Greetings from Saigon

Well, here again in Saigon . . . er, Ho Chi Minh City... sorry... Hot, not as humid as it's been on other days and other trips. But good gracious I keep forgetting how hot and crowded and NOISY this city is. And that's coming from a gal who was born and brought up in New York City! So, that's saying something. (Well, to be totally honest, most of my life in NYC was up in The Bronx, where it isn't quite as crowded and noisy as Manhattan, but still a far cry from the bedroom suburb I live in now...)

I enjoy most of the aspects of visiting Vietnam, the food, the people (all of whom are incredibly gracious and who don't laugh too terribly at my efforts to say "hello" and "thank you"), and the general sense of history. For those of us of a certain generation, it's always interesting to walk around here. You're walking with ghosts...

I am, however, anxious to get out of here and get back home -- ok, for one night, to wash clothes and re-pack for the UK -- the feeling of being alien is quite disconcerting. Most places in Europe, I can "pass" for a local, and can understand most of what is said and the signs, etc. However, in Aisa, I'm hosed pretty much. Very irritating! But, many places have a mix of Vietnamese and English on signs, etc. But, not enough to make me feel comfortable...

OK, that's it for now. More to come...