Dispatch #17: It's Independence Day in Vietnam

And we're in Saigon. Not surprisingly, given the brief refresher-course in Vietnamese history that Nicole and I gave ourselves this afternoon, there's not a great deal of celebration happening here. In fact, other than the large number of flags and government-issued banners and posters on display, today seems to be a day like any other.

We spent the last few days in Hue, Danang and Hoi An, all of which are beautiful. Nicole and I both caught colds, so the last two days in Hoi An (possibly the hottest and most-humid place I've ever been) were something less than comfortable. We flew into Saigon last night and I spent much of today walking around the city, in the rain. Despite the rain and sickness and the endless entreaties from street vendors and cyclo drivers, I still love this country. It's hard not to respect a people who have endured as much as the Vietnamese and it really is a gorgeous place.

Tomorrow morning, we're taking a bus to the beach at Mui Ne and the next day another bus to the town of Dalat. We'll spend about 48 hours in Dalat before flying to Hanoi and then back to Bangkok. On Friday, we return to New York. This trip has been incredible, but I'll be ready to head back to the U.S.