tried Cha Ca, Vong style, fried fish pieces that you wrap in butter lettuce and dip in a sauce. We thought the bill of $35 was very reasonable for the above, two glasses of wine, mineral water and service. it was a very pleasant stroll back with the balmy temperatures and all the people outside enjoying their evening activities. We felt very safe walking around at night in Vietnam.

Next: Mekong Delta

Forgot to mention to beware when you sit on top of the stairs to catch a breeze along with everyone else at the War Remnants Museum.

We happily ran into "Pawleys" again in the Caravelle after our Saigon Saigon drink, and her tour guide told us how he lost both of his cell phones that day while sitting on the museum steps. Great place for pick pocketers.

One closing observation about Vietnam....I thought it was kind of strange that so many women on motorcycles wore masks. In Hanoi, we thought it was because of pollution or exhaust. But, I finally asked someone in Hoi An and they said it was for sun protection. It reminded us of a conversation we had overheard when we were in the pool in Bangkok. A young girl was complaining to her mother that being in the pool would make her dark and she 'd never get light again. Interesting that while we like to be tan, the Asians must prefer being lighter. We'll all meet in the middle.

MEKONG DELTA, Vietnam

We had booked a one night Mekong river cruise on the Bassac II through Exotissimo. Their driver arrived at the Caravelle at 7am, when he was supposed to arrive at 8am. We told the front desk to tell him we had just reconfirmed that the pickup time was 8am the day before, and he would have to come back. Then, at 8am, we couldn’t find him and the doormen tried to track him down. Finally, we connected at about 8:15, but I was a little concerned when the doorman asked me (translating from the driver) where we were going. You’re asking me?! I said Cai Be, and that seemed to be the right answer. I was a little apprehensive because the ship also cruises from Can Tho to Cai Be, on the return trip and I didn’t want to be taken to the wrong port. I also was a little irritated that the driver didn’t speak English because I had specifically asked for that when I booked.

We arrive at the Cai Be port about 10:00am, and the driver jumps out and talks to someone. They tell him we’re in the wrong place. Now, I’m really starting to get worried. “Cai Be?” I ask him and he assures us we’re in the right city at least (or does he really understand me?) So we set off for another spot in the city...he finds out he’s in the wrong place again. I am beginning to not be impressed with Exotissimo. We go to a third place, which doesn’t look very promising, but Anh is there, our English speaking guide for the Bassac, and with relief, we get on a small wooden boat and set off. She’s going to show us some of the local industries around Cai Be...a way to kill time until we board at noon.

First, we go to a small place that makes stone and concrete park benches, with a company’s advertising name on them...not too exciting. Then, we walk over to a salt making place, where two scrawny older men are glistening with sweat as they boil off the water to make salt. Back on the boat for awhile, get off again, and we see some people making artwork, a woman making fresh rice paper sheets, which are then packaged, another place where two young men are popping rice in large pans over fire, boiling a caramel type substance, and making sheets of candy, which are cut and packaged. Looks a little like rice crispy squares (but not as good tasting). Another place they’re wrapping coconut candy...that’s good.
At this last place, we sit down at a low table, with a pot of ginger tea (is it safe to drink?)
and samples of the various candies that are made here. Anh takes off to retrieve another guest and tells us to relax...eat and shop, if we like. I buy some woven place mats. I don’t think we needed to leave Saigon at 8am for this precursor to the cruise.

At noon, we all head off on the smaller wooden boat in search of the Bassac. There she is, handsomely gleaming in the noon sun, on a surprisingly wide stretch of the Tien Giang river. The Bassac fleet includes three authentic wooden cabin cruisers based on old rice barges, and we’re on the Bassac II, with two decks and twelve cabins. I like it immediately. The smiling staff meets us with a juice and a cold wet towel and sends us to our rooms. It’s on the top deck with a window, dark wood paneled walls and floors, the queen bed fills up most of the space, but I like the feel of it...it’s cozy.

Lunch is served open-air on the covered upper deck, and the tables look lovely with fresh flowers. Excellent food, but there’s too much of it again. There are nice cushioned lounge chairs both fore and aft where you can watch the languid scenery drift by, but you must sit in the shade with this heat. By now, we’ve turned into the Cho Lach canal, which looks very industrial, with numerous barges loaded with sand, wood, and rice while fruit drying and wooden ship building facilities line the shore. Other parts are more lush and vegetative and wind about scenically. I like the Mekong Delta much more than I expected.

After relaxing, we get off the boat at 4pm for a walk about a village on the banks of the Mang Thit river. Here, we’re divided into two groups...an English speaking one with Anh and another group with a French speaking guide. Anh points out various types of trees and fruits (papaya, mangosteen, pomelo, etc.), rice paddies, fish farms, hog farms, and lots of little kids swimming, smiling and yelling “hello!” We like Anh a lot...she gives you the right amount of information and is fun. She often used the phrase “sell for living” when describing what the person does with the produce, fish, hogs whatever that they don’t need for personal consumption.

