One of the striking things about Vietnam is how nice people are to foreigners (americans, french etc...), Vietnamese seem to have put all wars or colonization behind. However, many monuments in or outside the city do not let you forget.
Cuisine
Vietnam War
First, the architecture of Ho Chi Minh City screams French influence. The way the houses are built and other structures around the city remind a French style. See for yourself through the Cathedral of Notre Dame in the picture. 
Cuisine
The cuisine is also very French influenced: Vietnamese love their baguettes. Jacob and I a enjoyed meals at the creperie and patisserie close to the Caravelle Hotel, where we stayed. In both, we found sandwiches or desserts with french names. Unfortunately, during my stay, I was only able to speak french with 2 Vietnamese, both in their early 60s: one woman at the pharmacy and a men at the Bintang market.
Vietnam War
On Wednesday, the group visited the War Museum and the Reunification Palace. The War Museum was harsh as it showed pictures of dead soldiers, Vietnamese as well as handicapped (orange kids) born following the war. The Museum gives an idea of what the war was like from a Vietnamese perspective. I have also enjoyed seeing American tanks, helicopters and guns left behind when Americans pulled out of Vietnam.
The Reunification Palace was also extraordinary, it was more about the different rooms that were used and their purposes in the palace: bedrooms, game rooms, library, cars etc...
Yesterday was the best day to remember and experience the Vietnam War. We all went to the Cuchi Tunnels. The tunnels of Củ Chi are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Cu Chi district of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country. The Củ Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War. The tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous guerrilla fighters. The role of the tunnel systems should not be underestimated in its importance to the Viet Cong in resisting American operations and protracting the war, eventually culminating in an American withdrawal.
Experience it yourself through these pictures.
I really enjoyed this post...esp. the french influence, which is easy to forget...and its interesting that the only french speakers were older...a dying breed of francophones perhaps
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