Goodbye Vietnam

More bananas to dodge as we rode through the Delta.
Jackfruit 
Lotus 

Pomelo (like grapefruit) on the way to market.  One of a few ferries.
Our group and guide Toan enjoying a sugarcane juice with kumquat.  We stopped every 15-25km for a beverage and snack or lunch.  We're down a rider after a solo crash and sore shoulder.
Dragonfruit ready for the market.  Lots of fruit grown!
Last 20km into Ho Chi Minh City were by van - riding would not have been enjoyable.
HCMC is busy, loud and economically active so if it weren't for the many reminders it would be easy to forget that this is a one-party state.
Our tour company was Social Cycles and I definitely recommend them.  They organized 4 visits with local NGOs, including Mekong Plus (which makes bamboo bikes and helmets!), for us to learn about efforts to improve the lives of Cambodians and Vietnamese.  Support for education and income generating training/projects were common threads.  
Tasty Pho!
Make your own spring rolls is a common meal in restaurants.

I'm glad to have visited HCMC, especially the War Remnants Museum to get a Vietnamese perspective on the American War, but don't regret our choice to leave for Laos right away.

Comments

  1. SharonJanuary 24, 2026 at 7:10 AM

    I’ll be interested in hearing about Laos. It was one of the few places Pamela has visited where she was taller than all the women. Pamela is tiny at 4’10.5”. Malnutrition is a thing in Laos. 😢

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ellen M.January 24, 2026 at 8:57 AM

    Bamboo bikes!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. JzolaJanuary 24, 2026 at 9:38 AM

    Seems you saw, rode and ate it all! I agree that the War Remembrance Museum is great. I loved how they highlighted McNamara's memoir where he said the war was a big mistake! Keep traveling well.

    ReplyDelete
  4. mauriceJanuary 24, 2026 at 3:07 PM

    For a real thrill Jeff you needed to take a ride on the back of a motorcycle taxi in HCMC! A truly frightening experience.

    ReplyDelete

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