We stop at a typical home and they serve us a medley of fresh fruit, sesame cakes and tea. We skip the tea. We’re shown the outdoor cooking area, again over open flames. It seems odd to see their television set on in such a simple home. A very cute little boy lives here. We got to know our fellow passengers better: a French family with three children (5, 8, 10) who are traveling around the area for 3 months; a French guy and his girlfriend from Angola who live in Portugal; a couple from the UK; a British woman working in Hanoi; a Vietnamese man, his French wife, their toddler and her relatives....all fun to talk to.

Back on the boat, we toast the sunset, clean up, and have an excellent Vietnamese style dinner under the stars. We’d asked the single woman to join us, and she was delightful company.

The next morning at 6am the ship lifted anchor and by 6:15 was cruising past the first floating market Tra On. My camera lens fogged up from going from a/c to the humid outside, so I missed taking photos, as it’s a quick drive by. Based on what we saw a little later that morning, I wish we had just slept in. We eat a western style breakfast about 7am, and this was just OK.

At 8:30am, we checked out and transfered to a smaller boat to cruise through the largest floating market in the Mekong delta at Cai Rang. This was fantastic! Big and little boats were coming and going everywhere. A high stick on the boat would display what they were selling...watermelon, squash, potatoes, green tomatoes, pineapples, pomelos, etc. Some women rowed back and forth selling sticky rice, noodles, coffee, or soft drinks to the vendors. It was quite colorful and fascinating. We rode through this flotilla of activity several times and had to push boats off of us a few times. This was definitely one of the highlights of our whole trip.

Then, we cruised down a smaller canal that was more industrial...lots of corrugated iron shacks on the shores....guys wading in the river fishing with woven baskets...tidal mud flats...small factories. Anh took us to a rice processing facility where we interrupted the men sitting on the floor playing cards...must have been their break. The plant took raw bags of rice, separated the chaff from the rice in machines, and then also ground it into meal to feed animals. Hard to breathe in there. We could have skipped this part.

At 10:30am, we got off on the dock at Can Tho....a much larger city than I expected. We had planned on spending a couple of hours there, but knowing that touring at mid-day is not fun, we opted to just have lunch at the Victoria Resort at the far end of town. Our same driver (oh great!) picked us up and dropped us off for lunch at the resort. Luckily, we had Anh to translate our request for us.

The Victoria resort was very nice with a beautiful pool, and we chose to sit outside in the breezy heat under a ceiling fan for lunch. No one else was there so early, but we had a delicious lunch of Pho Bo (G is loving these noodle soups) and Tagliatelle with shrimp and clams in pesto sauce....followed with essential ice cream for cooling purposes.

Left for Saigon at noon and made it back to the Caravelle by 3:45pm. I had wanted to see the Emperor Jade Pagoda or the Ben Thanh market, but they both closed at 4pm. So, we ended our two week Vietnamese journey by merely walking around the shopping streets to the river (w/o buying anything) and eating a delicious hamburger and drink in the Caravelle’s lobby bar.

Next: BALI

Bangkok having so many interesting places to see that makes it such a rich place for the visiting eye.

Culture and Entertainment:
Interesting places in Bangkok that are well worth visiting include: Jim Thompson's Thai House, Thai Human Imagery Museum, Bang Pa-In Summer Palace, etc.

Palaces:

Palaces that one may visit in Bangkok include: The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo, Phra Thi Nang Vimanmek and Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall, and Suan Pakkad Palace.

Museums:

The National Museum, Royal Barges National Museum, The National Gallery Museum, Geological Museum, Philatelic Museum, and the Ban Kamthieng.

Entertainment:

The National Theatre, Chalerm Krung, Royal Theatre, and Music art Center.

Religious Places:

The City Pillar Shrine, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Wat Benchamabophit, Wat Sa Ket, and Wat Ratchanatdaram. In addition to the temples and other shrines mentioned here, there are many more, which give tourists a pretty good variety to visit.

Markets:

Floating Markets, Flower and Plant Markets, Lang Krasuang and Woeng Nakhon Kasem.

Royal Fold Arts and Crafts Centre at Bang Sai Sanam Luang, Turf Club, and The Ancient City.

jeremybrsti,
yes, there are so many wonderful aspects of Bangkok...and that's why we're all hoping that the protests are resolved soon.

dgunbug, you had asked earlier about my impression of Saigon...the Cu Chi tunnels and Cao Dai Temple. Since we were allocating only 2 nights in Saigon, there wasn't time. We really didn't want to spend almost a whole day driving back and forth...and the tunnels didn't sound like something we wanted to experience. I would have liked to see the Cao Dai Temple, but it was too far away. We did ride by a smaller version on our Mekong Delta trip, which was pretty and colorful.

I am so appalled and saddened by the events unfolding in Bangkok. It's hard to believe we were just there a month ago as this was all starting.

i'm anxious to read your next part as we arrived in bali last nite....well they have stopped the photos and fingerprints but immighration is sooooooooooooo slow... we were off first and were 6th in line and it still took over 1/2 hour in the barely a/c hall....

alam shanti is all that we remembered. see my thread..