Yangon by www.born2travel.it

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24. 12. 2004 Ho Chi Minh City (VIETNAM) After ten hours of flight we land at the small airport of Yangon (Rangoon), capital of present-day Myanmar (formerly Burma). From above, now and then, we could glimpse the domes of the classic Eastern religious monuments, very similar to pagodas, and I was already daydreaming about how wonderful it would be to visit that place… A world so different from ours! Once landed, they let off only those who will be staying here; we have to wait on the plane; in fact here there are no stewards or stewardesses but only soldiers — just think that the form of government is a military dictatorship!

After a while we take off again bound for our destination: Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon); already on the transfer to the hotel we taste what will haunt us the whole time: the scooters… Rivers, oceans of centaurs, almost all riding shoddy copies of "Ciao" or "Sì" that race in every direction, on the pavements, two up, three up, four up, and they carry everything! I even saw one carrying, on his little scooter, a whole window pane! When they notice you don't have almond-shaped eyes they smile and greet you… especially the girls… and how pretty they are! As I walked around, some would draw their friends' attention as if to say: "Look, a Westerner!"

I had so much fun roaming about struggling with the scooters to be able to take a couple of steps, or while I was shopping, which here is a real bargain! On the street I tasted coconut juice straight from the nut, opened with a swing of a machete, right in front of me!

What can I say about our hotel! Simply fabulous! Just think that the "New World Hotel" (five-star superior) is the one chosen by Bill Clinton and his staff when he came to visit here! (On that occasion he took over the entire hotel!)

New Year's Eve dinner! All based on fish: king prawns, sushi, salmon and many other fish! To finish, a big platter of tropical fruit and off into the sea of scooters to celebrate "Holy Christmas"… "Holy"? "But since when do the Vietnamese celebrate Christmas?" Actually, even though a tiny part of the population is Christian, while the rest is Buddhist or Hindu, Christmas is seen the way we see Halloween, that is, as just another reason to party. Here, though, this holiday is celebrated as a sort of summer Carnival… Everyone is dressed up as "Santa Claus" in short sleeves… never celebrated Christmas in shorts!

Before, I thought that all three Christmases spent abroad were very sad and melancholic; today, no! Maybe because around me no one was with their loved ones, or simply because here Christmas isn't truly felt!

Meanwhile midnight approaches while I lie, alone, in this King Size bed, in my room, after a shower to wash off all the confetti that the girls, mischievously, threw down my shirt! 25. 12. 2004 Cu Chi (VIETNAM) Visit to the Cu Chi tunnels, which follow routes nearly 250 km long and were built by the Viet Cong during the French occupation at the time of the conflict against America, and they even reach the city of Saigon. I ventured with the guide into one of those tunnels… they were tiny and very long, but absolutely to be avoided if you suffer from claustrophobia. They showed us the traps, how they killed American soldiers… for the first time I saw the war from the other point of view…

In the afternoon we visited "Chinese Saigon": first stop: Colon, a typical Chinese market, very colourful and lively. Then the Thien Hau Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in the city, dedicated to the Celestial Lady, protector of navigators and sailors. At the entrance they handed us fragrant incense coils which, burning, helped create a mystical atmosphere in keeping with the ancient tradition.

Stop at the War Remnants Museum, which documented with a photographic report even the bloody aspects of the conflict with the Americans.

Right after, we visit Notre Dame Cathedral and the Post Office designed by Gustave Eiffel.

In the evening I treated myself to a relaxing ride in a "rickshaw", what a lovely feeling to "glide" sitting calmly amid the infernal river of scooters… poor lungs though!

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