It occurred to me today that you might not understand what I am saying when I say "hot", "rain", "supplies" or "traffic". So here is a funny post telling you exactly what we mean!
Here is a supply kit. Consider it my Southeast Asian American Express Card -- things you don't leave home without. My standard kit -- an umbrella (for rain or shine), a video camera, a still camera, water, sunglasses, sun cream, bug repellent, a sweat bandanna and lastly, hand sanitizer. Add to this kleenex. No explanation needed -- there are oh so many uses for kleenex.
Traffic: You may think you know traffic. No you don't. In Saigon, this is rush hour. This is traffic.
Rain: Maybe when I say afternoon rain, you think sprinkles. Maybe you have even experienced a monsoon or two. Well, I hadn't. So, when I say rain, I mean insane monsoon complete and total downpour rain. The kind that floods the streets in minutes. The kind you don't just duck out in with your umbrella. This is traffic stopping, soak you in 30 seconds, afternoon monsoon rain.
In the above video we are in Cambodia. In the video below, it was this afternoon in Saigon. After this video was taken, we then crossed the street to the traffic video.
And in a slight departure, its still raining. I can't wait to see the streets in the morning!! :)
Cheesy Meghan -- I know. But I love street markets!
Ripening fruit. Its much pinker than this when fully ripe, but you get the picture!
A view from the front. I have to confess. This was my view. The woman driver was kind enough to lend me her hat, and so consequently all Jason saw was the side view and unfortunately the back of my head! Oppsie!
Jason's view! (Jason wants me to tell you he actually loved the view (or me really), so the view wasn't all that bad!)
Our first stop -- a coconut candy making factory. While this may not be incredibly interesting to most, I was thrilled to visit the "factory". Every year at Christmas my Dad, Monica and I make cookies and candy. We are particularly fond of making salt water taffy, mostly because it is fun to pull and shape the taffy. Which is exactly what these women were doing! Instantly I thought of Christmas!
That was the sweet. Now for the spice. This is fermented rice wine. And yes. Those are snakes. Cobras, actually. Always ready to volunteer Jason for anything odd or disgusting -- I peer pressured Jason into drinking it. And he did. See below for how good it tasted!
With Jason is Ang, our guide. Who politely told Jason when I was out of ear shot, that the snake wine increases old men's virility -- i.e. rural, Vietnamese Viagra!
Ho Chi Minh. This statue is outside of City Hall in a square in the center of the city. Ho Chi Minh liked to be known as Uncle to the locals. Thus in this statue he is playing with little children. The square is also excellent for scooter/traffic watching as it can get hairy on the roads around the square.
Saigon Notre Dame Basilica. This is a Catholic cathedral in downtown Saigon, constructed between 1863-1880 -- during the French colonial occupation. The statue out front is of Saint Mary.
The colonial post office. Still a post office today, it speaks to the lack of tourist sights in Saigon as it was packed with tourists. I mean really, its an impressive building, there are gift shops and of course, its a post office -- but who really flies half way around the world to see a post office??? Oh yeah, we did. Silly Jason and Meghan. 
